There's always some new, innovative, fancy type of exercise that makes promises of immediate, fast, amazing results...blah, blah, blah. Sometimes you just have to stick with what works! High energy calisthenics are awesome because they require about 6 feet of space, no equipment, no memberships, nothing. These exercises can be done in 15 minutes in a hotel room. They are perfect for travelers. This post pays homage to all those old school moves that worked before science, pills, and enhancement drugs!
1. Burpee
First, start in a standing position, then drop intoa squat position with your hands on the ground. Kick your feet back while lowering yourself all the way to the ground like a pushup. Then, return your feet to the squat position while straightening your arms and jump up as high as you can from the squat position with your arms overhead, clapping your hands overhead when you reach your peak.
2. Mountain Climbers
Begin in a plank position. Pull one knee into your chest keeping your hips as low as possible and alternate pulling each knee in as quickly as possible. Try to keep the knee as close to your midline as possible each time you pull it in. This is great for raising your heart rate and challenging your core!
3. Squats
Good old fashioned squats will work those big muscle groups in the legs. Begin with your heels under your hips and toes fanned out slightly. Rock your weight back into your heels and maintain weight in the heels throughout the entire exercise. You can even lift your toes up in flexion to ensure your weight stays in your heels. Lift your arms overhead, slightly in front of you with fingers interlaced and palms facing forward (knuckles facing you). Begin lowering your body down (while sticking your butt out in order to maintain a long, flat spine), until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as low as your hamstrings will allow. Keep your hands reaching up and out, and this will force your chest to stay in the correct position.
4. Jumping Jacks
Get that heart rate up quickly with this gym class favorite! We all know how to do jumping jacks, but play with them. Double up with the legs staying out, jump as high as you can, change up the speed. You get the idea.
5. Tricep Dips
Ok, so I lied. You need a chair for this one. Make sure it's a steady chair that can support your body weight! Start by sitting with your legs extended in front of you, a few inches away from the seat of the chair on the floor. Bring your hands (about shoulder width apart) to the edge of the seat fingers facing toward your body. Push yourself up by pressing the heel of your palms into the chair and keep your body perfectly straight by holding the belly in tight. Try to keep your shoulders pressing down in order to keep the work in the triceps.
6. Push Ups
See previous post which is all about the push up! Yay push ups!
7. Sit Ups
There are so many variations on the sit up. Today we will tackle the sit up in it's most basic, original form. Laying supine on the floor bring your feet flat on the floor so your legs make a triangle shape, knees pointing toward ceiling, feet hip width apart. Arms crossed over your chest. Inhale and the bottom and on your exhale, engage your belly muscles as you curl forward and up (all the way up, my friends--this is not a weeny crunch). This old fashioned sit up is an awesome hip flexor strengthener. If you can't quite get yourself up yet, you can put weights on your feet, or ask a friend to hold your feet down.
8. L Sits
L sits are an advanced core and hip flexor strengthening move. This is a toughie, especially if you are tall or have long legs! Begin sitting up nice and tall with your legs extended in front of you with your hands flat on the floor right underneath your shoulders. Push your shoulders down and keep them down the whole time as you engage your core and left those legs off the floor! Push those hands hard into the floor and really tighten up that belly and watch yourself levitate! If you try this and are like "Um, what? My legs aren't moving.", then start with lifting one leg at a time until you have enough hip flexor and abdominal strength to get both legs up off the floor. Remember to keep pushing your shoulders down your back and keep your neck long. You can do it!
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