We all want to see healthy, toned, and beautiful bodies when looking into the mirror. If you think that you need some super complicated exercises, with lots of athletic equipment, to get a perfect body, you’ll probably be surprised to know there’s an easier solution. It turns out that simple exercises organized in a curated workout plan may work wonders on your body and tone all your muscles pretty fast.
1. Plank
Which muscles are trained: This one-move, static exercise is often underrated. Meanwhile, it’s perfect for strengthening your core, toning your abs, and building up your shoulders.
How it’s done: Get into a push-up position on the floor, maintain a 90 degree angle in your elbows, and prop yourself up on your elbows and your toes. Keep a straight line from head to heels.
2. Push-ups
Which muscles are trained: If you do push-ups correctly, you are using your triceps, shoulders, back, and chest, which provides your entire upper body with a workout.
How it’s done: Lie flat on the floor on your chest and stomach. Put your hands next to your chest right under your shoulders. Push up and bring your torso, chest, and thighs off the floor. Keep your abs tight so that your body forms a straight line. Slowly come back down to the floor.
3. Squats
Which muscles are trained: When you do squats, you train your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and your whole posterior chain.
How it’s done: Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, or wider if you feel unstable. Lengthen your spine, bend your knees, and reach your hips back, as if you’re sitting in a chair. Come back to standing with an exhale and repeat the exercise.
4. Bird-dog
Which muscles are trained: This exercise strengthens your abs, lower back, glutes, and thighs.
How it’s done: Kneel with knees hip-width apart and your hands firmly placed on the ground about shoulder-width apart. Lift one hand and the opposite knee off floor while balancing on the other hand and knee to keep your weight centered.
Stretch your arm out straight in front and extend the opposite leg behind you. Keep a straight line from your hand to your toes. Hold for a few seconds then return to the starting position and repeat the exercise for the other side.
5. Hip bridge
Which muscles are trained: This is a core exercise aimed at strengthening the glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinae.
How it’s done: Lay on the floor on your back with your knees bent and feet spread hip-width apart. Keep your arms by your sides with the palms facing down. Lift your pelvis up and tightly squeeze your glutes. Hold the position for a second and lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat the exercise.
Follow this 4-week schedule to achieve the best results.
Specialists believe it’s better to organize the exercises into 2 workout plans and switch between them at certain intervals:
- Workout plan 1: plank (1 min); push-ups (1 min); squats (2 min); bird-dog (1 min); hip bridge (1 min); plank (1 min); push-ups (1 min); squats (2 min).
- Workout plan 2: plank (3 min); bird-dog (3 min); hip bridge (3 min); push-ups (1 min).
On the first week, start with workout plan 1 on the first day, then switch to plan 2 on the second day and so on, taking a rest on day 7. On the second week, start with workout plan 2 on the first day and switch between the plans in the same way you did during first week, taking a rest on day 7. Come back to the week 1 schedule after week 2.
