We did a few circuits today in class. My instructor had 3 stations set up around the room and we went through each station twice for a minute each time. It was a nice change of pace compared to what we usually do, which is all the exercises together as a class. Sometimes that’s all you need to get back into exercising – a little change in your routine for a day or two! We used an exercise band (ring) and a set of weights, but you can also do the exercises without these. Here’s what we did:

Circuit 1:

• Tricep dips: I’ll warn you now…these are extremely difficult! Here’s how you do them: sit on the ground and place your hands on the floor behind you (face your fingers towards your bottom). Plant your feet far enough away that you can lift your butt off the floor and bend your elbows without your butt touching the floor. Lift your body off the floor so all of your weight is on your heels and your arms… bend your elbows so that they bend straight back (not to the sides). Continue for a minute.
• Lunges with a Bicep Curl: Start standing up, lunge forward with one leg (so that both knees are at a 90 degree angle) and do a bicep curl while down the in lunge. Stand up again and have the weights at your side. Step forward with the other foot and do a bicep curl while in that lunge. Continue.
• Squats: Squat down like you’re going to sit in a chair, hold for a second, and stand up again. For added benefit, when you start to stand up again, squeeze your butt muscles until you are in a standing position again.

Circuit 2:

• Jumping Jacks: Great exercise for some quick cardiovascular work!
• Ab Twists: Sit down and plant your feet on the ground in front of you. Lean back far enough so that you feel your abdominal muscles in your stomach area tighten (these are the muscles holding you up). Hold your hands together or use a weight and twist at your middle from one side to the other, touching the floor on either side of you. You should start to feel this in your abdominal muscles after a while.
• Leg Raises: We used the exercise band for these, but if you don’t have one that’s okay. We put the band around our ankles and lifted one foot forward (about 12 inches off the ground) and then backwards to the same height. If not using a band, make sure to squeeze your butt muscles when pulling your foot behind you.

-K