The Women's Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts: A Leaner, Sexier, Healthier You--In 15 Minutes a Day! (48 page)

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Do these moves one after another with no rest between them. When you’ve finished the last move, pause 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat the circuit twice more.

One-Leg Squat Floor Reach and Press

A

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Bend your left knee, lifting your foot behind you.

• Squat and raise your right arm out to the side to shoulder height, then reach your left hand down across your body, touching the floor outside your right toes.

B

• Stand up as you lift your left hand toward the ceiling, lower your right arm to your side, and raise your left thigh to hip level in front of you.

• Lower your left leg and repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 12 to 15.

Pushup Crawl

A

• Get in plank position with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.

B

• Lower your chest as close to the floor as you can. Holding that position, lift your right knee to the outside of your right elbow.

• Return to plank position, then push back up to the starting position; repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 12 to 15.

Front Lunge Floor Reach and Reverse Twist

A

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Lunge forward with your left leg so your right knee is nearly touching the floor and your left thigh is parallel to the floor. Bending forward, try to touch the floor on either side of your left foot.

B

• Push off your left foot; using that momentum, step forward with your right foot, shifting your weight to that foot, and swing your left leg behind you. As you sink backward into a lunge, rotate your torso 45 degrees to the right.

• Return to standing. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 12 to 15.

Grand Plié Squat Reach and Jump

A

• Stand with your legs wide apart, toes turned out, and arms at your sides. Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor and you’re low enough to touch it with your fingertips.

B

• Immediately jump up as high as you can, keeping your legs wide and extending your arms straight overhead. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 12 to 15.

PLAYGROUND WORKOUT

No reason to just park yourself on a bench while your kids get all the exercise. The playground has great tools, like swings, monkey bars, and yes, that bench you’re planted on, to bust out all your favorite moves and a few new ones, too. This workout will keep you in shape all summer.

START HERE:

Perform the moves one after another without rest. When you’ve completed the last move, pause for 60 seconds. Then repeat the circuit two more times.

Swing Lunge

A

• Stand with your back about one giant step from a 1- to 2-foot-high swing seat. Reach back with your left foot and place your toes on the seat .

B

• With your arms on your hips, sink into a lunge until your right thigh is parallel to the ground.

• Slowly return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10, then repeat with the other leg.

Monkey Up

A

• Jump up and grab a monkey bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing you. Hang from the bar with your arms straight, your knees slightly bent, and your ankles crossed.

B

• Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar. Lower yourself to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do as many as you can.

TIP:
Too tough? Pull yourself up and hold the chinup position for as long as you can. Or better yet, get your kids in the action and have them assist by pushing up on your lower legs as you pull your body upward.

Bench Jump

A

• Begin by standing on a 1- to 2-foot-high backless park bench with your knees slightly bent and your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height.

B

• Jump down so you’re straddling the bench. Jump back onto the bench, landing with your feet together.

REPS:
Do as many as you can in 20 seconds.

Swing Pike Pushup

A

• Get in plank position with the tops of your feet on the seat of a 1- to 2-foot-high swing.

B

• Press your arms and feet down as you lift your hips toward the sky so your body is in a pike position.

C

• Lower your hips to the starting position, then immediately sink down into a pushup. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10.

35,200-FEET-IN-THE-AIR WORKOUT

Even when you can’t walk the aisle in the plane for exercise (because you’re flanked by two huge snoring businessmen), you can still get the blood flowing and tone your body. The following moves will boost circulation throughout your body while you target every key muscle group.