At-Home Workout Progression

If you're wanting to get stronger, leaner and fitter, it's super important to "progress" your workouts. That just means that you change and sometimes intensify the exercises you do so that our bodies don't adapt and get used to what we are doing and therefore don't build muscle or get stronger. Completing the same exact movement with the same exact weight will cause us to plateau; our bodies are smart and they will stop responding and changing without variety.  

So when should you progress a movement? When you feel like the beginning exercise has become easy or just not as challenging-listen to your body. 

Check out this workout you can do at-home or in a gym or on vacation or anywhere you want...all complete with progressions :) 

Here's the Deal: 

Warm up for 5 minutes with a quick walk. Do each exercise for a total of 20 seconds, then progress to 25 seconds and then to 30 seconds as you get stronger.  Repeat the list 6 times through. Even at the 30 second time, it will take you less than 30 minutes to complete. 

Here's the work:

Warm up

1. Stand ups from a chair or couch

    --body weight air squats

        ---squat with weight held at your chest

2. Right side static lunge

    --right side step-back lunge

        --right side step-forward lunge

3. Left side static lunge

    --left side step-back lunge

        --left side step-forward lunge

4. Good mornings (bodyweight only)

    --deadlift with weight

        --single alternating deadlifts with weight

5. Push ups on all fours

    --push ups on knees

        --push ups on toes

6. Back extension with hands by hips

    --back extensions with arms in "goal post"

        --back extensions with arms overhead

7. Crunches with knees bent and feet on floor

    --curnches with legs up and knees bent

        --crunches with legs straight up in the air

8. Plank on knees and forearms

    --plank on toes and forearms

         --plank on toes and hands

Stretch and enjoy!