Quick and Adjustable

Hey friends! It's me again. I wanted to hurry and post a workout that is great for those of you who are just starting to workout after a long break. This one, like all my workouts are adjustable to ANY level. When it comes to reps and rounds they can always be decreased or increased to fit your fitness needs. If you feel like you can add more weight or do more reps or rounds, then do! You can also decrease the rest time between rounds to 30 seconds to make it a little more challenging. These are not set in stone, which is one reason why I like doing these kinds of workouts. Pay attention to your body and work hard. :)

Reminder: ALWAYS protect your back by keeping the abs pulled in tight and core strong. Never let your knees go over your ankles when doing squats and lunges (or pretty much anything)
*Please make sure you pay attention to the rounds and rest periods on this workout as it is different than most.

Narrow Squat

Circuit 1:
10 Narrow Stance Squats
10 Push-ups
10 Lunges (each leg)
10 Calf Raises
Rest for 1 Minute
Complete 3 Rounds

Circuit 2:
10 Burpees
10 Crunches

Plie Squat

10 Jumping Jacks
Rest 30 Seconds
Complete 4 Rounds

Circuit 3:
10 Mason Twists
10 Calf Raises
10 Plie Squats
10 Bridge Raises
Rest 1 minute
Complete 3 Rounds

Finish with:
Hold Plank as long as you can
Hold Wall Sit as long as you can
Repeat 2 to 3 times

STRETCH

Bridge Raises

Proper Form for Plank

Body Weight is Great

Body Weight Workout
Todays workout is one of my favorites! It is what most people call a bodyweight workout. It once again does not require a gym. All you need is YOU and a pull-up bar. Don't be afraid of pull-up bars. They are such a great way to tone your entire body.  You don't even need to be able to do them on your own to make them work. I will talk to you more about assisted pull-ups in another blog, so for now just google it. I use a chair for mine, by putting my toes on the back and edge of it. Some people use bands. One thing to remember about assisted pull-ups though, they still need to be HARD, that means, simply standing on a chair doesn't work. I want you to feel the burn with these. It is my goal to eventually do 10 full pull-ups on my own. So far I can do 2 :). 
Ok, for the exercise part. Depending on your pace this will take 35-45 min including warm-up and stretching. Take longer if you need to and give it your all! Visualize your success :)

Warm up: 2-3 Rounds
Jumping Jacks 10-20
Front Squats 10, slow and steady
push-ups (don't do your max reps, just warm up your arms, I usually do 6-8 at a slow pace)

Workout: REMEMBER!!! QUALITY BEFORE QUANTITY! 3-4 rounds

• Pull-ups to failure (remember that QUALITY IS BETTER than quantity, if your form is lacking then STOP and move to the next workout). 
• 20 DEEP, SLOW squats.  Feet hip distance apart. Knees and feet straight. Whenever you are doing squats please make sure you are doing proper form. Your knees should never go over your ankles, your abs should be engaged and your back should be straight. Your weight should also be in your heals not your toes. If you can't do them deep on your own, hold on to something in front of you to assist in balance. These will help you get a good range of motion in your hips.
• Pushups to Failure, it is different for every person but please push yourself. Make sure your abs are engaged, back is straight and neck in a neutral position. If you're bobbing your neck up and down then you are doing it wrong. If your back is arched or curved too much then you are doing it wrong. It takes practice, but you must train your body from the beginning to do it RIGHT. 
• Lunges 10 each leg. Do these slow and steady. DO NOT project your knee past your ankle and make sure you keep your abs and back engaged and straight. We are not going for speed, we are going for strength in this workout.
• 30 Seconds of mountain climbers, keep your butt down, back straight and core engaged
• REST for 1 minute
• Substitute for pull-ups: inverted rows or chair dips (please get a pull-up bar asap though! They aren't expensive and work great!).

Abs: 2-3 rounds (if you're not feeling really tired do 3 and increase your time on Planks) do not lay down if you're heart is going fast. Let it slow down first then go on to these.

• Forearm Planks: 30 seconds to 90 seconds (work up to it) like always, keep your back straight, butt down, and abs engaged.
• Bridges: 15 to 20 reps (engage that core!) squeeze that butt and thighs, knees and feet hip distance apart, don't let them touch and keep them as still as you can and go slow.
• Leg Raises on the Floor: 15 reps

Stretching and Cooling Down
Please let your heart rate decrease before you sit or lay down. After you cool a little bit make sure to stretch very well. That includes: back, quads, hamstrings, arms, shoulders, chest, wrists, and neck. Make sure you take care of those muscles!

And you're done! Make sure you push yourself but please please please don't compromise form for just one more push up or pull up, etc. I cannot stress the importance of form enough. I will be posting pictures for you to follow here shortly, I just need my husband home so he can take them :) I hope you enjoyed this workout! Body weight is great huh?