Looking for a no-frills, do-anywhere workout that will jack up your heart rate?
Look no further than this dynamic workout from celebrity fitness trainerSarah Louise Rector. It doesn’t require any equipment, nor does it require much space. All you need is a bit of floor space, yourself, and your favorite workout playlist for an extra boost of motivation.
Rector says this workout capitalizes on mindful workout techniques, so even though you won’t be throwing down with a barbell, you’ll be thoughtfully activating your muscles for strength and fitness gains.
“My approach for building strength is low impact, therefore suitable for absolutely everyone,” Rector says. “Whether you are new to fitness, recovering from an injury or even an athlete, the structure of this workout is vibrant, explosive and challenges your range of motion.”
This is a circuit-style workout with eight different exercises. Perform 12 reps of each exercise and flow into the next exercise without a rest interval. After you complete 12 reps of all eight exercises, rest for 30 to 60 seconds. Complete four to six rounds.
Move 1: Squat to Sumo Squat
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
Keep your heels on the floor and descend into a squat.
Return to standing, angle your toes outward and descend into a sumo squat. Remember to push your knees outward (knees should track with the toes).
For this workout, one squat and one sumo squat is one rep.
Move 2: Side Lunge with Leg Lift
Step out to one side, driving your hips back and descending into a side lunge. Keep your opposite leg straight and keep your torso as upright as possible.
Use your core strength and drive through the heel of your working leg to transfer your body weight to return to standing. As you stand, lift your working leg completely off the ground and squeeze your glutes to achieve the leg lift.
Repeat on the other leg and alternate for 12 reps (six each side).
Move 3: Arm Series (Overhead Press, Lateral Circles, Shoulder Rotation, Reverse Press)
Overhead press: Stand tall and fully extend both arms over head as if you’re pressing a barbell. Control the descent and think about squeezing your shoulder blades down to your waistline. Explode back up. Do 12 reps.
Lateral circles: Hold your arms out to the side at shoulder height and create small circular motion in both directions. Do six reps in each direction.
Shoulder rotation: Position your arms out to your sides at shoulder height, keeping the elbows extended. Rotate your palm to face the wall behind you and tuck your pelvis. Then, rotate your palms to face in front of you and extend your hips. That’s one rep.
Reverse press: Hinge at the hips and squeeze your arms into your ribcage, palms facing behind you. Squeeze your triceps and posterior shoulder to press your palms up to the sky.
Perform 12 reps of each exercise to complete the arm series.
Move 4: Reverse Lunge to Leg Lift
Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart. Descend into a reverse lunge.
As you stand up from the lunge, squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to lift your leg as high as you can.
Remember to keep your body weight distributed evenly to help with balance.
Move 5: Curtsy Lunge with Upper Body Rotation
Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Descend into a curtsy lunge by bringing your right foot behind your left leg. Lower until your knee hovers just above the ground. Hold your arms in front of you at shoulder level, touching your fingertips together. You can clasp your hands.
At the bottom of the lunge, rotate to each side, focusing on squeezing your obliques.
Move 6: Standing Side Twist
Stand with a wide stance and place your hands behind your head.
Bend to one side (don’t lean forward!) and try to bring your elbow to your thigh. Repeat on the other side. Alternate for 12 reps (six on each side).
Move 7: Pulse Jump Squat
Descend into a squat and complete four pulses in the bottom of the squat. To pulse, ascend a quarter of the way and then descend back into the bottom position.
After four pulses, jump as high as you can. Land with a soft bend in your knees to complete the rep.
Move 8: Plank to Quadruped Hold
Assume the high plank position (top of pushup position). Make sure to stack your wrists, elbows and shoulders in a straight line.
Hold the plank for 10 seconds. Then, push your shoulders back and bend your knees to assume the quadruped position.
Lightly touch your knees to the ground before pressing back into the plank position
