I’d like to share with you my current weekly workout plan. The only equipment needed is a pull-up bar and a place to run. If you don’t have room to run, substitute the running with jump-rope, burpees, or kettlebell/dumbbell swings.

Do the following workout 2 – 3 times per week. On your off days, do some stretching and light physical activity. Do something fun, such as biking, walking, rock climbing, break dancing, swimming, ect. Remember, exercise needs to be fun to stick to it over the long-haul.

Have fun with this! As I change my weekly workout routines, I’ll keep you posted.

Warm Up:

Dynamic Stretching (front kicks, side kicks, back kicks, torso spins, arm spins) – 10 minutes

Workout:

Frog Stand (knees on elbows) – accumulate a 1 minute hold

Back Lever, Tucked Position – accumulate a 1 minute hold

L-sit – accumulate a 1 minute hold

3 Sprints (20 second sprint, 2 minute rest)

Cool Down:

Passive Stretching, whatever feels sore and tight, 10 minutes minimum

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Running/Sprinting

This can be done almost anywhere.  Run around your neighborhood or a nearby park, if available.  Work your way up to a simple 5k, and once that becomes easy, try increasing your distance or increasing your speed.  I prefer to increase my speed.  Sprints are great running exercises too.  It is actually healthier to sprint than to jog because sprinting improves cardiovascular health faster than jogging and releases more of the growth hormones necessary for burning fat and building muscle.  For starters, sprint at 100% capacity for 20 seconds, then rest (walk or jog at 50% max effort) for 2 minutes.  Do three sets of this.  Each week, add an additional set and eventually work your way up to eight sets of sprints.  

Bodyweight Exercises

There is an almost endless supply of bodyweight exercises that can be done in your living room, backyard, or garage (or wherever else is convenient for you) that will build muscle and strength.  From simple moves like pushups, sit-ups, and air squats, to more advanced moves like planches, handstand pushups, and 1-legged squats, you can work out every muscle in your body just as well, if not better, than you can in a gym on weight machines. As an added benefit, bodyweight exercises improve flexibility and coordination.  Weight machines made me stiff.  When I switched to bodyweight routines, my flexibility and eye-hand coordination improved drastically.  Try this sample bodyweight workout routine:

• Cross Body Pushups (10 each side)
• Jumping Lunges (10 each leg)
• 20 Burpees  
• Planks (30-60 seconds pick 1) 

After completing all exercises, rest 2 minutes and repeat the circuit 2 more times for a total of 3 rounds.

Breakdancing

I know, sounds crazy right.  But try it and you will be impressed.  Many breakdancing moves are rooted in gymnastics.  If you are looking for a high-intensity, power building, full-body workout, look no farther.  Not only are the moves incredibly fun to do, but they will work your muscles like no other workout.  The first time I tried it, I woke up the next morning feeling like a truck ran me over. My legs, core, and upper body were sore for days.  A word of caution though, many moves can be dangerous and cause injury to the novice. Start easy and work your way up. Begin with easy top rocks (great for cardio and legs) and the six step (great for the entire body). After a few workouts, try some freezes (baby freeze, shoulder freeze , and elbow freeze are the easiest), handstand variations, and monkey flips.   Once you get these down, start learning windmills, flairs, and headspins.

Home work out routines can be fun and are just as effective as gym workouts.  The above workouts are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to working out at home. Experiment with them and create your own home work out routine that will help you reach your fitness goals.

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