Home for the Holidays? Here’s a Workout You Can Do in Any Living Room
This article originally appeared on People.com.
If you’ve ever found yourself home for the holidays and wondering how you’re going to squeeze in a workout between family visits and Black Friday shopping, you’re in luck.
Reebok trainer and eight-time Reebok CrossFit Games athlete Annie Thorisdottir is sharing some of her favorite at-home workouts for people who are miles away from their regular gym.
Luckily, everything you need can be found in a standard living room (no fancy gym equipment required).
The at-home workout is something Thorisdottir, 28, says she does with her family all the time.
“My family never says no to a fun workout!” she explains, adding that this routine is accessible to all ability levels. “Body-weight movements are great since they require no setup or equipment. … If you’re in great shape, you can increase the intensity or up the reps to get in a great workout.”
Here are a few moves to try. For a more gentle workout, do fewer repetitions. If you want a more intense workout, move through the series three times and add reps.
GOOD MORNINGS
Thorisdottir loves this warm-up move. Simply stand up straight, cross your arms and rest your hands on the chest. Bend your chest forward while moving the butt back, and try form a 90-degree angle with your body (It’s okay to bend the knees). Then raise your chest back to the original position.
JUMPING LUNGES
Keep the abs engaged as you move through this exercise. Step one leg forward and bend the other back into a lunge. Jump up and switch legs in the air, going down into a lunge on the other side. Repeat and take care not to bang your knee against the ground!
PISTOL SQUATS
These one-legged squats work on a couch, chair, or sturdy coffee table. Start seated with one leg in the air and the other planted on the ground. Then, stand while keeping your raised leg in the air through the movement. After a few reps, switch legs for a balanced workout.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
You’ll need bit of space for these, so consider moving some furniture out of the way to make some room. Begin in plank position with your shoulders directly over your hands, your hips down, and your eyes at a slight 45-degree angle in front of you. Then, raise each leg to your chest, rotating one at a time in a controlled movement. Move as quickly as you can.
SHOULDER TAPS
While you’re down in plank position, why not try some shoulder taps? Raise your right arm up to the opposite shoulder, and then rotate sides, returning to the plank position in-between. Make sure you keep your body still while moving your arms.
THRUSTERS
Look around and grab books, candlesticks, water bottles, or any other light objects around the house. Now, with your elbows raised, hold the objects at your shoulders and do a squat. As you move back up, raise your objects overhead so your arms are fully extended. Repeat!