Are you one of those people who made a resolution to be healthier? Do you find yourself saying, “there are still too many people at the gym” or “I’ll do it after I finish this other important task“? Well, the new year is speeding by so quickly so you better stop making excuses. We asked Gov Lloyd, Certified Personal Trainer from Australia to give 20 bodyweight exercises that can help you achieve your fitness resolutions for 2020. Check them out below.
- Jumping Jacks – often used as a warm-up exercise. jump to a position with the legs spread wide and the hands reaching up and touching overhead, and return to a position with the feet together and the arms at the sides. Keep knees soft.
- Stepping Alternate Lunges – Step forward and slowly lower your body until your front knee is bent at least 90 degrees, while your rear knee is just off the floor. Keep your torso upright. Don’t lock out the joints/knees. Only go as deep as you can depending on your flexibility, your strength, and your joints.
- Mountain Climber – excellent for working the core and jacking up the heart rate. Start in a plank position, start with either leg and bring your knees towards your elbows as if climbing a mountain.
- Burpees – sometimes called a squat thrust, named after American physiologist Royal H. Burpee. Begin in a standing position. Move into a squat position with your hands on the ground. Kick your feet back into a plank position, while keeping your arms extended. Immediately return your feet into a squat position and then stand right back up.
- Plank Jacks – Start with a push-up position and spring out the legs like a jumping jack but only the feet are moving.
- Skaters – starting with your right or left side, bring the back leg further across the standing leg, then jump across and load up the front leg. This is like mimicking an ice skater skating from side to side. Depending on fitness level, you can go deeper and mas many reps as you can until you feel that burn on the outside of your quads and glut area.
- Calf Raises – do not forget about the calves. This can be done either on a step or on flat ground. From a standing position, start raising your heels while keeping the weight on the ballls of your feet.
- Hip Thrust – this is for the hip flexors and the gluts. Lay on your back with your knees bent and arms on the side. Push your hips up towards the roof and slowly back down. Make sure you squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Push-Ups – place hands shoulder-width apart, push your body up and go as deep as you can until your chest touches the floor.
- Plyometric Push-Ups – similar to a push up except with a more explosive move when you move up making sure your hands lift off the ground.
- Push-Up Jacks – Similar to a plank jack but you start with a push-up then you follow up with your feet doing a jumping jack.
- Plank-Shoulder Taps – Start with a push-up position an alternate hand to shoulder tap.
- Standard Plank – start with a push-up position but resting on your forearm. Keep your body straight for at least 30 – 45 seconds and do not let your back sink. You may raise your ass a bit higher if you get too tired to avoid pressure on your lower spine.
- Knees to Elbows – Similar to a mountain climber except the movement is done a bit slower to work out the core and upper body. From a push-up position, slowly bring your knee towards your elbow, squeezing the abdomen as you do.
- Laying Leg Raises – this works the lower abdominals. Start laying on the ground with your arms on your side or under your bum. Lift your legs up until their completely vertical and slowly bring legs down close to but without touching the ground.
- V-Sits – lay on your back and legs up towards the roof, reach up leaving your legs up in the air and try to teach your toes as close as possible.
- Ankle Taps – in a crunch position (back on the ground and arms on the side, with bent knees and feet on the ground), slightly lift your torso, sway side to side alternately touching your ankles.
- Crunches – back on the ground and arms on the side, with bent knees and feet on the ground, bring your palms from your lap all the way to the top of your knees. Exhale as you squeeze upwards.
- Bench Leg Raises – Lean back and stabilize with your hands, and lift those legs or the knees towards your chest. You can bend your knees as you raise them up, extend the legs outward as you go down.
- Bench Dips – this is for the triceps. Put your feet on the ground (or on another bench for advanced moves). Get the elbows to a 90-degree angle loading up the tricep.
These 20 fundamental exercises are good to get you started and will help you burn fat, build strength and endurance. But if you are ready to step it up, you need gym equipment and assistance from people with the expertise. You may contact Gov on his Instagram account for personal training.
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