The seasons are changing, and if you’re in a region that succumbs to frigid temperatures I know just what you’re thinking: Do I HAVE to leave the house to go to the gym?! The answer is….NO! Here’s a circuit style workout I created that can be done in the comfort of your own living room. No blaming the weather to avoid exercise this time!
(Note: some basic equipment is required. Follow the “ *’s “ for easier modifications and substitutes if you don’t have the necessary tools.)
Warm Up: 3 rounds of…
- 15 second wall sit (*10 seconds)
- 5 knee tuck jumps (*jumping jacks)
- 10 jumping lunges, 5 each leg (*10 slow lunges, 5 each leg)
- 15 second plank hold (*10 seconds)
- 30-60 seconds rest between each round
**You can complete the workout in one of the following 3 ways. Each vary in difficulty and really just depend on both your time constraints and exercise level. Each method calls for no rest between individual exercises within a set, 30-60 seconds rest between each completed set, and 1-3 minutes rest between circuits.
(If you need more time to catch your breath, take it; cutting down break times just helps increase calorie burn by keeping your heart rate elevated for longer periods of time) **
- 2 full sets of each round, 15 reps per exercise, doing all of circuit 1 before moving onto circuit 2, and all of 2 before finishing with circuit 3.
- 3 full sets of each round, 15/10/5 reps per exercise (ex: circuit 1/set 1= 15 reps per exercise, then circuit 1/set2= 10 reps per exercise, then circuit 1/set3= 5 reps per exercise), doing all of circuit 1 before moving onto circuit 2, and all of 2 before finishing with circuit 3. Fit tip: **if this is your method of choice, try to decrease all of your rest times to ramp up the cardio burn!
- 4 full sets of each round, 10/6/8/6 reps per exercise (following circuit/set explanation above, but with different rep #), doing all of circuit 1 before moving onto circuit 2, all of 2 before 3, and all of 3 before finishing with circuit 4.
Circuit #1:
(2 dumbbells needed, water bottles work too)
Exercise 1: Plie squat and curl (holding 2 weights squat down to parallel thighs with toes turned outward-as you stand back up perform a bicep curl, that is one rep)
Exercise 2: Cardio burst! Toe taps (stand in front of hard raised surface, alternate tapping each foot on surface by hopping and switching feet while in the air, one tap each side is one rep)
Exercise 3: Walking straight leg roman deadlifts. (holding 2 weights, with straight legs and flat back bend down into a dead lift, pausing when weights are just past your knees, press back up to start. take a step forward with one leg so one foot is slightly in front of the other, perform deadlift, take similar step with opposite foot, one deadliest each side is one rep)
Circuit #2:
(2 dumbbells needed, water bottles work too)
Exercise 1: Backward lunge with lateral raise (holding 2 weights step back into a backward lunge as you raise straight arms laterally to work your shoulders, step back to start as you perform another lateral raise, step back with opposite leg and continue performing 2 raises with each backward lunge, each lunge is one rep)
Exercise 2: Cardio burst! Raised lateral football shuffle(stand on top of a bench lengthwise, step down to one side and tap ground with correlating foot, immediately transfer over bench to tap opposite foot on other side for one rep)
Exercise 3: Tricep press with calf raise (holding 2 weights , pulse straight arms behind body as you raise up onto calves, return to start for one rep)
Circuit #3:
(2 dumbbells needed, water bottles work too)
Exercise 1: Squat thrust with overhead press (holding 2 weights, squat to ground and jump back to a plank, immediately jump back to hands, stand up and perform an overhead shoulder press, lower arms to side for one rep)
Exercise 2: Cardio burst! Hop overs(standing on the side of a bench or a chair, lean down to have palms flat on bench, leaning into hands brace your abs and hop over bench, so legs touch simultaneously on the opposite side you started on, jump back maintaining a bent over position for one rep)
Exercise 3: One legged bent over flys(holding 2 weights, balance onto one foot, lean forward with a flat back and perform a dumbell fly for half of prescribed reps, return to start, switch balancing legs, and perform remaining reps on opposite leg)
