Grab Your Jumprope

If you haven't picked up a jumprope since 4th grade gym class, it's time for a skip down memory lane.  In addition to burning calories, jumping rope will sculpt your shoulders, chest, arms, and legs.

How to Jump Rope:

• Jump 1-2 inches off the floor, giving the rope just enough space to slip under your feet.  Only the balls of your feet should touch the floor.
• Keep your elbows close to your sides as you turn the rope. 
• If you tire out before you finish the workout, drop the rope, but keep arms and legs going.
• To find a rope that fits, place one foot in the center of the rope and lift the handles-they shouldn't go past your armpits.

Here we go:

Minute 0:00-1:00 - Figure 8
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, grasping jump rope handles together with both hands in front of your body.  Trace a sideways figure eight-moving from right shoulder to left hip, then left shoulder to right hip.  Shift weight from right to left foot as you move your arms across your body.
Minutes 1:00-2:00 - Single Jump
Jump over the rope with feet together, one jump per turn
Minutes 2:00-2:30 - Step Touch
Holding the handles together, swing rope to the left and turn twice in a circular motion as you step to the left and tap right toes by left heel.  Repeat to the right.
Minutes 2:30-3:30 - Front-Back
Jump up with feet together, moving 6 inches forward over the rope.  On the next turn, jump back 6 inches. Continue alternating, jumping once per turn.
Minutes 3:30-4:00 - Figure 8
Repeat as before
Minutes 4:00-5:00 - Slalom
Jump over the rope 6 inches to the right, landing on both feet.  On the next turn, jump 6 inches to the left.  Keep your feet together and continue alternating, jumping once per turn.
Minutes 5:00-5:30 - Step Touch
Repeat as before.
Minutes 5:30-6:00 - Double Jump
Jump high enough to pass the rope under your feet twice before landing.  If you have trouble, do single jumps and work your way up to doubles.
Minutes 6:00-6:30 - Figure Eight
Repeat as before.
Minutes 6:30-7:00 - Jumping Jack
Jump over the rope and land with feet wider than hip width apart.  On your next jump, land with feet toget

Fitness Magazine Workout

I can't take credit for this one.  I saw this in Fitness Magazine and it's a great total body, no equipment needed workout that you can do anytime/anywhere. . . . .

even on your lunch break (hint,hint)

Total Body Recharge: 8 Energy-Boosting, Muscle-Toning Moves

Pick Up Sticks

What you'll need: A mat
Targets: Abs, butt, hips, and quads

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by sides.
• Lunge forward with right leg, bending right knee 90 degrees, left leg extended behind you, and reach right hand to ground beside right foot.
• Return to start, switch sides and repeat. MAKE IT HARDER: Jump up between lunges and switch legs in midair to alternate sides or take shorter steps and lunge faster.
• Do 10 reps per leg.

Trainer's tip: To help support your lower back, keep your core engaged as you reach toward the mat.
Watch the video of this workoutDownload the video to your iPod, Zune, or smartphone

Air Guitar

Targets: Butt, inner and outer thighs

• Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, arms by sides.
• Shift weight onto right leg, bending right knee 90 degrees to lower into a deep lunge, left leg straight, driving bent right elbow back and bent left elbow forward.

• Press through right heel to stand up, lifting bent left knee up to hip height as you drive right elbow forward and left elbow back.
• Do 16 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Trainer's tip: As you lunge right, push down on the outside of the right foot to help keep your knee aligned.
Watch a video demonstration of this exercise

Charlie's Angel

Targets: Butt and outer thighs

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, elbows bent so that hands are in front of chest, palms pressed together, as in prayer pose.
• Keeping shoulders squared, lunge diagonally forward with right leg, crossing it to the outside of left leg, bending both knees 90 degrees.

• As you lunge, extend arms in front of you at shoulder level, palms pressed together, then rotate torso and arms as far right as you can while keeping hips squared.
• Return to start. MAKE IT HARDER: Do walking curtsies, lunging right leg diagonally in front of left, then sweeping left leg out to side and lunging it diagonally in front of right.
• Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Watch a video demonstration of this exercise

Tuck and Extend

Targets: Abs, lower back, butt, and hamstrings

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, elbows bent by sides, hands in front of chest, palms facing each other.
• Bring bent left knee up to hip height, foot flexed, and bend forward at waist to get into tuck position.

