5 ways to tone up without a gym
August 3, 2015
Instead of staying in the gym, try these five tone-up exercises anywhere. Do 3-5 sets of 25 reps each exercise. Give yourself 20 minutes to knock them out and feel your entire body working.
Burpees
Begin in a standing position with a slight bend in your knees. Jump into a squat-curled position and extend into a high-plank with your arms stacked under your shoulders. Slowly lower yourself down keeping your elbows bending at your side to create a push-up motion. Jump back out into high plank and then jump back to a standing position.
Single Leg Squats
Stand on one leg with a slight bend in your knee. If you feel wobbly, it might be beneficial to find something to hold on to for balance. Bend the weight-bearing leg to a 90 degree angle and rise.
Plank Jacks
Start in high plank position with your arms stacked below your shoulders and your back parallel to the ground. Push off on your hands and alternate between a wide leg stance and a hip distance apart stance. Keep your abs tight and sucked in toward your spine to prevent lower back injuries.
Push-ups
To do the traditional push-up you can either begin on your knees or in full push-up position. Start in a high plank position, arms stacked under the shoulders and legs positioned hip distance apart. If a full push-up is too hard, drop your knees to the ground keeping a level spine. Then slowly lower keeping your elbows rotating along your side without pigeoning them out.
Jumping Jacks
In a standing position, jump off the ground to make your legs spread wide in conjunction with your arms being raised above the head to make a clap. Then swing your arms back down closing your legs simultaneously.
Remember to stay hydrated and listen to your body. Exercises that are body-weight can still cause injury if not done correctly.