Feeling panicked about your body? We heard your distress call — and we have a solution. This routine from the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute will get your body streamlined for that wedding, party, or swimsuit.
This tone-all-over circuit takes six proven and powerful moves — lunges, planks, pushups, squats, crunches and dead lifts — and amps up their difficulty each week to keep your muscles challenged. Pair these exercises with active rest (keeping your heart rate up during your "rest" time between sets) and you'll be eager to jump start your workout and fitness goals.
Do this workout three times a week for a month, along with at least two hours of cardio a week, for the best results.
Hard Body Circuit
Perform this routine three times through, resting between sets for a few minutes. Unless otherwise specified, do 12-15 reps of each exercise, using a weight that is challenging but doable for a high number of reps. Rest time is active rest time, so you should be moving constantly!
1. Walking Lunge
Works glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides. Step forward several feet with your right foot, and bend down until your right leg forms a 90-degree angle and your left knee almost touches the floor. Push off your left foot and your bring legs together. Repeat on the opposite side.
2. Plank
Works abs, back
Lie facedown on a mat. Push off from your chest, resting on your forearms and toes. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
Week 1 Hold the plank position for 30 seconds.
3. Pushup
Works chest, shoulders, abs, triceps
Lie facedown with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your feet together. Keeping your body straight, push up.
Week 1 Regular
4. Squat
Works quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves
Use a stability ball to support you during this series. Place the ball between your lower back and a wall. Put your feet a foot or two in front of you and slowly squat down until your butt is parallel with the floor, letting the ball roll up your back.
5. Crunch
Works abs, back
Lie on your back with your legs bent, hands behind your head and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your neck relaxed, roll your upper back off the floor and then slowly return to starting position.
Week 1 Regular
6. Dead Lift
Works quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back
Stand upright, your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs as you lower down, keeping your back straight and chest out. Slowly return to starting position.
Week 1 Regular, with dumbbells
Rest 3 minutes before beginning the circuit again. Be sure to consult our trainers if you have any questions and stay tuned for the next four weeks for more moves!
