No Excuse Legs and Core Workout

One of my favorite combination  to work together during a session at the gym. Mainly because you cant do one without working the other in some way. However, there are ways to benefit from this and also ways to separate and focus what is being worked.

No Excuse Leg Workout

Simple exercises that can be done anywhere with no equipment for legs all revolve around the squat and leg raises (also an ab workout). A few variants of the squat. 

Air Squat:  With no weight, simple squat down so your upper legs break parallel. Stand back up and repeat. be sure to do this slowly and controlled.
     
       - Goblet Squats: Same movement as the air squat except hold onto something in front of you (Anything heavy will add resistance). 

       - While in the lowered air squat position, shuffle yourself to the left and right without standing back up.

       - Jumping Air Squats:  Exactly how it sounds, While going back up the standing positions, stand up faster than normal and jump into the air.

       - Frog Leeps: Same movement as jumping air squats, except in the movement of jumping, launch yourself forward. Upon landing, continue the air squat movement and back into a deep air squat.

Since there is little to no weight added for these movement, do them for a considerable amount of reps. anywhere between 20 - 40 Reps. And for a few sets.

Example - 30 reps of Air Squats right into 30 reps of Frog Leeps.
                  Rest 30 Seconds
                  20 reps of Air Squats right into 20 reps of Frog Leeps.
                  Rest 30 Seconds
                  10 reps of Air Squats right into 10 reps of Frog Leeps.
                  Followed by a set of Crunches until you cant do anymore, Push It!!

No Excuse Ab Workout

There are a dozen or so muscles that make up the core of a persons body. Hitting all of them is what gives someone that well defined, strong core. Not abs, but core. I stress this because someones 6 pack isn't going to keep them from pulling a muscle or resisting injury from sports/exercise. We will start with the deep (internal) core muscles and work our way out to the muscles everyone likes to show off (me included), but hard work and determination all year and a healthy diet allow these muscles to show. 

Planks: Front Planks/Side Planks, I believe we all have done them either in high school gym class or because we saw someone doing them and they looked like they might be useful. My motto with training myself and others is, "Your brain stops you from reaching your full potential", your body can be pushed harder than you think it can be. Scientifically your brain stops you because your afraid of pushing it to hard. Yes there is a fine line between a lot of work, and over working to injury. 

6 Inches: Laying on the ground and holding your heels just 6 inches above the ground, For an added bonus workout, do this exercise on a flat bench or other raised flat surface and hold your legs in the 6 inches position, this way, as you fail and your legs fall; they will still continue to be working as your legs fall below the parallel position since your legs will be off the ground from the start.

Flutter Kicks: Same as 6 inches except alternate flutter kick your legs. 

Leg Levers: Again, similar to 6 inches except alternate the height of your feet between 6 inches and a foot off the ground. 

Normal Crunches/ Side Crunches: exactly how it sounds. 

Toe Touches: while laying flat on your back, point your legs straight up in the air, attempt to touch your toes with your hands and crunch up to get even closer to reaching. 

There are plenty of other exercises i use with my clients, but i would be giving away all my secrets for free! i cant have that now or else i would be out of a job. 

Work hard, and then work harder

-Zolo