Equipment needed: Light set of dumbells 5 or 8 lb or if you do not have weights you can use what you have. Most cans of soup or vegetables are 16 ounce and that is equal to 1 lb. The most important thing is that you are contracting the muscle that you are using regardless of the amount of weight you have in your arms.
Warming up is so important to warn the body that you are getting ready to work out and get it ready. First things first you must make sure your core is contracted. So we begin with a big breath in arms up wide bringing your shoulders up, back, and down. Feet are shoulder width apart hips tucked under core contracted you should feel the same feeling like your getting ready to laugh or cough. Warm up starts at the top of the body and we will work our way down.
Neck Rolls – to the right and to the left 3 times. (Your neck is the most used muscle and the most forgotten about)
Big Shoulder Rolls – Forward 3 times and Back 3 times ( This is where we tend to hold onto tension so it’s important to release that tension and always think shoulder down, away from your ears)
🏊♀️Swim– Rotate your arms in a swimming motion for about 5 times and then switch directions, keeping your arms narrow almost touching your ears. Knee Lifts/ Slow March- Lifting your knees up to your chest slow and control lifting up with your belly button.
Crescent Kicks– Still lifting up your knees but now you open your hips and bring the foot out wide like you are stepping over a chairButtKickers- Rocking back and forth bringing your heels to you butt and elbows press out wide at the same time
Lateral Lunge– Feet wide pushing your hips to each side Squat- Feet Wide Pushing your weight back into your heels making sure that your knees do not go past your toes. Its a combination of sitting back into a chair but sliding down the wall at the same time, Chest stays up. You should almost be able to lift your toes. You have that much weight in your heels.Visualize the spot where your butt and leg meet. That is the area you should be working and that is where you should feel it. Not in your knees, if this bothers your knees do not go down so low. Kicks- Not Flicks Lift your leg with your knee first and then extend the leg and switch. Lifting with your belly button.
⚡️3 Sets (rounds) of 12 Reps (times) ⚡️
💪Bicep Curl– (every time you start with your shoulders up, back, and down) Elbows stay glued to your side. All the way up and all the way down. Careful you do not push your elbows forward when you curl up. Elbows do not move! Also careful your wrist does not bend as you curl. The slower you go the better. Exhale at the exertion or the hard part. Exhale up and inhale down. If at any time you feel pressure in your lower back or if you are arching your back, then you can stagger your feet a little, bringing one foot slightly in front of the other still wide and balanced.
Lower Bicep– Arms are down and you only bring them up halfway/ 90 degrees. You are only working the lower part of the bicep. Careful you do not lift your arms up to high.
Upper Bicep– Arms start half way/90 degrees. Curl all the way up stopping half way. Only working the top part of the bicep. Careful not to curl your wrist at the top of the movement.
🏃♀️Jog– Keeping the weight in the balls of your feet stepping lightly. If this is too much impact you can do a fast high knee march.
Sumo Squat– Same procedures of the regular squat still apply. Except you take your legs out a little wider and turn your toes out wide almost in a diagonal. Your weight still stays in your heels but this time you can press down slightly in the inside of your foot and you will feel this is your inner thighs. You can also press your knees out a little more feeling it in your inner thighs even more. If you want more of a challenge go down low and don’t come up all the way keeping that tension in your legs. When you come up making sure you are squeezing. If you feel like you’re about to fall back that is good that means you are challenging yourself and working the muscle you’re supposed to. Holding the last one creating time under tension and adding a pulse for that little extra.
Tricep Press Back– Shoulder up back down, Palm faces behind. Pressing both arms back and releasing only ⅔ of the way so your never really letting go of the contraction. Chest stays up. When you press your arms back make sure you feel that connection in your lower abs. Exhaling your arms back. Holding the last one and Pulse up for 10 counts. (For the cherry on top)
Jack Knives– Pretend that you have a hinge in your belly button. Arms up and bring down when you alternate kicks up. Crunching and exhaling your legs up and bringing arms down connecting everything. Pulling your belly button in every time.
Push Ups– Hands right under shoulders. Feet up and weight on the tops of your knees, right where your knees and legs meet. Abs stay contracted. Pretend you have a board on your back and on your belly so you keep a straight line. Don’t let you butt come up too much or sink down too much. You can do push ups on the wall too. The further you take your feet back the harder it will be. Hands wide inhale down and exhale up. If this is too hard you don’t have to go down so low. Where you have your arms matters what muscle group you are working. If you have your arms out wide you will work more of your chest. If your hands are positioned straight under your shoulders you will feel it more in your bice. For tricep work bring your arms super narrow the closer you have them to your sides the easier it is. Your elbows will go behind you not out. Find a focal point right in front of your mat to keep your focus on so that will help keep your shoulders down and no tension in your neck. Every round of pushups must be followed by a child’s pose. (Push back and sitting your butt on your heels).