• Hinging forward from hips, extend arms in front of you and left leg directly behind you until body is parallel to ground from fingertips to left foot. Make it easier: Start with right hand on hip and left arm by side. Skip tuck position, instead reaching left hand toward mat as you extend left leg behind you as high as you can.
• Return to tuck position.
• Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Watch a video demonstration of this exercise

Tadpole to Frog

Targets: Shoulders, triceps, abs, butt, quads, and calves

• Start on mat in full push-up position, balancing on hands and toes, arms extended, body forming a straight line from head to heels.
• Keeping arms tucked close by sides, bend elbows directly behind you to lower chest toward mat.

• Press up, extending arms, and jump feet forward so that they land outside hands. Make it easier: Start with knees on mat and lower chest. Push up and lift knees off mat to press hips up into an inverted V; walk left foot and then right foot to outside of hands. Set up again for a low push-up or triceps push-up.
• Do 12 reps.

Watch a video demonstration of this exercise

Thread the Needle

Targets: Shoulders, abs, obliques, lower back, and butt

• Start on mat in full push-up position, balancing on hands and toes, arms extended, body forming a line from head to heels.
• Lift right hand off mat and reach arm under torso as far to left as possible, turning head to look at fingertips.

• Bring right arm back to right side, then extend it directly up toward sky, rotating torso and lifting left foot off mat to bring left knee toward chest. Extend left leg out to right to briefly touch foot to ground.
• Rotate back to full push-up position. MAKE IT HARDER: Do 10 seconds of mountain climbers between reps when in full push-up, alternately bringing knees into chest as if running.
• Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Watch a video demonstration of this exercise

Rock the Boat

Targets: Abs

• Sit on mat with knees bent, feet flat, and arms by sides. Lean torso back 45 degrees, raising arms overhead and lifting feet off mat to extend legs together at a 45-degree angle (this is the boat pose).

• Bend knees and bring them in toward chest as you lower arms to grasp outer thighs with hands. Maintaining tuck position, roll backward onto upper back, curling hips off mat.
• Roll forward and return to boat pose, holding for 1 count. MAKE IT HARDER: As you roll forward, tuck left leg under right and stand up on right leg, reaching arms overhead. Return to roll, then resume boat pose.
• Do 12 reps.

Watch a video demonstration of this exercise

Cross the River

Targets: Abs, obliques, butt, and hips

• Stand to right of mat (lengthwise) with feet hip-width apart, elbows bent by sides, hands in front of chest.
• Leap over mat to left side, pumping arms (right elbow forward, left elbow back) and landing on left leg, knee slightly bent, with bent right leg crossing slightly to the left behind you (in a speed skater's pose).

• Quickly push off left leg and leap back over mat to right side, landing on right leg, to complete 1 rep.
• Do 20 reps.

Trainer's tip: After each leap, reach opposite hand to outside of standing leg's ankle to really work the deep glute muscles.
Originally published in FITNESS magazine, November/December 2010.
Watch a video demonstration of this exercise

 

© Copyright 2012 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Class Last Night

I did this in the bootcamp class I teach last night. . . .WHEW! easy to follow but pretty tough!

3 minutes of cardio, 1 minute of strength moves, 30 seconds rest, then repeat.

Cardio Moves(30 seconds each): jumprope, jumping jacks, toe taps on a step, mountain climbers on a step, shuffle side to side, high knees

Strength Moves (1 minute each, between cardio intervals):push-ups, squats, crunches

For a 15 minute workout, stick with these 3 strength exercises in between the cardio intervals.

My class is an hour long so I added more exercises in-between the cardio intervals: lunges, bicep curls, overhead tricep press, chest flyes, reverse flyes

So it looks like this:
Cardio
Push-ups
Cardio
Squats
Cardio
Crunches
etc.

Week 3

This weeks workout is an interval of 2 minutes of cardio to 1 minute of sculpting. You will continue alternating cardio & sculpting exercises for the entire 15 minutes.  Try and not to rest between exercises but if you need a break. . .take it!
You will need a jumprope and a pair of 5-8 lb. hand weights.

