In and Out Crunch: Place your hands behind your head or across your shoulders. Stay balanced on your butt. As you crunch, bring up your knees toward your chest, and then back down to the starting position. Do 20 reps.
Bicycle Crunch: Start in the same position as the In and Out Crunch. Bring your left knee in, and crunch toward, touching your knee to your right elbow. Bring the knee back down, and bring the right knee up and touch your left elbow. Do 20 reps.
Leg Raises: Lay flat on the ground with your arms out to the side. Lift your legs up and back down. For a challenge, don't let your legs touch. To help support your back, you can place your hands under your butt. Do 20 reps.
Sit Up/V-Crunch Combo: Lay flat with your arms straight up. Sit up and touch your toes. As you lay back down, lift your legs with your body, keeping your arms straight up. When you get to a V-shaped position, crunch up and touch the toes. Return flat. Do 20 reps.
-Alex C., University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Bicep Curls: Start by standing on the resistance band with feet hip width a part. Have a slight bend in your knees and hold the band underhand. Slowly curl your arms up and then release. That is 1 repetition. Do 20 repetitions for 2 sets. To advance, do this very slow to exhaust your muscles and to modify, keep the bicep curl at the top half rather than working full range of motion.
Lateral Raises: Start by standing on the resistance band with feet hip width a part. Have a slight bend in your knees and hold the band right by your sides, palms facing in towards your body. Slowly extend your arms up and out, as you engage your core and exhale. Then, release as you take an inhale. This is 1 repetition. Do 20 repetitions for 2 sets. To advance, do this very slow to exhaust your muscles and to modify, keep the bicep curl at the bottom half than working full range of motion.
Mountain Climbers: Start by standing on the resistance band with feet hip width a part. Have a slight bend in your knees and hold the band underhand. Jump your left foot back behind you, with your heal up and make sure you bend your right knee so it is is over your toes. Then, switch and scissor your legs so your right leg is behind you and your left leg is in front with knee over your toes. Keep the grip of the band underhand to cause some tension in your biceps. Do 30 reps, or jumps, for 2 sets. To advance, hold the low lunge for a few seconds and then jump to the other leg. To modify, do not get as low in your lunge.
Calf Hop-Overs: Use the resistance band as a prop by placing it on the ground in front of you horizonatlly. By staying on your toes, hop over the resistance band and then back to where you started. That is 1 repetition. Be sure to do these quickly to work your calves. Do 30 repetitions for 2 sets. To advance, hold your arms over head to challenge your core. To modify, keep the height and range of your jump smaller.
Core Balance: Sit on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you and put attach the resistance band on the arch of your feet and hold the ends of the ropes in your hands, with palms facing in towards your body and elbows bent. Lean back, and slow raise your legs off of the ground, keeping tension in your core and your triceps. Lower down slowly and that is 1 repeition. Do 15 repetitions for 2 sets. To advance, pulse your legs at the top 5 times and to modify, have your knees bent to release some of the tension.
-Eliza S., University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Jump Rope: A rope of suitable length will reach your armpits when you stand on its center. Position yourself near a clock to keep track of time. Jump for 1 minute then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times. If you have trouble, do the same motion without a rope - just hop and swivel your wrists!
Inchworms: Keep your legs straight and reach towards the ground. In short movements, walk your hands forward while your feet remain planted. When you come to a plank position, walk your feet forward while your hands remain planted. Raise your hips in the air as your feet and hands get closer to help keep the legs straight. Repeat 10 times. An easier variation involves walking your feet and hands forward simultaneously as you stay in the plank position.
Reverse Leap Frog: With a wide stance (slightly wider than hip-width), bring your hands to the ground between your legs. Shift your weight to your hands and hop your feet backwards a short distance. Shift your weight back to your feet and slide your hands back between your legs. Repeat 20 times. Another option is holding a plank position while walking your hands and feet backwards simultaneously.
Lateral Plank Walks: Hold a plank position. To move right, bring your left hand and foot toward your right hand and foot then move your right hand and foot away from your left hand and foot. "Think together then apart". To move left, reverse the movement. Repeat 15 times each way.
Overhead Lunges: Stand with one foot in front of the other in a lunge-ready position. Hold a dumbbell in each hand overhead with straight arms. Your hands should be parallel meaning your palms are facing each other. Maintain this position and an upright posture throughout the lunge. Start with 3-10lb dumbbells then adjust the weight as necessary. As you lower your back knee towards the ground, make sure your front knee is behind your toes. Perform 10 repetitions on one leg before switching to the other leg. Too difficult? Don’t use weights and keep your hands on your hips.
Squats with Shoulder Flexion: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Start with 3-10lb dumbbells then adjust the weight as necessary. Again, your hands should be parallel. Simultaneously raise the dumbbells in front of you to eye-level as you squat. Lower the dumbbells back to your sides as you come out of the squat. When squatting, keep the weight on your heels and knees wide. You should pass parallel every repetition. Repeat 10 times. You may also try this exercise without dumbbells keeping your hands out in front of you.
Staggered Pushups: Get in a plank position or "pushup-ready" position, except one hand is closer to the top of the chest while the other is just below the chest. Perform 10 pushups before switching your hands. An appropriate alternative would be standard pushups with your knees off or on the ground.
Mountain Climbers: Get into a push-up position with your arms straight. From there, bring each knee towards your chest in-between your arms in an alternating fashion. For this exercise, follow a 4 count (1, 2, 3, 1 - 1, 2, 3, 2). Continue until you complete 20 repetitions. If you feel pain in your knees or can’t hold the position, perform standard crunches instead. Lie on your back with your legs bent and bring your shoulders off the ground by reaching your hands towards your feet. Don’t let your neck bend!
Rest 1 minute. Repeat the circuit a total of 3 times.
-Frankie R., Virginia Technological Institute and State University
