6 Quick and Effective Vacation Workouts

Exercise Instructions (in alphabetical order)

Air squats: Stand with your feet spread apart at a distance slightly wider than the shoulders. Position your feet so that your toes angle out. This angle varies from person to person, but should be about 30 degrees. Keep your weight on the heels to prevent yourself from rolling up onto the balls of your feet.

Keep your chest up, shoulders back, head up. This helps promote a nice, safe, intact lumbar curve.

Place arms straight out in front of your chest. The arms should be in a comfortable position as they act as counter balance to the motion of the exercise.

Bend your knees as you lower yourself down. Pretend there is a chair behind you that you’re reaching back to sit on. Your knees should track over your feet and never jut out over them. In other words, your knees should be pointing in the same direction as your toes. If you find your knees starting to cave in, focus on pushing them out. A good way to achieve this is by imagining you are tearing the floor apart with your feet.

The push back up should be generated from your hamstrings and glutes. Your chest and head should remain pointing straight forward. As you rise, your arms will probably lower back to your sides naturally. Make sure your knees keep tracking with your toes and do not begin to buckle inwards. Also be sure and keep your lumbar curve intact (curved).

Generally speaking, if you have your chest and head up, your lumbar curve will be in the correct position.

Arm circles: Stand in a neutral position with feet hip-width apart. Your arms should be straight out to the sides so your body forms a “T.”

Begin making slow circles in a forward motion with your arms, then gradually make larger ones and complete the given number of repetitions.

Repeat in the opposite direction.

Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows

1. Stand with knees bent and your torso at a 60-degree angle.
2. With the weights fully extended in your hands, bring them straight up to your chest, contracting your shoulder blades fully.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.

Bicycle Crunches

1. Lie flat on the floor with the lower back pressed into the ground.
2. Place your hands slightly either side of your head. Do not lock your fingers or pull your head up.
3. Lift your knees to a 45-degree angle.
4. Lift your head up and touch your right elbow to the left knee while pulling your knee up towards your head. At the same time, straighten your right leg, keeping it several inches off of the floor, similar to the motion you’d make while pedaling a bicycle.
5. Touch your left elbow to your right knee.At the same time, straighten your left leg, keeping it off of the floor. Don’t forget to tighten your abs!

Burpees

1. Lower your body down using proper squat form. Place hands on the ground in front of you.
2. Jump your feet back to a plank position, then quickly lower your chest to the ground.
3. Push yourself back up to a plank position and jump your feet back in toward your hands.
4. Jump back up and simultaneously clap your hands behind your head. Stand all the way, extending the hips fully before beginning your next rep.

Butt Kicks

1. Begin by jogging normally, either in place or traveling for a short distance.
2. 2. Then begin raising your heels up toward your bottom as you jog, using rapid, forceful movements. Again, you may either do these in place or traveling.

Dumbbell stationary lunges

See the instructions for lunges below, and simply add a dumbbell in each hand to perform the movement.