It is good to go to the gym each day for a solid hour of exercise. It is possible for life to throw in the towel and make it difficult to get your workout done. You may be distracted by family, work, vacations, or weather. It can be hard to get back on track after you have been thrown off your workout routine. It is important to have a backup plan for your workouts.
Have you ever gone on business or personal vacations and the hotel didn’t offer a gym? Or maybe you skipped your workout altogether. Have you ever said to yourself, “I’ll make it tomorrow,” on a busy day of running errands? You only need 20 minutes to stay on track and complete your workout. That’s it! There are no excuses! In as little as 20 minutes, you can do your workout anywhere and anytime.
The Workout
Body-Weight Squat
This exercise is also known as the “air-squat” and involves your entire lower body. It includes your glutes and thigh muscles, quadriceps, quadriceps, and even your core. The squat is one of the best exercises to build muscle and burn calories because it incorporates large muscle groups from the legs. Standing with your feet slightly wider than your hips, slowly lower your body as if you were sitting in a chair. Engage your abs and keep your chest high. Squeeze your shoulder blades towards each other. Your body should be lowered until your thighs meet the ground. Make sure that your knees do not fall to the ground or cross over your ankles. Next, return to the starting position. To activate different muscle groups, the foot placement can be made wider or smaller. Your hands can be resting on your hips, on top of your head, or crossed over your chest. You can start with three sets of 50 reps, and then increase your strength.
Plank
Planks are a simple, but very effective exercise for body weight that anyone can do. This exercise targets the abdominals, chest, glutes, and lower back. To do the traditional plank, place your hands below your shoulders and curl your toes under the feet so that your body is supported off the ground. If you find this too difficult, you may be able to do the plank on your knees until your strength and ability improve. Hold the plank by engaging your core until your entire body is aligned in one line. The plank serves as an isometric hold that is done to increase endurance and strength. You can make this more difficult by moving your weight onto your left hand and bringing your right hand to your hip. Then, stack your feet into a side plank. Next, do it again on the opposite side.
Push Ups
Push-ups can be a great exercise to increase strength in your upper body and core. Push-ups are performed in the same way as the plank. If you’re just beginning, push-ups can be done on your knees. Slowly lower your body to the ground, focusing on your core. Once your arms are bent at 90 degrees, tighten your core. Keep your hips straight and your hips high. Lower your shoulders and pull them back. Make sure your elbows touch your body. This movement can be repeated 10-20 times until you reach three sets.
Abs
You have many options for abdominal exercises to shape your midsection. These are three ways to work your entire abdomen. Place your feet flat on the ground, with your arms extended overhead. To get to a comfortable sitting position, inhale and engage your abdominals. Exhale at the top and bend forward towards your toes. Inhale and pull yourself up to a sitting position. Then exhale and lower your body to the floor. Repeat this 10 to 15 times.
Keep your lower abs in check by remaining on the ground. Next, lift your feet a few inches off of the floor. Next, lift them 45° off the ground and hold them for 90 seconds. You can then lower them down to 45 degrees and hold them there. Then, lift them again to a few inches above the floor before you release them. Repeat this 10 to 15 times.
You can also start the last movement on the ground, but this time your feet should be spread apart. Place your hands over your head. With an inhalation, lift one arm toward the ceiling. Once you have reached the top, bend your hand so that you can touch the other foot with your raised hand. Recover your balance and move on to the next side. Repeat the process on both sides 5-10 times.
These moves can be done in a series or mixed together. Have fun, as long as you get in 20 minutes.
This post was written by Darryl Johnson, Co-Owner of Apex performance. At Apex performance we are a community of highly trained experts looking to provide performance enhancement and a permanent lifestyle change for our clients in a fun and interactive environment. Members can take advantage of a personal trainer in Tampa, one-on-one training, small group classes, and specialized courses for a wide variety of athletics, sports training, and body goals!