Workouts Made Easy

Submitted By Planet Fitness

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - HealthAt Planet Fitness we know how fast time flies and that all of your time shouldn’t be spent at just the gym. That’s why we have the PF Express, a 30-Minute Express Circuit in each of our state-of-the-art clubs. Literally, you’re in and out of Planet Fitness in 30 minutes having had a full body workout. Abs, legs, arms, back and cardio. Yes, we’ve covered it all. And while the convenience of this alone should be proof that your workout doesn’t have to be a laborious affair, we totally understand that time is fleeting and it’s not always possible to get to the gym.

So, our amazing trainer at Melrose Park, Isai Rivera, has provided a few exercises that you can do at home to complement or supplement a missed workout on Planet Fitness’ 30-Minute Express Circuit.

The secret to success for this: engage as many muscles as possible while alternating between the provided exercise and cardio. Remember though:
1. Breathe! This may seem obvious, but when you’re in the middle of an exercise you may actually forget.
2. Form is extremely important. If you do an exercise wrong, what may seem like initial progress will quickly dissipate and could possibly result in injury. So, be sure you’re doing the exercise correctly before you begin.
3. Take it slowly. It’s not a race. While this doesn’t mean that you should take long breaks in between exercise, it does mean that within each exercise you should go slowly to work the muscle more and ultimately make you stronger.
4. Professionals know best. We don’t kid ourselves at Planet Fitness. While all of our staff is knowledgeable about the equipment, our certified trainers are knowledgeable about workouts and your body and how to do it best. That’s why we leave our totally free and totally unlimited group fitness training sessions to them. So, if you’re interested in consulting with one and not breaking the bank, you can for free at Planet Fitness – it’s included in your membership for just $10 a month. (No strings attached!)

With all that said, here’s the start for a basic in-home workout:

Push-up
An oldie, but never-the-less a goodie. Get in to a pushup position with your feet hip-width apart and your hands slightly outside your shoulders. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause, then push back to the starting position as quickly as possible. That’s one rep.

You can modify the intensity by changing your hand placement or adding in progressions like a push-up with a single-leg raise. Need to build up to a full push-up? Don’t forget that you can start with a pushup from your knees.

Forward Lunge
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. Step forward with your right leg and slowly lower your body until your right knee is bent at least 90 degrees. Push back to the starting position and repeat with your left leg. That’s one rep.

A great burn for your hamstrings, the lunge is simple yet effective. Once you’ve mastered the lunge, try adding weight to increase intensity. Don’t have weights readily available? How about books?

Squat Jump
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes forward; lightly touch your fingers behind your ears and extend your elbows to the sides. Bend your knees, then explosively jump as high as you can. Land softly on the balls of your feet and immediately lower in to your next squat.

More than simply your quadriceps, the squat jump proves a great workout for your butt!

Roll Down
Need some abspiration? Try the Roll Down.
Sit facing the couch with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor (you can also tuck your toes under the edge of the couch for help with this move), and place both hands behind your head. Lie all the way back on the floor and then sit up as quickly as you can. Then, slowly lower yourself back to the floor, first placing your lower back on the ground, then your mid-back, and then finally your upper back and head. That’s one rep.

Cardio
As we do with our 30-Minute Express Circuit, adding cardio in between your strength exercises is a great (and simple) way to get your blood pumping. Running in place doesn’t require any equipment and can be done while watching TV or listening to music. Not a fan of jogging? Perhaps jumping jacks are a better fit for you.

Founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H., Planet Fitness is now the fastest-growing gym franchise in the United States, and has revolutionized the industry with a combination of extremely low prices (just $10 a month!) and a unique, hassle-free environment called the Judgement Free Zone®. For more information about Planet Fitness, please visit www.planetfitness.com.

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