🦵Lunges– Spread your feet out a little wider. If your feet are too close you will have to focus on balancing and may mess up your form. Instead of thinking of being on a balance beam think of a railroad tie. So you have a nice wide base of support. Always keep your back straight, chest up, and knee never goes past your toe. The back leg is the one who does the work, and the front foot just follows along. You can step back into a reverse lunge, or forward for a front lunge, or even side. When you lunge back you feel that into your hip and your it band. Your back knee will almost touch the floor. Weight is in the front heel and and back toe. Stepping out wide might seem scary but trust me you will hurt your knee more if you take too narrow of a step then your knee is forced to go past your toe because you did not step out far enough. Instead step out far and just don’t go down that low. Stationary lunge- take foot forward and bend back leg down and up. Then switch your feet. You can always hold on to something. Side Lunge– When lunging to the left side, your right leg stays straight your right leg will bend and the knee stays directly over your toe pushing your butt in the corner careful not to lift up the right foot. Personally I like to do side lunges all on one side before I switch sides but you can alternate sides just careful knee stays behind toe and you push your butt to the corner. (Hold the last one)
🚣♂️Row– Shoulders up back and down. Weight or tension stays out of our shoulders; keep them away from your ears, not shrugging your shoulders. Bend over slightly forward, still keeping your back straight and core contracted. Arms out and squeeze your elbows back. Keep your arms super narrow. You should feel your arms brush up against your side. Pretend you have a pencil in between your shoulder blades and try to break that pencil. Belly button stays tight, squeezing that to your spine. Slow squeeze elbows back, back straight, shoulders down. (Hold the last one)
Wide Row– Same position but you will take your arms out wide elbows stay bent like a field goal post. Squeezing your elbows back and releasing slow. You may want to go a little lighter on your weights here.
Jumping Jacks- You can take it low impact and step one leg out at a time. You can alternate arms up or take both arms up at the same time. Or for more of a challenge you can jump both legs out at the same time for a traditional jumping jack. For the most advanced move you can jump both legs up off the ground at the same time. Keep your core tight. 30-60 seconds
🧽 Side Bend Down– Weights at your side, Lean and crunch to the right side and then the left. *When you are working your abs you can totally cheat yourself and not work as hard. Or you can really concentrate on that muscle and squeeze and contract them. My favorite saying is squeeze your abs like you are ringing out your wash cloth.*
Diagonal Side Bend Downs– Weights at your side but move your arms slightly forward into a diagonal position. So your arms are not at your sides, not in front, but in between that. You will work a different section of your abs that is hard to get. I call this “my puff” or “my wrap around”.
Single Side Bend Down– Holding one weight in the right hand, left hand is up by your ear. You go down on your right side ( the side with the weight in your hand) Slowly for 3 counts and squeeze back up for 1 count. Switch sides.
Side Raise– Shoulders up back and down, Slight bend in your elbows so you know your not locking them. Palms stay down and raise your arms up to the side. Also make sure your arms never go past your shoulders. Slow and control. Even though your arms are raising your shoulders are not.
Front Raise– Palms still stay facing down. Weights in front of your legs, arms raise up to the front.
🐕Bird Dog– On hands and knees, raise the opposite arm and leg. Neck stays long. Your arm comes up by your ear. Your foot is pointed and your leg stays straight. When you bring your leg and arm down add an abdominal crunch as well. Switch sides. Or you can alternate. (Holding the last one and pulse it)
Plank– High Plank is on your hands I personally don’t like that one as much. I prefer a low plank where you stay on your elbows. First level of plank is to stay on the top of your knees ( where your knee and quad meet) Keeping your belly button in. Second Level – Same position but you will Press your toe down pressing down on the toe. You can either alternate toe down and leg straight or do the same leg for 10- 15 counts and then switch legs. Third Level- On elbows and toes. Careful not to have your butt lifted up too much because then you are taking the challenge away. But if your butt is to low you will hurt your back.
Crunches– We are working your abs not your neck. This is the one time you can be stuck up. Keeping your chin away from your chest. Legs lift up to table top. Head is just resting in your hands. Elbows are out wide and you should not be able to see them in your peripherals. Pretend you have an apple between your chin and chest. Exhale up and inhale down bringing your belly button down as you go up. You can put your feet down on the floor if there is too much pressure on your back. Squeezing and contracting.
Heel Drops– Keeping the lower back pressed down on the mat. Bending your legs into table top. Alternate tapping your heels down. If you want a bigger challenge you can straighten your legs out
🧘♀️Stretching– (Most important part of your workout. When you workout your muscles are warm and stretched out already prime and ready to go and be challenged. When you stretch out a warm stretched out muscle, you’re getting much better results. You should stretch every muscle for at least 30 seconds to get the full effect.)Tall- Legs go out straight and arms go the other way Hamstring Stretch- Left leg stretches out on the mat. Your right leg lifts up and straight, pull your knee towards your forehead, shoulders will lift off the mat to meet your knee. I would rather your leg not lift up as high then to have any bend in your knee. If you can not reach your legs hands up to your calf then stay lower in pull on your hamstring you never ever pull on the back of your knee. For you to really stretch your hamstring your leg must remain straight. Keeping the other leg straight and pressing against the mat… Inner Thigh Stretch- Open the leg out Outer Thigh- Cross Leg over