Lightly Active Workout Plans

Lightly Active Workout Plans

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Lower Body/Bodyweight Back

Cardio: Go for a 45-60 minute walk/jog. Try to push yourself and run as far as you can before stopping to walk. Workout Details: Perform each of the 3 workout sets 2-3 times through, doing 15 repetitions of each exercise in the set (unless otherwise noted). Rest for 15-30 seconds in between exercises and 1 minute between sets. This workout should take around 30 minutes.


Set 1

Squats

Begin in standing position with feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent. Gently sit back as if onto a chair behind you and stand back up. Focus on keeping your body weight pressed into the heels of your feet, not your toes to protect your knees.


Plie Squats

Stand with your feet wider than hip width apart, toes facing the opposite corners of the room. With your back straight and abdominals engaged, slowly lower the body down into a squat. Focus on keeping your body weight pressed into the heels of your feet, not your toes, to protect your knees.


Calf Raises on a Step

Stand on a step or stair with only your toes and heels in the air, with feet hip width apart and knees slightly bent. Begin to lean slightly forward and raise your body up into your toes, focusing attention on contracting your calves as you rise up. Slowly lower and repeat.


Set 2

30 Seconds of Front Kicks

Stand with feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent, arms up in a protective “fighters” kickboxing stance. Gently lean back and kick one leg forward and up at a time, then the other leg. Kick as high as you can with as much power as possible to increase your heart rate.


Static Lunges

Begin by standing with one leg in front of you and one leg stepped behind you. Keep the weight pressed into the heel of your forward foot and the toe of your back foot. Make sure your legs are far enough apart that you can reach a 90-degree angle with both legs once lowered. Go as low as possible. Modification-if knees are weak, you can shorten your range of motion and just lower about 25% to decrease pressure in the knees.


Lateral Lunge with Knee Raise

Stand with feet wider than hip width apart, toes facing forward. Gently lean over to the right side of the body then back to center, bringing your right knee up as high as you can. Make sure to keep your weight over your heels and not the toes. This will protect the knees from too much pressure. Keep the back straight and abdominals engaged through the exercise.


Set 3

Glute Bridge

Lying on your back, on the ground or a mat, bend the knees and place feet firmly on the ground. Pressing the heels down firmly, slowly lift your glutes (butt) off the ground, as high as is comfortable. Slowly lower, making sure to not let your glutes completely touch the ground.


Side Lying Leg Lifts

Begin by lying on one side, with weight resting on one elbow. Straighten your top leg and flex your foot. Slowly lift your leg up and down, making sure to keep the body straight, abdominals and glutes engaged, and lead with the heel.


Fire Hydrant

Begin in a tabletop position facing the ground (also known as “all fours”). Keeping the knees bent, lift the leg out and up. Focus the attention on your glutes and hips, making sure to put your energy into lifting with these areas to maximize the benefit.


Bodyweight Core Workout

Cardio: Go for a 45-60 minute walk/jog. Try to push yourself and run as far as you can before stopping to walk. Workout Details: Perform each of the 3 workout sets 2-3 times through, doing 15 repetitions of each exercise in the set (unless otherwise noted). Rest for 15-30 seconds in between exercises and 1 minute between sets. This workout should take around 30 minutes.


Set 1

BirdDog

Begin in a tabletop position on hands and knees. Reach your right arm up and straight in front of you while simultaneously lifting your left leg out and back behind you. Imagine you are reaching to opposite walls with your fingers and toes. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other arm/leg.


30 second Plank on knees

Hold a modified plank position with arms supporting the body and knees bent. Keep back straight, arms straight directly under your shoulders, and abdominals engaged. Hold the position for 30 seconds.


Alternating Side Plank on Knees

Begin on your right side with your elbow directly under your body. With your bottom knee bent, slowly begin to lift your body up while keeping the body straight in a plank position. Be sure to keep your abdominals engaged and your neck in neutral alignment with your spine throughout the exercise to protect your back. Turn the body to a plank on knees and switch to the other side. This is one rep. Complete all reps with both sides of the body.


Set 2

Crunches

Lay on a mat face up with back straight, both feet on the ground and hands behind your head. Engage your abdominals and press your lower back into the ground while lifting your upper body off the ground. Keep the chin pointed up and not tucked, and your neck/shoulders relaxed throughout the movement. Slowly lower the body to the starting position and repeat.


