Strengthening Workout Routine

There is no such thing as spot fat reduction.  Muscles do not fuel exercise by using the fat that surrounds them. Instead, during exercise the body tends to mobilize fat from storage depots throughout the body, so the fat used as fuel during sit-ups may come from the legs, back, face, or other areas. The following workout routine is designed to strengthen the core as well as give you a whole body workout.  It requires a very limited amount of equipment and can be done in the comfort of your own home.  I've added some variations to each exercise to give you different intensity levels, isolate different muscles and to make your workout more interesting by changing it up a bit.

To enhance your workouts you can add a pre-workout and post workout supplements.  They will give your muscles what they need during and after the exercise.  You will get better results from your workout and you will minimize the soreness after the workout.

You will need the following for this exercise routine:

- a towel or a mat

- stability ball

- small weights

You can find all you need in my Store

Always start your exercise routine by warming up for about 10 min.  You can use a jumprope, treadmill if you have one, or any other activity that will give similar results. 

1.  Push - ups; 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions

Push-up variations:

- hands placed shoulder width apart, (standard) - build stronger shoulders

- hands placed far apart - build stronger chest

- hands placed close together - build stronger triceps

- elevate feet by placing them on a stationary object - build stronger shoulder and upper chest muscles.  For extra challenge use a stability ball instead of a stationary object to lift your feet.

2.  Sit - ups; 3 sets of 5-15 repetitions

Properly done sit-ups will give you stronger abdominal muscles. It is important to focus on using the abdominal region for this exercise and not to compensate by using other parts of your body to perform.  It will not only diminish the effectiveness of the sit-up, but may cause injury to your spine, neck and head muscles.  The front sit up focuses on your rectus adbomis and tendinous inscriptions muscles but does not strengthen your obliques.

Sit-up variations:

- place knees on the floor to the side to strengthen the oblique abdominals

- place your lower back on a stability ball

- elevate feet by placing them on a stability ball

- lift your knees towards your chest, curl your torso up until your shoulder blades are off the floor.

3. Pelvic Lift; 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions

The main target of this movement is gluteus maximus, butt muscles.  To do this exercise lie flat on your back on a mat with your knees bent pointing up to the ceiling and your arms at your sides. Simply raise your pelvis up toward the ceiling to a point where your body is at about a 45 degree angle relative to the floor. At the top of the movement, be sure to flex your butt muscles for 1 – 2 seconds.  Slowly return to beginning position and continue repeating.

Pelvic Lift variations:

- stay longer at the up position to get more work to the glutes.

- at the upper position of the exercise spread your legs and bring them back together again multiple times per one repetition.

- place your legs to a chair or a stability ball, this makes executing the move more difficult.

4.  Glute Kickbacks; - 3 sets of 10 - 12 repetitions   

This is an excellent exercise that really works the gluteus muscles. It is easy to perform but to be effective it does require a proper technique. A workout mat is recommended.
Start with your knees and hands on the floor and your back parallel to the floor.  Hands should be shoulder width apart.  Keeping your knee at a 90 degree angle slowly raise your foot into the air as high as it will go.  Flex your butt for 1 – 2 seconds.  Slowly return to beginning position and continue repeating until it is difficult to maintain correct technique.  Switch legs and repeat with the same number of lifts.

Glute Kickbacks Variations:

- place an exercise band on the bottom of one foot and hold the loose ends in each hand. Kick the working leg straight back stretching the band.

- add ankle weights

- rotate leg to the side and lift up to the side of the body

5.  Planks; 3-5 repetitions

The plank exercise is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as the stabilizer muscles.

Lie face down on a mat resting on the forearms with palms flat on the floor.

Push up off the floor raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.  Your back should be flat and in a straight line from head to heels.  Contract your abdominals to hold the position.  Make sure your rear end is not sticking up in the air or sagging toward the floor.  Hold for 20 to 60 seconds then lower slowly and repeat.

Plank Variations

- drop your knees to the floor for support if you have difficulty with regular plank

- lift one leg up off the ground and bend at the knee

- side plank

- side plank with arm extended upwards

- side plank with bottom knee bent towards chest

6.  Dips; 3 sets of 3-10 repetitions

This exercise is great for toning and tightening your arms.  You will need a sturdy chair/bench or platform, that is about 2 feet high.  Make sure the chair will not slip or fall.  Place it right up against a wall so that it does not slip away from under you.

