WORKOUT NO. 1: EXERCISE BALL
Warm up: March in place for two minutes, swinging your arms and lifting your knees high.
Workout:
1. Do a dynamic push-up, as follows:
Lie on an exercise ball. Place your hands on the floor in front of you, shoulder-distance apart. Bend both elbows into a push-up and raise your legs. Straighten your arms, then lower your legs, and push off with your arms until your feet touch the floor, toes turned out.
2. Roll into the frog, as follows:
With your belly on the ball and your feet in a squat (frog) position, press into the ball with your knees and abs. Roll your shoulders back and open your chest. Reach back and down with both hands, arms straight. Release and lie over the ball, pushing into another dynamic push-up. Do 15 repetitions.
3. Do a supported side crunch, as follows:
Kneel with your left side leaning against the ball. Straighten your right leg to the side, foot on the floor. Raise your left arm overhead and point your right arm straight out to the side. Bend to the right a few inches, right arm pointing toward the floor, then raise your torso slowly. End with your right arm up and your left pointing to the left. Do 15 reps on each side.
4. Do a rolling reverse plank, as follows:
Lie on your back with your feet on top of the ball, knees bent, hands resting by your sides. Press down into your heels, toes up, and lift your lower back (relax your neck). Roll the ball away to form a straight line from shoulders to heels. Contracting your abs, bend your knees to draw the ball back in. Don't lower your buttocks to the floor until you finish your reps. Do 15 reps.
Repeat the above sequence two more times.
WORKOUT NO. 2: YOGA
Warm up: Sit cross-legged on the floor, back straight and hands relaxed in your lap. Close your eyes and breathe deeply and evenly through your nose for two minutes. Slowly bend your torso from side to side for 15 breaths, exhaling to each side.
Workout:
1. Try to make the movements flow from one to the next. Hold each position for three breaths unless instructed otherwise.
2. From the cross-legged warm-up pose, move into
cow pose on an exhale. (For the cow pose, arch your back and press your shoulders down and back, away from your ears, and open your chest.) Inhaling, switch to cat pose. (Round your back, lower your head, lift your belly, and look at your thighs. Try to create space between your shoulder blades.) Alternate between cow and
cat poses for 15 breaths.
3. Press up into the
downward dog. Starting from cat pose, press your buttocks high into the air to form an upside-down V. Contract your thighs and lengthen your abs. Press your shoulder blades together and away from your ears; reach your heels toward the floor. Lower knees to floor, then push back up. Repeat five times.
4. Step your right foot forward between your hands into a classic lunge, with your bent right knee directly over your right foot, your left foot straight behind you, both feet pointing forward, and fingertips on the floor. Move into
extended side angle: Start with your right leg forward in a lunge. Lower your left heel and turn your toes out about 45 degrees. Lower your right forearm to your knee. Reach overhead with your left hand, creating a straight line from heel to fingertips.
5. Do a lunge and an extended side angle on your left side.
6. Lie facedown for the
locust pose: Lie facedown, arms at sides, feet pointed. Press your legs down, inhale, and lift your head, shoulders, and arms. Take two full breaths, then lower everything. With your forehead down, lift both legs and take two full breaths. Lower. Lift your upper and lower body at the same time and take two breaths.
7. Turn over to lie flat on your back. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for two minutes.
WORKOUT NO. 3: STRENGTH
Warm up: Walk in place for two minutes, swinging your arms back and forth.
Workout:
1. Reverse lunges. Stand on a step stool or the bottom step of a staircase. Take a large step back with your right leg, landing on the ball of your foot; bring both fists near your waist, elbows back. Bend both knees as much as 90 degrees, with your left knee over your left foot. Step back up to the stool. Switch legs. Do 15 reps on each leg.
2. Pulsed push-ups. Place your hands on a step stool, shoulder-width apart. Straighten your legs behind you, shoulders over your hands. Bend your elbows to lower your chest as far as you can. Hold the low position; pulse slightly higher and lower three times. Return to the high position. Do ten reps.
3. Triceps dips with leg lifts. Sit on a step stool with your hands grasping the front edge. Place both heels on the floor, hip-distance apart, knees almost straight. Slowly lower your buttocks toward the floor by bending your elbows and lift your right leg. Press up with your arms as you lower your foot. Repeat, switching legs. Ten reps on each leg.
4. Leg-lift crunches. Sit on a step stool, hands behind you. Place both heels on the floor, feet and knees together, knees almost straight. Lean back and, balancing on your buttocks, bend both knees up toward you by pulling with your abs. Lower your legs, but don't let them touch the floor. 15 reps.
Repeat the four-move sequence two more times.
Copyright 2008 Time Inc. REAL SIMPLE is a registered trademark of Time Inc. Used with permission.