Thursday, January 31, 2013
Over the next pages I will show you some simple bodyweight exercises you can do to tone up, burn
fat and help lose weight.
But why bodyweight exercises?
The frantic pace of modern life means that finding time to exercise can often be hard. An overcrowded gym, can’t be bothered training outside, not enough equipment or space to do a full workout at home…. these are all genuine reasons that I hear everyday. But with bodyweight exercises:
- Little space required.
- No equipment needed.
- Can be done efficiently and effectively.
- Gets more muscles working.
- Helps burn fat, tone muscles and gain strength.
- Improve energy levels.
- Functional in relation to everyday life.
The type of bodyweight training we’re using in this program is called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). It’s a simple format of 30-45 seconds of exercise by 6 rounds followed by an adequate rest (say 1-2 minutes). I’ve chosen exercises that will complete each other along with giving you a work out for all areas of your body. You can also combine this work out with your own training e.g. using the exercises in between doing a home gym session OR completing it after doing a group exercise class (challenging but achievable!).
The guide for the exercises we are using in this program comes from the FitDeck Body Weight cards. The exercises that have been chosen are reasonably basic but the cards themselves give you a visual image to work off along with some technique pointers.
THE WARM UP
It’s crucial to warm up before any home work out sessions, it’ll get your muscles and joints ready to
do your program.
- Forward and backward arm rotations—30 seconds each direction.
- Forward and backward leg swings—30 seconds each leg.
- Running on the spot with high knee lifts OR marching on the spot with high knee lifts—30 seconds.
- Swing arms side to across the body—30 seconds.
- In a sprinters starting position, go up and down on your heels—30 seconds.
- Side bends running arms down the side of your body—30 seconds.
- Shoulder shrugs—30 seconds (15 seconds each way).
- Torso twists both ways rotating the body to look behind yourself—30 seconds.
- Hurdler motion rotating the leg inwards—30 seconds each leg.
You can also use this warm up routine in between your work out days as it will help with your recovery.
You need to choose 2 exercises to do together. Do 1 exercise for 30-45 seconds followed straight away by the other exercise. This pattern needs to be repeated 3 times before resting. You then move on to another set of two exercises. Rest. Then your last set of two exercises. There’s a sample program listed on the next page or you can choose your own exercises to compliment each other.
Star Jumpers
Also known as squat jumps. Think squatting then exploding up and reaching hands to the sky.
Cross Countries
Start in a split stance like a lunge, arms and legs move in opposition like a cross country skier.
Knee Taps
Lift knees to hands that are positioned out from the body.
Bicycle Crunches
Laying on your back, start with your left knee up and your right leg extended. Push your left leg out, bring your right knee up and as you do so crunch and twist taking your opposite elbow to your knee. Continue this movement with control.
Chase The Rabbits
In a sprinters starting position with hands on the floor, alternate bringing knees towards your chest and planting your toes as fast as you can.
Side Crunches (each side)
Roll your legs to one side so they are bent and on top of each other. From this position complete a crunch movement continually.
Forward Lunges (each leg)
Step forward making sure your front knee does not go past your front toe. Stay on the same leg.
Brazilians
Starting in a push up position on your toes, bring your knee towards the opposite elbow. Alternate legs or repeat on the same leg.
Frog Jumps
Starting in a push up position on your toes, jump your legs forward so that your feet end up planted on the ground (heels down and slightly turned out) and as close to your hands as possible. Then jump them back out again to the starting position.
Marine Push Ups
Start in either a toes or knees push up position, lower your body down to the ground and then sweep both arms up above your head so that your hands touch. Bring them back to by your chest and push yourself back up into the starting position.
Split Push Ups
In the push up position, tuck one arm in close to the body and the other one out on a 45 degree angle. The elbow of the arm that is close to the body should go straight back when doing the push up and the other elbow out to the side. Change hand positions every 5 push ups.
Spiderman Hovers
In the hover or plank position (on elbows and toes), take one foot off the ground and bring that knee towards the same elbow. Slowly return it to the stable hover position and repeat on the other side of the body.
The sample program on the following page outlines a slow build up, doing more cardio to begin with.
But if you are able to jump right into your program then feel free to do 3-4 days of your HIIT
bodyweight sessions.
