Tired of your usual gym routine? Us too. So we talked to Stacy Berman, certified trainer and head of Stacy’s Boot Camp in New York City. The result? A six-week workout plan from the new WH book, The Big Book of Exercises. It'll whip you into shape--guaranteed!
Week 1:
5-minute warm-up jog or jump rope
Circuit 1:
25 squats
15 pushups
50 jumping jacks
Repeat three times.
Circuit 2:
10-15 squat thrusts
10-15 alternating forward lunges per leg
20 leg lifts
Repeat three times.
Circuit 3:
1-minute run or 1-minute jump rope
1 minute plank position
Repeat three times.
Go to week two >>
1. Squats
Stand as tall as you can with your feet spread shoulder-width apart. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. Pause, then slowly push yourself back to the starting position.
2. Pushups
Get down on all fours and place your hands on the floor so that they’re slightly wider than and in line with your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause at the bottom, and then push yourself back to the starting position as quickly as possible. If your hips sag at any point during the exercise, your form has broken down. When this happens, consider that your last repetition and end the set.
3. Jumping Jacks
Stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Simultaneously raise your arms above your head and jump up just enough to spread your feet out wide. Without pausing, quickly reverse the movement and repeat.
4. Squat Thrusts
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body as deep as you can into a squat. Kick your legs backward, so that you’re now in a pushup position. Then quickly bring your legs back to the squat position. Stand up quickly and repeat the entire movement.
5. Alternating Lunges
Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at arm's length next to your sides, your palms facing each other. Step forward with your right leg and slowly lower your body until your front knee is bent at least 90 degrees. Pause, then, raise up and bring your back foot forward so that you move forward (like you're walking) a step with every rep. Step forward with the alternate leg and repeat.
6. Leg Lifts
Lie faceup on the floor, and raise your upper legs until they're perpendicular to the floor. Bend your knees slightly. Without changing the arch in your lower back or the angle of your knees, brace your core and try to take 3 to 5 seconds to lower your feet as close to the floor as you can. One trick: Press your lower back toward the floor as you perform the movement. Once your feet touch the floor, raise them back to the starting position and repeat.
7. Plank
Start to get into a pushup position, but bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms instead of on your hands. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Brace your core by contracting your abs as if you were about to be punched in the gut. Hold this position for 1 minute while breathing deeply.