Bicycle Twist

Lay on a mat face up with back straight, both feet on ground and hands behind your head. Bring your feet down and out away from you, hovering above the ground. Bring your left knee in towards the right elbow, gently twisting the body while you do so. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other side.


Reverse Crunches

Lay on a mat face up with back straight, arms down by your sides and palms facing down. Gently bring both legs up to a 90-degree angle, lower legs parallel to the ground. Bring the legs up and in towards your body while lifting your glutes up at the same time. Bring them in as far as you can comfortably, then lower back to the starting point. Repeat to finish reps.


Set 3

DeadBug

Lay on a mat face up with back straight and arms reaching straight towards the ceiling. Bend the knees with your feet raised so that the lower legs are parallel to the floor. Begin to bring your right arm down towards the floor while simultaneously bringing the left leg towards the floor, keeping both right arm and left leg straight as you lower. Bring them back to the starting position and repeat with other sides. This is one rep. Repeat all reps to finish the set.


Cat/Cow

Begin in a tabletop position on hands and knees. Slowly extend the back by rounding your spine and tucking your chin below you, then in a fluid motion begin to move back to the starting point and then into a full arch of the back while looking slightly upwards. This is one rep. Repeat all reps to finish the set.


Downward Dog

Begin in a tabletop position on hands and knees. Slowly lift the knees off the ground and bring the glutes up towards the ceiling while keeping the legs straight. Make sure your back is as straight as possible and chin is tucked. Try to get your heels to touch the ground fully as you straighten the legs. Hold for 3-5 seconds then back to the starting position. This is one rep. Repeat all reps to finish the set.


Upper Body/Bodyweight

Cardio: Go for a walk/jog. Try to push yourself and run as far as you can before stopping to walk. Workout Details: Perform each of the 3 workout sets 2-3 times through, doing 15 repetitions of each exercise in the set (unless otherwise noted). Rest for 15-30 seconds in between exercises and 1 minute between sets. This workout should take around 30 minutes.


Set 1

Inchworms with 5 second plank hold

Beginning in a standing position, slowly bend over and walk your arms out to a plank position, hold for 5 seconds, then slowly walk back and stand up straight. Keep your knees slightly bent throughout the exercise, bracing your core and keeping back straight.


Push-up on knees

Begin in a modified plank position on the knees. Keep arms out laterally slightly beyond your shoulders at chest height and the body as straight as possible in a plank position. Begin to slowly lower your body down as far as you can and push back up.


30 second Plank on knees

Hold a modified plank position with arms supporting the body and knees bent. Keep back straight, arms straight directly under your shoulders, and abdominals engaged. Hold the position for 30 seconds.


Set 2

Incline Tricep Push-ups

Using a chair, couch, stair or other elevated surface, begin by resting your arms on the item. Keep arms straight directly below your shoulders (narrow stance) at chest height and the body as straight as possible in a plank position. Begin to slowly lower your body down with arms close to your ribcage and elbows facing behind you as far as you can and push back up. If the exercise is too challenging, elevate your surface more or try it on a wall.


50 Alternating Punches

Stand straight with legs slightly wider than hips. Keeping knees bent and abdominals engaged, begin to punch with the right arm, then left. Keep the punches around shoulder height and go as fast as you can to increase heart rate.


25 Jumping Jacks

Begin in a standing position and jump your legs out lateral while also reaching your arms out laterally and above your head. To modify this movement you can also step out instead of jumping.


Set 3

SuperMan

Begin by lying on your stomach with arms and legs straight, gently lift arms and legs upward towards the ceiling all at the same time. Be sure to engage abdominals, glutes and hamstrings as you lift.


Plank Shoulder Taps on knees

Begin in a modified plank position with knees supporting the body. Take one hand and reach across the body to touch the opposite shoulder, then repeat with the other arm.


Incline Mountain Climbers

Using an elevated surface (chair, step, couch, etc) hold body in a straight plank position. Lift the right foot and bring the knee forward under the body towards the chest. Repeat with left foot. If the exercise is too challenging, elevate your surface more or try it on a wall.