The Women's Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts: A Leaner, Sexier, Healthier You--In 15 Minutes a Day! (15 page)

WORKS:
your shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings.

A

• Start in a pushup position, legs extended directly behind you and hands under your shoulders.

B

• With your legs together, brace your core and glutes, then kick both legs into the air, bending your knees to bring your feet toward your butt.

• As your lower body descends, straighten your legs and try to land softly on the balls of your feet. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 12 to 16.

STRESS LESS

If you suffer from runaway stress, you’re not going to feel well no matter how many superfast workouts you do. “You can’t ignore the mental, spiritual, and emotional elements of fitness,” says personal trainer Paul Chek. “The body reacts to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause you to hold on to fluids and fat.” His solution: Exercise to cultivate energy. Try walking slowly for at least 10 minutes a day, focusing on taking deep, cleansing breaths and calming your mind.

STRESS-BUSTING WORKOUT 2

Martial-arts-style maneuvers are much more than self-defense. Launching fierce jabs and kicks is a great stress blaster. As a sweet side benefit, this workout boosts your metabolism and sculpts your arms, shoulders, abs, thighs, and butt into a stunning (and serene) physique. Enjoy all these killer body benefits—and Zenlike mental state—with this series of fighter-inspired moves.

START HERE:

Perform as many reps as you can in 60 seconds (or as indicated), then move to the next exercise. Continue until you’ve completed all seven moves. Rest for 60 seconds, then repeat the entire circuit.

Knee Thrust

WORKS:
your hip flexors and other core muscles.

A

• Stand with your feet in a left-foot lead stance (left foot at the front left corner of an imaginary square, right foot at the back right corner), knees slightly bent, fists in front of your chin, palms facing in.

B

• Quickly raise your right knee toward your chest, drive it back down, and without changing your left-foot lead stance, do the same with your left leg.

REPS:
Do as many as you can in 60 seconds.

Squat Thrust with Knee Thrust

WORKS:
your quads, glutes, and hip flexors.

A

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your arms at your sides.

B

• Bend your knees, lower your hands to the floor, and jump both feet back so you’re in a pushup position.

C

• Jump your feet back up to your hands, quickly stand up, then bend your right knee and pull it up toward your chest.

• Return to the starting position, then do another squat thrust and a knee thrust with the left leg. Keep alternating this way.

REPS:
Do as many as you can in 60 seconds.

TIP:
To make the exercise harder, do a pushup in step B.

Speed Jump Rope

WORKS:
your calves, quads, and heart.

A

• Hold the ends of a jump rope with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.

• Push off the floor with the balls of your feet and point your toes downward while making small circles with your wrists.

• Land softly on your toes, immediately pushing off again. Focus on jumping over the rope as quickly as possible.

REPS:
Jump for 60 seconds.

TIP:
To make it harder, add a double under, in which you pass the rope under your feet twice in a single jump. But don’t just jump higher; keep your hands by your waist and quickly rotate your wrists to create the right rope speed.

Situp with Punch

WORKS:
your rectus abdominis and obliques.

A

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

B

• Brace your abs, sit up, and punch across your body six times with one arm. Avoid stressing your neck.

• Return to the starting position; repeat with the opposite arm.

REPS:
Do as many as you can in 60 seconds.

Front Kick

WORKS:
your hip flexors and quads.

A

• Stand with your feet in a left-foot lead stance, fists at chin height.

• Raise your left knee toward your chest. Imagine scooping up your left knee and pulling it toward you.

B

• Then kick straight out as if you’re slamming a door closed with your heel.

• Quickly bring your leg back, placing it staggered behind your right. Repeat with your right leg, then continue alternating.

REPS:
Do as many as you can in 60 seconds.

TIP:
Slow it down! Your underused hip flexor muscles will have to work that much harder to control the movement.

Spiderman Pushup

WORKS:
your chest and obliques; enhances your hips’ mobility.

A

• Start in a pushup position with your hands directly under your shoulders.

B

• As you lower your chest to the floor, turn your right knee outward and bring it toward your elbow.

• Slowly return to the starting position and repeat with the left leg. If the regular pushup position is too difficult, try doing Spiderman Pushups from your knees instead.

REPS:
Do as many as you can, alternating legs, in 60 seconds.

Side Kick

WORKS:
your back, quads, shoulders, and hip flexors and abductors.