Exercise For Health 30 Day Challenge (Part 2 Body-Weight Workout)

When it comes to strength training, many people often associate it with fancy gym equipment or weights. However, there is a form of exercise that is becoming increasingly popular, and that is body-weight workouts.

Body-weight workouts, as the name suggests, rely solely on your own body weight for resistance. This type of exercise offers numerous benefits that go beyond just building muscles and strength.

First and foremost, body-weight workouts are accessible to everyone. You don't need to join a gym or invest in expensive equipment to perform body-weight exercises. You can do them in the comfort of your own home, and all you need is a little bit of space.

Another benefit of body-weight workouts is that they are great for cardiovascular health.

Body-weight workouts also allow you to improve your flexibility, balance, and coordination. Since many of the exercises involve using your own body as resistance, you will learn to engage and activate different muscle groups, which can help improve your posture and overall body awareness.

Furthermore, body-weight workouts can be accustomed to your ability, allowing you to create a routine that works for your body and fitness level. You can modify the exercises by adjusting the tempo, repetitions, and intensity to create a workout that challenges you while avoiding injury.

Below you can find a full body circuit workout for beginners. Duration time is 15 -20 mins depending on rest times. 

You will complete the circuit twice overall. In the first circuit you will perform each exercise for 30 seconds at a moderate pace that you are comfortable with, this will be a warm up working set. What is a warm up working set? It is preparation for the actual working set. The name gives it away as “warm up” . We are essentially warming our body up by creating blood flow around our body at a higher rate, which is essential for our muscles as they are receiving oxygen through the workout. This is very important as this will prevent injury. So now we have completed our warm up set, we will go into the working set. Each exercise will be performed at a higher intensity for 1 minute.  Try to push yourself and get a sweat on! 

Resting in-between each exercise. - In the warm up set i want you to achieve the whole exercise without stopping because we are just warming up. The most important thing about the warm up is to make sure you're performing each exercise correctly. Focus on activating the right muscles as described in each exercise. 

In the working set try to only stop when you have already completed the 1 minute of each exercise as there will be a 5-10 second rest. If you feel like you do not need the rest then push on to the next exercise till you need to stop.

IMPORTANT- 

1. Do not take part if injured.

2. Do not take part if you are still unaware how to perform each exercise, you can watch YouTube clips of each exercise, for a better understanding.

3. Do not train on full stomach 

4. Keep a bottle of water nearby.

5. Wear appropriate apparel. 

Exercise 1. High Knees.
Warm up set - Walking 30 seconds
Active set- Fast pace walking or running if you can. 60 seconds 

Performance technique : Keeping your posture straight, bring your right knee up to your chest along with your left arm at the same time. Try to have your elbow and knee at the same height as a guide when elevated, then keep alternating till your time runs out. 

Exercise 2. Squats.
Warm up set - Slow controlled
Active set- Faster but still controlled.
Performance technique: Feet shoulder width apart, head up, keeping heels on the floor at all times. Make sure to keep your core (stomach area) tense as you drop into a squat position, this will help support your back. Activate glutes (buttocks), quadriceps, hamstrings when performing exercise. 

Simplify: If this is too difficult to perform with correct technique you can use a chair to simplify the exercise, Stand in front of chair making sure its sturdy and wont slide away then repeat exercise instructions 

Exercise 3. Donkey kicks.
Warm up set - Slow controlled 30 seconds, 15 seconds each leg.
Active set- Faster but still controlled, 60 seconds, 30 seconds each leg.
Performance technique : Knees and hands shoulder width apart, spine neutral throughout keeping head facing down. Bring your left leg up, think about trying to kick the ceiling with the bottom of your heel, but activating your buttocks to bring your leg up then bring your knee back down to the mat and repeat until completed time then switch legs. Keep core engaged throughout. 

Exercise 3. Push ups.
Warm up set - Slow controlled, 30 seconds.

Active set- Faster but still controlled, 60 seconds.
Performance Technique: Feet positions slightly apart, arms should be just slightly wider than shoulder width apart, palms facing the floor. As you drop to the floor keeping the core activated, head stays neutral to your spine don't look too far up or to low. 

Simplified version - Knees on the ground feet elevated off the ground tucked towards your buttocks. If you have bad knees use support i.e cushion or folded towel. 

Exercise 3. Glute Bridges.
Warm up set - Slow controlled 30 seconds
Active set- Hold elevation for 5-10 seconds repeat 8 times
Performance technique: Lay down on your back, knees facing up, feet flat on the floor tucked about a hand's length from your buttocks and arms down by your side palms facing down. Lift using your glute muscles to bring yourself up until your body is at the height of the picture make sure not to go too far. You may feel a stretch in your quadriceps, this may mean you have tight quads but performing this exercise will help stretch them out.

Exercise 3. Supermans.
Warm up set - Elevation hold for 3 seconds, rest on floor for 5 seconds, repeat 6 times
Active set- Elevation hold for 5-10 seconds rest on floor for 10 seconds, repeat 6 times
Performance technique: Lay on your stomach with arms reached out in front. Lift arms and legs at the same time and hold for the required amount. You will be contracting shoulders, glutes and lower part of your back when elevated. 

Exercise 3. Plank.
Warm up set - Elevation holds for a total of 30 seconds total (try to not stop if you can, if you do have a rest the time then continue time)
Active set- Elevation holds for 1 minute with minimal stops. 
Performance technique: Raising your body and balancing on your toes and forearms. You will be keeping a neutral position as shown in the picture. The objective is to use your core (abdominal muscles) to keep you up in this position. This exercise is great all round as it targets the whole body.  

Sample of how to keep track 

Body Weight Workout
Week of:
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
High knees		Walking pace. Duration: 60 secs.  Repetitions: 20 each side.			Walking pace. Duration: 60 secs.  Repetitions: 22 each side.
Squats		Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 17			Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 18
Donkey kicks		Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 15 each side			Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 17 each side
Press ups		Simplified version used Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 10			Simplified version used Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 11
Glute Bridges		Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 15 each side			Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 17 each side
Supermans		How many times did I stop? 3 times Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 8			How many times did I stop? twice Duration: 60 seconds. Reps: 9
Plank		How many times did I stop? 3 times  Duration: 60 seconds.			How many times did I stop? twice Duration: 60 seconds.
NOTES					TO DO
Make notes on:					What will you do for next time: (examples)
What went well or bad throughout					New exercise mat
How did you think you performed					Push harder
What music was you listening to					More reps or time

 

Well done for taking part in activity if you did so. You have contributed to a healthier happier you! Don't forget to aim for 1 hour of exercise per day and combine all 3 workouts into your daily regime.