Let’s take the legs as an example: With the legs you have to take the muscles of the front, side and back into account. For this, when doing lunges, I recommend that you don’t just move forward, but try to tilt the body back and forth in each phase. This way you involve as many muscles as possible.
Next, I’m going to recommend exercises that involve the abdomen, glutes and legs in a coordinated way to ensure that the three muscle groups develop correctly and to ensure that the general area gets toned. All of these exercises can be done from home and a 30 minute workout is usually enough. So you can’t make excuses for not doing them at least three times a week!
Squatting against the wall
- Put your back against the wall and place your feet hip distance apart.
- Contract your abs, then bend your knees until they are at a right angle to your ankles, as if you were sitting on an imaginary chair.
- Hold this position for 10-30 seconds and then slowly rise again.
Repeat this exercise 12 times.
The Sumo Squat
- Stand with your feet apart, about twice the width of your shoulders, with your toes pointing outward.
- Bring the shoulder blades together and straighten your torso.
- Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Hold this position for a few seconds and slowly return to the starting position.
Make sure your knees point in the same direction as your toes throughout the movement. You can position your arms in different ways: arms crossed, arms behind your head, or for a more advanced level, holding a weight over your shoulders.
Repeat this exercise 12 times.
Cross Cycling
- Lie on your back with your arms crossed, making sure that all parts of your back are touching the floor.
- Bend your knees and lift your feet so that your thighs are vertical. Place your hands behind your head, but remember not to jerk your neck during the exercise.
- Now bring your left knee to the right side of your chest and then the right knee to the left side.
Repeat this exercise 12 times on each side.
Lunges
- Place your feet hip-distance apart.
- Take a big step forward to place one foot about a meter apart from the other.
- Push back on the front leg and change the position of the legs so that the back leg becomes the one at the front.
- Make sure the front knee is at a right angle and is just above the ankle.
Repeat this exercise 12 times with each leg.
The Bridge
- Lie on your back with your legs bent and the soles of your feet touching the ground. If you have a ball or a brick, you can hold it between your knees. If you don’t have any of the two at hand, then just keep your knees together.
- Move your pelvis up and down, squeezing your glutes and legs as much as possible at the highest point.
- Don’t forget to tense your abdomen in order to keep your back straight during exercise.
Repeat this exercise 12 times.
The Plank
- Lie on your stomach with your elbows, forearms, and toes on the floor.
- Lengthen your back and legs as much as you can and form a straight plank with your back.
- Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds, then relax.
Repeat this exercise 5 times. Try to gradually increase the duration of the position until you reach 1 minute.
This blog is written by one of our Personal Trainers, Angelina Hammond.
