Spring into summer with a quick and easy fitness routine

Spring time is the perfect time to engage in a new exercise goal. Add some simple exercises to your schedule for about 20-30 minutes each day.

Here are few exercises that you can do without equipment that will help you increase your metabolic rate and increase your fitness level in preparation for the upcoming summer months:

• Lunges

Stand with one of your foot on a step, placing the other foot behind you ensuring that your front knee is over your heel. Secondly, lower your body and keeping your shoulders in alignment with your hips, shoot for 12-15 reps.  Repeat this on the other leg.

• Squats

Start by standing with your feet and hip-width apart, placing your arms to your side. Imagine there is a chair behind you as you nearly sit down taking your arms out in front keeping your back straight/ flat and your stomach muscles pulled in.  Repeat 12-15 times.

• Tricep Dips

Sit with your back to the step, placing your hands behind you on the step with your fingertips facing forward. Lift and lower your body using your tricep muscles to do the work keeping your elbows in line with your wrists.  Repeat 12-15 times.

• Step-Ups

Make use of platform or a step that is around 4-6 inches high. Standing with your feet hip-width apart, jump or step on top of the platform or step 15 times.  Do another set of tricep dips and repeat the round of step ups. 

• Push-ups

This tried and true exercise may conjure a love/hate relationship but is one of the best body weight exercises you can do.  Begin pushups in a modified position on your knees unless/until you are strong enough for a full pushup. Place your hands shoulder-width apart from each other on the platform or step. Breathe in as you lower your body to the step and breathe out as you push yourself up. You can repeat for 12-15 replications.

These simple exercises are easily done in your own home environment without any equipment and using very little space.  You can do these exercises while you are watching television, before going to work, after coming home from work or any time you have about 20 minutes.  We all need to strengthen our muscles which will lose strength over time if we don’t work them.  So get off the couch and get moving!