The 12-step workout program

What HAPPENED?? Not so long ago you were in good shape, could see your kneecaps and could touch your toes. Now the only fingers touching your toes are the fast food chicken strips you dropped on the floor. The office is what happened. You spend a minimum of 8 hours of day confined to a small space and its taking a toll on your waist line. Here is a very short and basic workout you can do anywhere for all you workout fanatics and weekend warriors to get you back you on the right track to a summer beach body. Its only 3 weeks away so let's get to it. 

1. 10 minute warm-up. This could be anything from a walk to a jog. Maybe even a combination of the two to get your heart pumping and your body moving. 

Upper body exercise

2. 50 big arm circles both directions (forwards and backward)

3. Pushups. You can do these a number of different ways, from your knees or from your hands and toes. Start with ten and work your way to 25.

4. Bench dips. Keep your hips close to the bench as you move downward towards the floor.
 

5. Crunches. Don't stop until you get to 50.

6. Plank. Hold for 60 seconds from your hands and toes (pushup position) or challenge yourself in low plank on your forearms and toes for 90 seconds.

7. Pull-ups. Find a bar of any kind and pull yourself up to it. Maybe even find a low hanging tree branch (make sure it can support your weight!). Go for 5 and work your way up to 15 in a row.

Lower body exercise 

8. Hand squats. Put your hands on the floor 24 inches from your feet and bend your knees so your hips come down toward your heels then raise them back up as high as you can. See if you can do 50 without toppling over.

9. Hip press. Lay on your back with the bottoms of your feet flat on the floor and press you hips off the ground. 25 should do the trick. 

You can also try a Heel press, where you point your toes toward the sky. On this one, the further your feet are from your hips, the harder the exercise. Press your hips up for 15 reps for a nice burn in your hamstrings and gluts.

10. Dirty dogs. Go to your hands and knees and lift your leg to the side while bent like a dog peeing. Make sure the opposite elbow is locked during your 25 reps.

11. Knee squeeze. Lay on your back with the bottoms of your feet on the ground and squeeze your knees together as tight as you can while you slightly raise your shoulders off the ground to reach your palms to the top of your knees. After 60 seconds you should start to feel the fatigue in your inner thighs.

12. Calf raises. This is one of my favorites. You can hang your heels off of a stair or a platform of some sort and raise them as high as you can 50 times. If you want to work on balance try it with one leg and if you really want to challenge yourself, try doing it without holding on to anything.

This is a great workout that works your full body. If you are going to do this routine, I would suggest doing it 3 times a week with cardiovascular exercise or a just day of rest in between. Stay healthy everyone and Forge ON!