There are many times that we feel like we don’t have time to get to the gym. There are also many days that messy hair, smudged mascara and still wearing our pajamas in the middle of the day make the possibility of us leaving the house about zero. But guess what? We can still be good to our bodies by getting some fitness and exercise in in no time at all in the comfort of our own home. Here is a routine that has relaxing stretches, moves that will not make you sweaty and gross, and powerful ways to target the ares of our bodies that we all want to change… butt and abs. Here is some home inspiration to get a great (and easy) workout without leaving the house.
Beginning Stretches:
Quad Stretch – Pull your foot to your butt, push your hips forward and your knee backwards until you feel a comfortable stretch in your quad. Hold this for a minute on each side. (Hold on to something for balance if you need to.)
Toe Touches – Start with your hands on your hips. Move your shoulders so that they are pushed back and down ward. Keep your tummy pulled in tight. Lengthen and straighten your spine. Move your fingers down in front of you as you bend forward and touch your toes. Hold this pose for 15 seconds then move back up to your starting position. When you touch your toes, feel a stretch up the back of your legs and in your back. Repeat this 5 times.
Cobra Pose & Child’s Pose – Hold this pose for 20 seconds, move into a child’s pose for 10 seconds, then back to the cobra pose for 20 seconds. Repeat this 4 times. You will feel this in your abdomen, chest, shoulders, hips and back.
Work Out for Abs:
Crunches – No need to do anything too crazy. Hold your legs in the air either in a table top position or up in the air. Without using your hands to move your head, lift your shoulders off the ground while pulling your belly button to your back in a way that engages your abdominal muscles. Hold the crunch for the count of 7, lay back for 3 seconds and bend back up into a crunch again for 7 seconds. Repeat this 10 times.
Russian Twist – Hold a weight at your chest with both hands. While laying on the ground. Move to a sit up position. Twist your shoulders toward the right as far as you can, then back to center, then to the left, back to center and then down. Do this exercise 12 times before taking a break.
Work out for Butt:
Donkey Kicks – Start in a tabletop position. Keep your abs and butt tight. Raise your right leg up white still bent in the same position as far up as feels comfortable, then lower. Squeeze your butt each time you lift your leg. Repeat this 15 times on each leg and do this at least 4 times on each side before resting.
Leg Lifts – Stay in the same table top position. This time you are going to lift your leg while extending your foot out so that your leg is almost straight with only a slight bend in the knee. Push your leg up so that you feel a good squeeze in your butt, then pulse your leg in this position 10 – 15 times before lowering. Repeat this on the other side. Take turns with each leg until you have completed this exercise on each leg 4 times.
*Feeling strong and proud of yourself now? Repeat this workout at least 2 more times!
Finishing Stretches:
Figure Four Leg Stretch – Start with your left leg in a 90 degree table top position. Put your right ankle against your left knee. Use your hands to gently pull your thigh toward your body and feel the stretch in your legs and butt. Take turns with each leg as many times as feels good.
Cat Cow Stretch – give your back a full stretch by doing this stretch about 5 times. Hold it at the top and the bottom for 10 seconds each (or longer if it feels good).
Full Body Stretch – Stretch your fingers as far above your head as you can and your feet as far as they will go so that your entire body is stretched out vertically. Flex and point your toes a few times as you hold this pose for about 10 seconds. Then, pull your knees into your chest, hug your legs and bend your head toward your knees. Hold this for 10 seconds. Stretch out long again. Repeat this 3 or more times.
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