Words: Mahesh Kurhade
Certified personal trainer, Certified contest preparation coach, Fitness model, National level men’s physique athlete and Mechanical engineer
When your routine is tight, but still you have summer plans for the beach where you need to look lean and shredded, you need something to stay on track with your workout. The best summer fitness strategy is where you are not dependent on having access to a gym, rather you choose exercises that don’t require a lot of equipment.
If you’re really serious about getting lean and shredded, you absolutely have to clean up your diet and take time for recovery! It’s simply not healthy to work out for hours and only focus on calories burned. You must also start incorporating more quality, unprocessed foods into your diet, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep!
How it works
Perform the prescribed duration of time for the first exercise and then immediately move on to the next without rest. Continue this pattern until you finish the last move. Rest for 1-2 minutes and then repeat the entire circuit 2 more times (3 times in total). If you want an extra calorie burner, jump rope, run, or swim for 30 minutes before or after this routine.
HIGH PLANK (60 seconds)
Planks can help increase your flexibility. While it may not feel like it, planks are a great way to stretch out the lower half of your body. Getting into the hold position lengthens your hamstrings as well as the arches of your feet, making the plank pose a dual strength and stretch exercise.
How to perform:
– Plant the hands directly under the shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder-width apart) like you’re about to do a push-up.
– Ground the toes onto the floor and squeeze the glutes to stabilize the body. Be careful not to lock or hyperextend your knees.
– Neutralize the neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot beyond the hands. Your head should be in line with your back.
PUSH-UPS (30-45 seconds)
We’re all familiar with push-ups, which is great to build upper body strength. It Increases the functional strength via full body activation.
How to perform:
-To do a push-up, start by positioning yourself on the floor with your face down, your palms on the floor shoulder-width apart, and the balls of your feet touching the ground.
– When you’re ready to start, push yourself up, keeping your body in a straight line and your elbows pointed to your toes.
SKATERS (45-60 seconds)
The skater is an effective cardiovascular move that improves muscle endurance and strength. This exercise strengthens the glutes, hips and legs, and enhances coordination and balance.
How to perform:
-Stand tall on your right leg with your left foot lifted off the floor.
– Shift your hips back and bend your right knee, keeping your toes pointed forward.
-Keep your chest up as you drive off the ball of your right foot into the floor and jump out and over to the left side as far as you can.
-Land softly on your other leg with knee bent and toes pointed forward. Repeat, this time jumping to the right side. Continue at a quick pace until you’ve reached targeted time.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS (45-60 seconds)
Mountain Climber is a killer exercise that gets your heart rate up fast while also firing nearly every muscle group in the body—deltoids, biceps, triceps, chest, abdominals, quads, hamstrings and hip abductors.
How to perform:
-Get in a full plank position with your arms straight, hands below your shoulders, and feet together.
-Lift your right foot off the floor and drive your right knee as close to your chest as possible
– Return to the starting position and immediately repeat the movement with your left leg.
Don’t change your lower-back posture as you lift your knee—keep your hips low and stable.
-Continue alternating at a quick and fluid pace until you’ve done target time.
SLOW BICYCLES (45-60 seconds)
The biggest advantage of doing this exercise is that it boosts your upper abs. The pair of muscles in consideration is the rectus abdomens or upper abs muscles. Bicycle crunch helps to build and tone those exclusive and elusive pair of abs muscles that aids in completing the dashing eight pack ab.
How to perform:
-Lie face-up with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees so that your lower legs are parallel to the floor.
-Place your hands behind your head to support the neck.
-Lift your shoulders off the floor and hold them there throughout the entire exercise.
-Slowly lift and twist your chest to your right knee as you extend your left straight, hovering off the mat.
– Return to the centre and repeat to the other side. Continue alternating until you’ve completed the desired time
JUMP SQUATS (45-60 seconds)
Jump squats increase your explosive power; improve upper and lower body strength, and burn calories faster than regular squats. Plus, the flexibility gained in your ankles and hips from the fluid motion of a jump squat will help prevent injuries during other exercise routines.
How to perform:
-Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
-Start by doing a regular squat, then engage your core and jump up explosively
-When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep.
-continue till you finish the desired time
INCHWORM (30-45 seconds)
Inchworms are a great move for flexibility through the backs of the legs as well as for core and upper body strength.
How to perform:
-Start standing with feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward at your hips and place your palms on the mat.
-Walk your hands forward so that you’re in high plank.
-Walk your hands back toward feet and stand up.
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