Body Weight Moves to Amp It Up

You don't have to have an elaborate gym or a destination to get a quality workout. There are plenty of moves you can do quickly, and effectively that will shake things up and reinvigorate the day. You simply need desire, your own body weight and perhaps a dash of creativity. These 4 moves in combination make for a great short burst energy boosting heart pumping mini circuit that won't take a lot of time to execute or get results from. Start easy and try to do each exercise in 10 to 15 repetition blocks. Executing these one after another in successions done several times in sequence will AMP IT UP, tighten you up, and perk you up. The Sit to Stand: Take that chair you're sitting in for example. On the one hand functional, perhaps ergonomic, and if it's in your home, stylish I'm sure. Let's use it for a couple of easy moves to elevate your heart rate. First, simple sit to stands will get us going. Position your hips near the edge of the chair. Lean your upper body forward slightly, to avoid creating momentum by throwing your upper body into the move. Don't use the arm rails. Using your hands to push yourself out of the chair weakens your legs. Take an inhale breath and as you stand up, then exhale. Try foot pressure variations. Toe pressure generally drives through the quads, while heel pressure generally enlists the hamstrings and glutes. The Lunge: This is one of the best body weight moves you can do for your buns. It also hits your hamstrings and quads to give a well rounded leg and glute workout. An additional benefit, based on how many lunges you execute, is the cardio pump it delivers. Your lunge steps should be far enough apart to be able to get to 90 degrees on both the forward step, and with the aft knee that drops to the floor. If you let the aft knee touch the floor but not rest there upon, and keep the forward knee from extending beyond its toe line, you have reached Lunge Nirvana. ….uh, and yes, there is such a place. The combination of the Lunge and Sit to Stand will insure the junk in your trunk stays organized, manageable, tight and firm. The Push Up: This top upper body strength builder can be done in multiple positions from hands and toes, or hands and knees. The key to the movement is a tight rigid body and holding the plank posture through the entire eccentric and concentric movement. Breathing is key, as you want to inhale in the lowering (eccentric) phase and exhale in the lifting (concentric) phase. If you hold your breath it will wipe you out, so breath through it. Put a book or similar touch target on the floor to maintain consistent depth of movement. Additionally, differing hand/arm combinations   move the resistance to differing body parts. For example, bringing your hands to an inside position where 4 to 6 inches separate them and keeping your elbows inward grazing your rib cage, works shoulders and triceps to a greater degree. Where, a wide hand and wide elbow position hits chest full on.   The Pull Up: Most of us hate these. I get that, but those that "get over it" understand that full benefits of "pulling your weight". Similar hand arm location variations in the pull up can move the resistance just like the push up does. Wide hands in an over handed grip equal a wider stressor on the upper back, while a narrow grip underhanded, brings the stress more toward the mid back and biceps. If you are not able to do a full body weight pull up just yet, use a lower reach where your heels can rest on the floor with your body is planked out much like in the posture of a push up. This will allow you to adjust your weight based on the angle of your body. Thumb in a five finger grip, or thumb over in a 4 finger claw grip, are worth trying in the over handed and underhanded grip techniques. NIKE   At 10 reps per, that's 40 reps per circuit, 50 if you count each lunge on a per leg basis. Got to 15 reps and do the math...quite a work out. Do the entire sequence 4 or 5 times and feel your body purr.   Fitness Together Mission Hills offers personal training with qualified professionals by regular appointment in private suites. Exercise and nutritional programs are custom designed to fit your needs and abilities. Call619-794-0014 for more information or to schedule a free fitness diagnostic and private training session. See what others are saying about us on Yelp and San Diego City Search.