Hey, if you’re like me, mornings can be pretty slow. Hitting that snooze button more
times than I’d like to admit, just standing in the shower waiting until the sleepiness
washes away. But I decided to challenge myself with this full-body workout. Instead of lollygagging
around in the morning, I’d use that wasted time to get toned. And just one month later,
I’m glad I did! Here’s what I’ve been doing:
1. Squats Stand up straight with your feet slightly
wider than shoulder-width apart. Then, bend your knees and slowly lower yourself into
an imaginary chair. You can even use a real chair at first to get the movement down. Keep
your chest open, look ahead, and don't let your knees go past your toes – they should
be in line and pointing forward, not out to the sides. Stay at the lowest point for a
few seconds, and then return to the initial position. This exercise targets pretty much
every muscle in your legs, from your calves to your thighs. It also hits your glutes and
lower back muscles. Do 3 sets of 12 reps for this one. You can add reps as you build up
strength or grab a bar weight if you have one. Put it on your shoulders, but make sure
to keep it off your neck to avoid injuries.
2. Side Plank with Leg Lift Although this exercise may seem a bit hard
at first, it's super effective for training your abs, glutes, obliques, and outer thigh
muscles. Start by lying on the floor on your side with one forearm right under your shoulder
and your feet together. Tighten your core and lift your hips off the floor so that your
body makes a straight line from head to feet. You can also prop yourself not on your elbow
but on your straightened arm – it’ll just require more balancing skills! Anyway, lift
your upper leg in the air, hold it for a couple seconds, and then lower back down. Do 15 reps,
then switch sides and do 15 on your other leg. Aim to complete 3 sets on each leg with
this one too.
3. Plank with Knee to Elbow Get into the plank position with your arms
straight and placed directly under your shoulders. Tighten your core and keep your back straight
from head to toe. Remember that your head should be in line with your neck. A good trick
is to pick a spot on the floor (or your phone!) and keep your eyes focused on it. Pull your
right knee up toward your right elbow, straighten it back out without letting it rest on the
floor again, and then go right back up to that elbow. Do 3 sets of 12 reps on each side
for the ultimate core-sculpting exercise!
4. V-Ups Lie flat on the floor on your back with your
arms stretched over your head. Contract your core and abdominal muscles to slowly lift
your legs and upper body off the floor. Your torso and legs should make, well, a V-shape.
You can also try to touch your toes when you’re in this peak position. Hold it for 2 seconds,
and then slowly lower back down. This is a pretty tough exercise, but try to do 3 sets
of 12 with 30-second breaks between sets. Remember to breathe deeply while doing this
exercise because holding your breath will do you more harm than good. With each new
day, try to stay in the V-position for a bit longer. Over time, V-Ups strengthen and define
your lower and upper abs, improve your balance and core stability, and train your lower back
muscles.
5. Reverse Leg Raises Start by getting on all fours. Lift your right
leg to form a straight line from your head to your toes. Stay in this position for a
couple of seconds, then lower your knee back to the floor. Do 15 reps with your right leg,
and then repeat the same with the left one. Try to complete 3 sets on each leg. And remember
that your hips should be facing the floor throughout the whole exercise. That way, you’ll
get the most out of it. That is, strengthened and defined glutes, quads, abs, and especially
those hamstrings!
6. Donkey Kicks We’ve got the same starting position for
this exercise too: all fours on the floor. Lift your right leg, but this time keep your
knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for a few seconds, making sure your
upper thigh is parallel to the floor, and then lower your leg down. Keep your hips facing
the floor for this one too. Again, 3 sets of 15 on each leg will do the trick. Donkey
kicks target some of the same muscle groups as reverse leg raises: your glutes, hamstrings,
thighs, and lower back, as well as your core and arm muscles.
7. Hip Raises Lie down on your back on the floor with your
legs bent at the knee and your arms down by your sides. Raise your hips in the air by
squeezing your glutes and core muscles so that your body forms a straight line from
your knees to your shoulders. Stay in this position for a couple of seconds, then lower
yourself back down without touching your bum to the floor – you’ll go straight up into
your next rep. Once again, 3 sets of 15 every single day will have you looking in the mirror
and seeing stronger, more toned glutes, hamstrings, abs, and lower back muscles within a month!
8. Wall Push-Ups And to wrap it all up, here’s the last exercise
I do in my morning workout. Get into a push-up position against the wall with your hands
shoulder-width apart from each other. While keeping your arms bent, step away from the
wall until you're leaning against it at about a 30-degree angle. Keep your whole body straight
and your glutes, legs, and core muscles engaged. Straighten your arms and push yourself away
from the wall to an almost upright position. Then bend your elbows again and slowly lower
yourself back toward the wall. Control your movements so that you don’t face-plant right
into the wall! Do 3 sets of 15, and build on those as you gain strength. Or, if you
want to challenge yourself more, move your feet further from the wall, and the exercise
will immediately get much harder!
This entire workout doesn't take much time, and the best part is that it involves the
most important muscle groups without the need for any special equipment. If you keep at
it every day, you’ll start seeing results in a month’s time.
But if you’re still looking for some extra motivation, here are a few of my best tips
and tricks when it comes to exercising at home.
- First and foremost, exercise in the morning. By the evening, most people are usually too
tired after a long work or school day to make an effort to work out or even just move around!
Plus, if you do it in the morning, it’ll help wake you up, and you’ll feel energized
for the whole day. Take it from me: it’s a lot more effective than smashing the snooze
button or a long shower! - If you’re new to the whole exercising
thing (or it’s been a while!), start with fewer reps and slightly increase the intensity
of your workout each new day. - Even though you don’t really need to go
to the gym and you can totally do the routine in your pajamas, still get yourself a cool
workout outfit. I swear, just being in gym clothes motivates me to exercise!
- Always keep your gym bag at your side, like in your office or car. Who knows when you
might have an opportunity for a quick workout! - Keep building on your routine, and try to
include some cardio. That mobile gym bag really comes in handy when you wanna go for a jog
after work. - You can also start including weights or
get a resistance band for an added challenge. Donkey kicks with an exercise band are a whole
other ballgame! - If you can’t seem to find time to dedicate
to a full-on workout, include some fitness in your day-to-day, For example, make it a
rule to do 10 push-ups before you check your social media or eat a snack. I like to do
sit-ups, squats, and jumping jacks during commercial breaks when I’m watching TV!
- Go for walks on the weekend. While you're on your way, catch up with your friends on
the phone. Fresh air, friends, and fitness: 3 birds with one stone!
- Speaking of your buddies, you can always find a workout partner to help motivate you!
Do you have any other tips on how people can incorporate fitness into their daily routine?
Let me know down in the comments! If you learned something new today, then give this video
a like and share it with a friend. But – hey now! – don't go into your squat
just yet! We have over 2,000 cool videos for you to check out. All you have to do is pick
the left or right video, click on it, and enjoy! Stay on the Bright Side of life!