LET’S GET MOVING!
Are you having trouble finding the time to get to the gym for a workout? Or, maybe you hate going to the gym with all those 20 somethings in their cute crop tops. I get it, I totally do. That’s why I’m giving you this program. The Home Workout for Women over 40 is something you can do in the comfort of your home and with minimal equipment. It’s gonna get your Heart pumping! So, lace up those sneakers and put on your favorite tunes! Let’s get moving!
The workout is Circuit style and programmed to be around 45-60 minutes long. If you don’t have that much time, simply cut out a round or a few exercises to make it fit into your schedule. You can also do this workout outside on a nice day, if the mood strikes. You just need a Yoga mat, a chair or step, a Dumbbell (or milk carton) and a timer.
Circuit training consists of a series of timed exercises performed with timed rest periods in between. Circuits are designed to keep your Heart rate elevated while increasing Muscular Endurance and Strength. Lots of “Bang for your Buck”!
First things first, you need to warm up. Please don’t skip this part… a good, dynamic warmup is essential for any workout. This is going to help you get that engine going! You don’t want to “pull a Hammie” because you didn’t properly warm up? Am I right??
The actual workout consists of 8 minutes of work with 30 seconds of rest in between. The rest is, basically, designed to get you to move from one exercise to the next. Your Heart rate should be elevated for the entire 12 minute Circuit (work + rest = 12 minutes). The number of rounds you complete will depend on where you are in your Fitness journey. For those just starting out, try 1 full round. For those a little further along, maybe see if you can eventually get to 3 or 4 rounds. Wherever you begin, try this for a few weeks and maybe add a round once it starts to get a little easy. Always challenge yourself but also take things at your own pace. Please don’t do 4 rounds of this workout if you haven’t worked out in, say, 10 years!
Lastly, please take the time to cool down properly. Grab your Yoga mat and stretch out for 5-10 minutes. You could even throw on a quick video on YouTube if you have one you enjoy. Check out this quick 10 minute Cool down stretch on YouTube, great for bringing your Heart rate down and getting rid of tightness.
Warm-up, going in order from Beginner to Advanced (45 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest)
- March/Jog in place
- Jumping jacks/Jump rope
- Chair squats/Supported squats/Body weight squats
- Stair or wall push-ups/Push-ups on knees/Push-ups on toes
- Forward leg swings
- Shoulder circles, forward and back (think Michael Phelps)
The goal here is to warm-up, not to wear you out.
Circuit Workout, going in order from Beginner to Advanced (1 minute of work followed by 30 seconds of rest)
- Chair or supported squats/Bodyweight squats/Dumbbell squats
- March in place/Jog in place/High knees
- Stair push-ups/Push-ups on knees/Push-ups on toes
- Mountain climbers (hands on chair w slow knees/hands on floor w slow knees/full on baby)
- 30 seconds each side Row (Bent over Row w milk jug or DB/Plank row on knees w DB/Plank row w DB)
- Burpees (there are versions of Burpees for different levels of Fitness, do what you are comfortable with)
- Shuffle in place/Skip rope/Jump rope (or any version of real or faux you feel comfortable with)
- Elevated plank w hands on chair or step/Elbow plank on knees/Full elbow plank
Cool-down (5-10 minutes of stretching or Yoga, bring your Heart rate down slowly)
Complete the entire circuit and if you still have some juice left in the tank, try it again! Push yourself, work hard and GET MOVING! Know your limits and understand your level of Fitness. Please don’t jump in and do 4 rounds of this if you haven’t worked out in a while. Change will happen but it takes time.
If you’re looking for something a bit more personalized & one-on-one, please check out our PRIVATE COACHING page. We will design a program specific to your goals and needs that is guaranteed to get you the results you desire.
Contact us today for more info!
~~ Dani S.