Starting a new exercise regimen on your own can be difficult, especially if you don’t know where to begin. Most people pick one exercise routine and stick to it, even after it gets boring. To keep your workouts fresh, Pipe Dream has assembled a list of 10 exercises to choose from to mix things up. Choose five per day, and once you’ve done them all the way through, repeat the circuit two to four more times.
TONING:
Elbow Circles: 1 minute
(a) Sit upright with your legs in a comfortable position and your arms out to your sides and bent at a 90 degree angle with your fingertips pointing to the ceiling. (b) Begin to draw tiny circles with your elbows, keeping your triceps parallel to the ground and your arms moving fast.
Back Behinds: 1 minute
(a) Sit upright with your legs in a comfortable position and your arms straight out to your sides, palms facing forward and fingertips pointing out to your sides. (b) Bend at your elbow and bring your arms in, squeezing your elbows behind your back while squeezing your shoulder blades together. (c) Straighten your arms back out; repeat the in and out motion until the minute is up.
Bicycles: 30
(a) Lay on your back with both hands behind your head and your legs straight out on the floor. (b) Draw one knee into your chest, keeping your other leg extended and bring your opposite elbow to your bent knee. (c) Extend your bent leg while drawing your other leg into the chest and switching elbows.
Squat to Curtsy Lunge: 10 lunges on each leg
(a) Start with your feet hip width apart and sit low into a squat, with your back flat and your knees behind your toes. (b) Take your right leg and cross it behind your left leg so it’s just outside of your left leg, and go down and up to complete one curtsy lunge. (c) Return to your center squat; repeat (b) on the other side while staying low and continue to alternate side to side.
Donkey Kicks: 10 on each leg
(a) Start on all fours with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips, your back flat and your feet flexed. (b) Move one leg up, foot flat toward the ceiling while squeezing your glutes and keeping your hips square to the ground. (c) Bring your leg back down without letting your knee touch the ground and repeat on the other side.
CARDIO:
Squat Swing: 10
(a) Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and grip a weight — or something heavy like a textbook between your hands — with your arms extended out in front of you at shoulder height. (b) Fold forward at your waist, keeping your arms straight (not locked) and bring your object between your legs as you bend into a squat. (c) Squeeze your glutes as you swing back up to standing, pushing the pelvis forward once you’re upright; continue to swing back and forth.
Running Knee: 15 seconds on each leg, no rest in between legs
(a) Stand with your feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent and arms extended overhead. (b) Draw one of your knees into your chest as your arms pull down to your sides, creating a crunch-like movement. (c) Quickly tap that toe down on the ground and extend the arms back overhead; continue to run the same knee in and down.
Mountain Climbers: 30 seconds
(a) Start in a full plank position with your hands beneath your shoulders, your back flat, your butt down and your elbows soft. (b) Pick up one leg and draw your knee in toward the chest, keeping the core tight. (c) Quickly switch legs; continue to alternate.
Football Feet: 30 seconds
(a) Start standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees bent so you’re in a half squat. (b) With your weight on your toes, quickly pick one foot an inch off of the ground. (c) Drop that foot as you pick up your other foot; continue to alternate, touching your toes down as fast as you can while staying as low as you can.
Jumping Lunges: 5 on each leg
(a) Stand with your feet hip width apart and step one foot back into a lunge. (b) Push yourself off of the ground using only your legs. (c) While you’re in the air quickly switch your feet so you land in a lunge with your feet placed opposite to where they started; continue to alternate.