The No Weight Workout – Exercise:
- Pushups
- On knees or toes, place hands about 6 inches wider than your shoulders. Inhale as you lower your body towards the floor, maintaining a straight line from head to toe. Exhale as you push your body back up. Don’t sink in the middle or pike your buttocks in the air and only lower your body until your shoulders are in line with your elbows.
- Squats
- Place your feet shoulder width apart, abs pulled in. Squat down slowly as you sit back on your heels keeping good posture with chest up, shoulders back, and chin level. Lower as far as you can, keeping knees behind the toes and not going below 90 degrees. Tip: place a chair behind you and act like you’re about to sit down, pulling up before actually sitting.
- Lunges
- Stand in a split stance, holding onto a chair for balance (if needed). With weight evenly distributed over each foot, slowly lower towards the floor. Keep both knees at 90 degree angles, and do not allow the front knee to extend over the toe. Push through the heel, contract the glutes and push up without locking the knees.
- Walking Lunges
- Stand with feet together and take a giant step forward, lowering into a lunge and keeping knees at 90 degree angles. Push up and step forward with other leg. Alternate legs for one+ laps around the room.
- Standing Side Leg Lift
- Stand with feet hip distance apart, holding onto a chair for balance (if needed). Slowly lift right leg out to the side, keeping hip, knee, ankle and toes all in alignment, foot flexed. Raise leg about 2 feet, squeeze glute and slowly lower back down without relaxing the muscle. Repeat and then switch legs. Be sure to keep the standing leg slightly bent.
- Dips
- Sit on chair or bench and place hands next to hips. Move hips in front of chair and bend elbows, lowering body until elbows are at 90 degrees. Keep shoulders down and butt close to chair.
- Back Extensions
- Lie face down with hands either behind the back or lightly cradling the head. Lift upper body off the ground a few inches, keeping head and neck in alignment. For a challenge, lift feet off the ground keeping legs straight (knees don’t have to be together), hold for 2-4 counts.
- Heel Drops
- [Stand on a step or platform (you might need to hold onto a chair or the wall for balance). With your left leg on the step, hang your right leg off the side. Bend your left leg and lower the right foot towards the floor (a few inches). Switch legs and repeat.]
- Calf Raises
- Stand on a step or on the floor, holding onto a chair for balance (if needed). Slowly push up onto the tips of your toes, contracting the calves. Lower back down without relaxing and repeat.