1.  Jumprope - 2 minutes
2.  Overhead military press - 1 minute (weights in hands by shoulders, palms forward, elbows by sides, press hands straight up overhead and return to starting position)
3.  Run in place - 2 minutes
4.  Weighted Squats - 1 minute (squats with weights resting on shoulders)
5.  Jumping Jacks - 2 minutes
6.  Bicep Curls - 1 minute (holding weights by side, arms straight, palms facing forward, curl weights up almost touching shoulders and return to starting position)
7.  Football Run - 2 minutes
8.  Side Lateral Lifts - 1 minute (weights down by side, palms facing inward, lift weights up & out to the side no more than shoulder level, return to starting position)
9.  Alpine Ski - 2 minutes (body weight in your left foot hop laterally to the right, landing softly with a bent knee as if skiing. make the movement as big as you comfortably can keeping the weight only in 1 foot)
10.  Tricep press - 1 minute (holding weights in hands directly overhead, palms facing each other, lower weights behind your head and back up to starting position, keeping elbows pressed in towards your head)

That's It!! This can be repeated for a 30 minute workout.  Don't forget to stay hydrated and drink lots of water!!

Week 2

Hi All! Week 2 consists of 7 Exercises performed back to back for 1 minute each with no rest in-between.  After the first round through take a 1 minute break then repeat the entire sequence again for a 15 minute workout.  You can do the sequence as many times as you want to make it a longer work out.
1. Weighted Jacks
2.  Lunge Switch
3.  Wood Chop
4.  Burpee
5.  Pulse Squat 3 times & Hop
6.  Push Up & Row
7.  Mountain Climber

For an explanation of the exercises, check out the video below:

Monday. . . . . .Day 1-Let's Do This!

It's Monday.  What a great time to start a new fitness program.  If you're new to exercise. . . .that's perfect!  This workout includes moves that you are familiar with and you can modify to suit your fitness level.  If routine exericse is already part of your daily life, great news too. . . adding something new and different into your routine will make your body re-adjust to what it has gotten used to.  Your body remembers what you put it through each day and it gets used to that.  Therefore, when you do the same thing day in and day out, you don't see any changes.  When you introduce something different it "confuses" your body and it has to start working to adapt to those changes.  This is the change. . . .

You will do 1 minute intervals of each exercise with little or no rest in between:

1.  Jumping Jacks-just like in high school

2.  Squats-you can do this move with or without any weight.  If you want to use handweights, you can hold them either down by your side or on your shoulders.  Make sure when  you squat you sit back into your hips, keep your bodyweight in your heels, trying to get your thighs parallel to the floor and performing the squat slowly.  2 counts down, 2 counts up.  Keep good form through out the entire exercise.  If your comfortable with the movement, you can speed it up to 1 count down 1 count up.

3.  Jog in Place-just like it sounds.  Beginners might want a slow jog, more advanced might like to take it up to a faster jog or even a football run.

4.  Push Ups-Perform this move either on your knees or your toes. You can start out on your toes and move to your knees or stay on your knees the entire time. Either way, make sure that your back stays straight, keep your bottom out of the air, bending your elbows lowering your chest as low to the floor as possible.  Do as many as you can in the minute.  If it's only 3 that's ok it will be 4 next time.

5.  Bicycle Crunches-Feet are lifted, knees are at a 90 degree angle, shins parallel to the floor.  Lifting shoulders off the floor, alternate pressing your right shoulder to your lift knee as you extend your right leg straight out.  Change sides and continue repeating for 1 minute.

Repeat the entire sequence 3 times totalling a quick 15 minute work out. 

We'll start with these simple, familiar moves that you have probably seen or done before.  But believe me, there's lots more to come! :) If you have any questions, let me know.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog "Fit in Fifteen".  As a fitness trainer, mother of 3 (12, 4 and 2 months), working full time in sales and finishing my masters in education, I know how hard it is to find time to work out.  I also know how important it is to make the time to exercise for both your physical and mental well being.  Just 15 minutes of exercise a day can make a HUGE difference in your overall health.  I have created this blog to give you easy to follow, 15 minute work outs to help you achieve better physical as well as mental health.  The workouts that will be posted are easy to follow "circuit type" routines. In the beginning you will know most of the moves.  I will provide videos of any moves that you might not be familiar with.  It won't be easy!  It's only 15 minutes, so find the time, make the most of it and do it for yourself!