Stay in Shape this Summer with a Quick 20 Minute Workout

This post is submitted by Christine Silvestri,  a certified personal trainer who specializes in Tabata Training.

With summer here we all get thrown off our normal routine. We tend to be more relaxed with our gym and eating habits with the kids being home and all the beach days and cookouts. Just because we may be more tied to our social calendars is no reason to put our workouts on the back burner! Here is a quick (about 20 minutes) do anywhere routine you can do at home or away. Since you don’t need any equipment and requires very little space, you have no excuse to not fit your workout in!

Do this plan circuit style by going through each exercise for 12 reps then repeat two more times. 

• Start with a quick warm-up of marching in place for 30 seconds and pumping your arms back and forth. Then do 30 seconds of jumping  jacks.

• Push-ups (start on your toes to challenge yourself even if it’s only 1 or 2 then drop to knees, don’t let butt stick up in the air, keeps hips down)

• Plank on elbows 30 sec (work up to 60) Hold core tight

• Triceps dips off couch (with legs out straight out to challenge yourself, easier is legs in)

• Mountain Climbers 30 seconds (cardio burst-start in plank position on hands, alternate bringing knees in to chest as fast as you can)

• Side plank 30 sec

• Squats (toes straight, sit butt way back when you squat so knees don’t go over toes, sqeeze glutes as tight as you can when you come back up)

• Side plank 30 sec (other side)

• High Knee jog 30 seconds (cardio burst-jog in place bringing knees up in front of you as high as you can)

• Front lunge Lt leg (12) then Rt leg (12)

• Reverse crunch (lie on back on floor, knees bent, use core to draw knees towards shoulders, don’t use momentum to “swing” knees in )

• Bridge (lie on floor with knees bent, feet hip distance apart, raise hips and squeeze butt as tight as you can, release back to floor and repeat)

• Cool down and stretch. Your choice, however it’s best to hold each stretch for 30 seconds.

This workout can be adapted to any level, beginners or advanced. For beginners, push-ups, planks and mountain climbers can be done either against a wall or half wall, a sturdy table or back of couch. Reverse crunch can be done sitting in a chair and just bring knees up a few inches off floor with core tight. Squats can be done with back up against a wall and hold for 15-30 seconds, lunges can be a static hold in lunge position.

For more advanced exercisers, make your cardio moves as explosive as you can. Add weights to the squats and lunges if you have them available. Hold the planks for as long as you can instead of the 30-60 seconds (you can even hold a leg up in the air), and do the pushups on your toes.

As with any exercise program, consult with your physician before you start to see if you have any limitations to avoid injury.