…Non-Gym Workouts…
You do not have to own a gym membership to get a good workout. There are many different things that you can do in your home, in your neighborhood, or in what ever space you can find!
Before you start please keep in mind that it is always a good idea to warm up and stretch before you start your routine. This can be done by jogging in place, jogging a short distance, or even run up and down some stairs to help get the blood pumping through your body.
Thanks to Men’s Health Magazine, they have some great routines and pictures to show some great things men and women can do to exercise! I will share a few with you from their website:
Here is the suggested workout:
The Workout
1. Prisoner squats (30 reps)
2. Pushups (30 reps)
3. Jumps (10 reps)
4. Swiss-ball leg curls (10 reps)
5. Swiss-ball pikes (10 reps)
6. Stepups (20 reps)
7. Forward lunges (30 reps)
8. Tucked-elbow pushups (20 reps)
9. Prisoner squats (15 reps)
Directions: Do this workout 3 times a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for example. Perform the exercises as a circuit, doing 1 set of each movement for the prescribed number of repetitions. Complete them in the order shown, without resting between exercises. Too easy? Rest 1 minute and repeat the circuit.
Prisoner Squat
Stand with your hands behind your head, chest out, and elbows back [A]. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can without losing the natural arch of your spine [B]. Squeeze your glutes (aka your butt!) and push yourself back to the starting position.
Your toes should be angled slightly outward. Don’t raise your heels as you drop into a squat.
Pushup
Assume a classic pushup position, with your back and legs straight and your hands beneath your shoulders [A]. Brace your abs and keep your body rigid. Now lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor [B]. Then push yourself up until your arms are extended.
Keep your back flat and lower your body until you’re about an inch off the floor.
Jump
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Now dip down at your hips and knees [A] and explode up [B], jumping as high as you can. Land as softly as you can, and then lower yourself and repeat.
Drop your hips back to generate power, and land on your toes before sinking into your heels.
Swiss-Ball Leg Curl
Lie on the floor with your calves resting on a Swiss ball and your arms outstretched. Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles [A]. Pause for a second, and then bend your legs to roll the ball toward your butt [B]. Straighten your legs to roll the ball away from you, and then lower your body to the floor.
Drive your heels into the ball to lift your body and activate your hamstrings.
***NOTE*** You do not have to use a ball (if you do not have one or you can’t afford one…but you can find some at a reasonable cost if you look online or maybe on eBay) You can use a bench, a bed, or anything that will elevate your legs and will not topple over (we don’t want you to hurt yourself while you are trying to workout!)
Swiss-Ball Pike
Assume a pushup position with your feet resting on a Swiss ball, your body in a straight line from toes to shoulders [A]. Keep your back straight as you contract your abs, raise your hips as high as you can, and roll the ball toward you [B]. For an easier version, pull your knees up to your chest without raising your hips.
Your toes should be on the top-center of the ball to help maintain your balance.
***NOTE*** This move is def needed with a balance ball and is a more advanced move. To start out you can use a bed or bench (or anything stable as talked about before) and do an elevated push up. This will allow you to build up your balance and get more comfortable until you are ready to try this move.
Stepup
Holding your arms straight out in front of you, place one foot on a step or bench that’s about 2 feet off the floor [A]. Push down through your heel to lift your other leg [B], and then return to the starting position. Complete all your reps with one leg before switching legs and repeating the movement.
Your entire foot should be on the bench, with your toes pointed forward.
Forward Lunge
From a standing position [A], take a large step forward with one leg. When your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is off the floor [B], hold for 1 second. Then return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.
Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.
Tucked-Elbow Pushup
Assume a standard pushup position [A], but keep your elbows tucked in against your sides as you lower yourself until your chest is about an inch off the floor [B] and then push yourself up. To aid your form, place your hands closer than shoulder width, about 6 inches apart.
To aid your form, place your hands closer than shoulder width, about 6 inches apart.
***NOTE***This too is an advanced move. So do not get discouraged if you can not complete a full set the first few times.
There are several different things that you can change in your day that will help you shed those extra pounds throughout the day. Here are some ideas for some non gym type “exercises” that you can do (or add to your day) that may help you optimize the amount of calories you burn a day.
- You know that elevator you wait 5-10 minutes on each morning on your way to your office? Take the stairs instead!
- Try walking more! If you need to run to the corner store to grab some milk or bread walk! Not only will this be beneficial to you, but this can also help you save gas money!
- You can animals on a walk or jog with you. You will complete 2 tasks that way (walking the animal and getting your exercise!!)