Start by sitting on the chair; place your hands on the front of the chair under your thighs with hands pointing forward.  Slowly push yourself off the chair while supporting your weight with your arms and legs.  Your feet should be flat on the ground, your knees should be bent at 90 degree angle.  Keep your elbows close to your sides, slowly lower you body as far down as possible by bending your elbows.  Keep your back completely vertical and do not arch or bend it.  From that position push up using only your arms.  To get the best results from this exercise use your legs as little as possible. When your arms are a few degrees from being completely straight (do not lock your elbows) repeat the exercise.  Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up.

Dip Variations:

- close grip builds stronger triceps

- wide grip builds stronger triceps and chest

- keep your legs straight with toes pointing up

- add weight to legs, hold with inner thighs

7.  Dumbell BicepCurl; 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions

The curl targets muscles in your arms and upper body. Begin the exercise by standing in an upright position with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Use an underhand grip on the curl bar with both hands extending downward toward your waist. Slowly bend your elbows raising the bar to your neck while keeping your back straight, shoulders square, and elbows close to your body. Now slowly lower the bar to the original starting position and continue. Do not swing the body back as you curl up the weight, your body should stay fixed throughout the movement.

Dumbell Curl Variations

- alternate hands

- sit on a stability ball

- sit on a chair and rest your arm on your thigh at a 45 degree angle with a dumbell between your legs and curl up

- hold dumbells with your palms facing inward

8. Lateral Dumbbell Raise, 3 sets 10-15 repetitions

Standing with feet shoulder width apart , hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of you, palms facing each other. Keep your elbows and knees slightly bent.  Raise your arms out to your sides in wide arcs to about shoulder level. Slowly return to the starting position.

Lateral Raise Variations:

- bend forward at the hip, keeping your back straight, to work your upper back muscles

- Sit on a stability ball to work on your balance

9.  Squats; 3 sets 10-15 repetitions

Squats are one of the best lower body exercises you can do.  They are multi-joint exercises which target all the muscles of the hips, glutes and thighs.  To begin stand upright with your feet shoulder distance apart to target your entire lower body. Keeping your back straight lower your body by bending your knees only until your knees reach a 90-degree angle.  Do not exceed that angle. Once that position is reached extend upward until your legs are fully extended again. Repeat.

Squat Variations:

- hold weights in your hands

- step out to the side an squat

- place your back on the wall and use the wall as a guide as you go down

- place one foot on a chair behind you for one leg squat

10.  Lunges; 1-3 sets of 12-20 repetitions

The lunge is a simple but very effective exercise for the legs. It involves balance and coordination, which is very useful for sports as well as muscle development. To begin hold dumbbells in each hand and stand with your back straight.  Take a step forward and slowly lower your back knee to the floor without actually touching the floor. Your front knee should be in line with your front foot, not extending past it.  Now, slowly lift your back knee up and return to starting position.  Switch legs and repeat.  Continue repeating alternating your legs each time.

Lunge Variations:

- side lunge: step to the side with right leg, keep most of the body weight on the left leg and go down until the left knee is above the left foot, push up and switch legs.  This lunge put more emphasis on the inner thighs.

- place one foot behind you on a chair or stability ball and lunge down keeping your back straight and in line with the elevated leg.

11.  Step - ups; 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions

Step Ups will give glutes, hamstrings and quads a great workout. The trick is to make sure you're stepping up onto a platform that's high enough to really activate those muscle fibers, about 15 inches high should be good.  Begin by standing in front of a chair or a step. Then, place the one foot on the step and using your elevated leg lift the rest of your body up onto the step. Bring your other leg onto the step.  Slowly step back down with the leg that stepped up first followed by the other leg.  Repeat all reps for one leg before switching to the other side.

Step up variations:

- hold dumbells in your hands

- step up, knee up to the chest, step down, switch legs, repeat

I recommend you do this routine every other day or so and on the off days do a cardio workout.  Also, try to follow it up with a stretching routine.  You will get the most benefit from stretching if done after your strength training.

 

 

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