We love adding lengthening moves into our strength training, and this workout does just that. These feel-good bodyweight exercises will stretch you out while toning you all over.
Directions: Warm up with five minutes of light cardio, then perform this five-exercise circuit three times. Cool down with three minutes of stretching.
Walkout
Reps: 5
- Stand at the back edge of your mat and reach your arms overhead, lengthening your spine.
- Keeping your back straight, bend forward, hinging at your hips to bring your hands to the mat. If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees a bit to take tension off the muscles.
- Walk your hands forward, moving into a plank, and hold each step to stretch your calves a bit.
- Hold the plank for a few seconds to really wake up your core before walking your hands back toward your feet, returning to the deep forward bend.
- Slowly roll up to standing, letting your head hang and keeping your neck relaxed. When your return to standing, reach your arms toward the ceiling to complete one rep.
Triceps Dip and Tabletop Hold
Reps: 15, hold tabletop for 30 seconds
- Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your hands behind you with fingertips pointed toward your butt. Lift your pelvis off the ground, straighten your elbows, and shift your weight back so your shoulders are directly over your hands.
- Slowly bend your elbows to lower your pelvis toward the floor, then press into the floor to straighten, but not lock, your elbows, this completes one rep.
- After 15 reps, press your pelvis up and come into a tabletop position, with your shoulders and knees at 90-degree angles and your torso parallel to the floor. Your butt is working and your chest is stretching in this position.
Down Dog Push-Ups
Reps: 10
- Begin in a Downward Dog [1], an inverted V position, stretching your calves and lengthening your spine.
- Lower your elbows gently to the floor, coming into into a Quarter Dog position.
- Press your hands into the floor to straighten your elbows, and pull your navel up toward your spine to move the pelvis up and back. Return to your Down Dog to complete one rep.
Walking Lunges
Reps: 20, alternating sides
- Stand upright, feet together, and take a controlled step forward with your right leg, lowering your hips toward the floor by bending both knees to 90-degree angles. The back knee should point toward but not touch the ground, and your front knee should be directly over the ankle.
- Press you right heel into the ground and push off with your left foot to bring your left leg forward, stepping with control into a lunge on the other side. This completes two reps.
Single-Leg Deadlift
Reps: 10 each side
- Stand with all your weight in your right foot, abs engaged and chest lifted.
- Reach your torso forward as you lift your left leg behind you. Reach your arms out to the sides for balance as your torso and leg come parallel to the floor.
- Hold this position for a moment, and reach through your left heel to engage the back of the left leg.
- Moving in one piece, lower your right leg toward the floor as you return to standing upright, resting the left foot lightly on the ground. This completes one rep.
The Workout
Click here for a printable PDF [2] of the workout.