Do Anywhere Bodyweight Workout

Do Anywhere Bodyweight Workout Builds Great Body Tone

You can build great body tone. This is the end of the excuses. Why do I say that? This routine can be done anywhere. No equipment is needed. All it does is use your body as the gym.

The exercises are not difficult – and you can find ways to make them work for you.

The workout has 3 parts and each part has 3 exercises. Start with a 3 minute light workout to get your heart working (called a cardio workout). Then do each (3 exercise) part twice before moving on to the next part. This gives us a 30 minute bodyweight workout. You could get through one cycle in 15 minutes including warming up and stretching at the end. There are no excuses.

If you are struggling reduce the number of repetitions. Finish off with a 3 minute stretching cool down.

Part One: Squat
Repetitions: 15

Stand with with your feet apart slightly wider than your hips with toes pointed a little outward – this gives balance. Place your hands behind your head with elbows wide.
Keep your weight on your heels and sit back as if you are going to sit on a low chair. Try to keep your knees behind your toes – this is harder than it seems. Keeping your weight on your heels helps this. You may find it easier to hold your arms out in front of you to counter-balance the weight going back. Come back up by pressing through your heels to engage your glutes. This is one repetition. Do 15.

Part One: Seated Twist
Repetitions: 15, turn to both sides

Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot and a half (20 cms) from your bottom.
Lean slightly back trying to keep your spine straight.
Place your hands behind your head with elbows wide.
Pull your belly button to your spine (ie contract your belly muscles), and twist slowly to the right. The movement is quite small and comes from the ribs turning. Breathe through your center and turn to the left.
This is one repetition. Do 15.

Part One: Plank with Leg Lift
Repetitions: 10, for each leg

Start in an elbow plank. How to do that? Crouch on the floor – hands and knees on the floor. Lower yourself onto your forearms. Lift your knees off the floor and hold your back straight (this is an elbow plank). Keep breathing.
Lift your right foot off the ground and then lower it again. Do this on the left side by lifting the left leg. This is one repetition. Do 10. It is really important to keep breathing as this is harder than it seems.

Part Two: Curtsy Squat
Repetitions: 10, each side

Start from standing with feet slightly wider than your hips. Move your left leg behind you and to the right so your thighs cross, bending both knees as if you are curtsying (to the Queen). Return to standing and repeat. This is one repetition. Do 10 repetitions, then switch to the right side moving your right leg back behind the left and do 10 on this side

Part Two: Triceps Dip
Repetitions: 15

Triceps dip is often done using a chair – for this one we are going to work from the floor. Get on the floor. Put your hands shoulder width apart on the floor behind you and straighten your elbows to lift your hips off the ground.
Keeping your hips high, breathe in and bend your elbows straight behind you. Breathe out and straighten your arms. This works the large muscle on the back of your upper arm (the tricpes). This is one repetition. Do 15.

Part Two: Squat With Sidekick
Repetitions: 20, alternating sides

Give yourself some space for this. Start in a deep squat. Sway across to the left and place your weight firmly onto your left heel and at the same time twist and kick your right leg to the right as high as you can make it (this is not as easy as the picture shows). The right knee should face forward not up. Return to the deep squat. Do the same with the right foot anchored and kicking the left. This is one repetition. Do 10. You may find it easier to do 10 on one side and then 10 on the other side for 20 kicks in all.

Part Three: Pilates Roll-Down
Repetitions: 10, take care to be slow and smooth

Begin seated at the front edge of your mat, with knees bent and legs together. it may help to have feet planted on the floor. Reach your arms toward the ceiling. This stretches the spine. Breathe out and pull stomach muscles (abs) deeply toward spine, and begin to roll down the floor one vertebra at a time as smoothly and as controlled as you can manage. When your head reaches the mat, stretch your arms so they are parallel to the floor. Breathe out slowly and start to come back up, raising your spine gently off the mat and coming all the way to sitting. Breathe in and lift your arms up toward the ceiling. This is one repetition. Do 10. This is not as easy as it sounds – you may want to anchor your feet under the edge of the bed or a couch so your feet do not come off the ground.

Part Three: Leaning Lunge
Repetitions: 12, each leg

In this we are going to step back and lean forward. Stand at the front of your mat. Take a large step backward with your right foot, keeping both knees bent. As your right foot reaches the furthest point start to lean forward into the left knee and then start to straighten the right leg. This is the leaning lunge. You will feel the big muscles in the front and back of your left leg and left glute working. Keep pushing the weight through your left heel and bring your right foot back alongside the left and straighten to standing. This is one repetition. Do 12 and then switch legs.

Part Three: Negative Push-Up
Repetitions: 10

Start in a plank position. How to do that? = hands on the floor arms straight and knees off the floor.
Slowly lower your body to the mat, then squeeze your shoulder blades together. When your chest reaches the floor lift your palms away from the floor keeping your chin off the floor. To come back up put your palms on the floor, and straighten your elbows, pushing yourself back into the plank. This is one repetition. Do 10

Remember to do some stretching as you cool down.

Original article by Susi May at Popsugar.com

Images from Popsugar.com and Unlockmen.com. Glutes image used under Creative Commons from David Van Der Mark