Experts in fitness believe that the greatest workout is the one you don’t perform. The takeaway? To get the greatest results, you need to constantly push your body. Traditional exercises like pushups, lunge and squat are essential to every workout, but switching up your technique every four weeks may help you avoid plateaus, boredom, and speed up fat loss. Thus, The Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises. This makeover handbook has over 600 full-color pictures of exercises and dozens of cutting-edge routines from the world’s best trainers. All to help you improve your exercise and shape the physique you’ve always desired. Start now with this list of the greatest new workouts for women’s bodies.
Mountain Climber with Swiss Ball
It’s one of the easiest and most efficient methods to flatten your stomach. You won’t even have to move a muscle. Lie on a Swiss ball instead of the floor and perform a pushup. From
head to ankles, your body should create a straight line. Tighten your core and keep it there throughout the workout. Lean forward and lift one leg as near to the chest as you can without altering your posture. Rep with the other leg. 30 seconds of back and forth. Hands-on the floor or a bench if that’s too hard.
Hip Raise
It targets your back muscles, which may help flatten your tummy. Because glutes are weak in most women, the top of the pelvis tilts forward. This not only strains your lower back but
also makes your stomach protrude, even if you’re lean. Fix: hip raises. How to: Lie on your back on the floor, knees bent, feet flat [A]. Hold your core, tighten your glutes, and lift your hips to create a straight line from shoulders to knees [B]. Pause for 3–5 seconds, squeezing your glutes, then return to the start.
Offset Dumbbell Lunge
The benefit: Holding a weight on one side of your body puts more stress on your core. Your hips and abs will have to work harder, and your balance will improve. Plus, you’ll burn lots of calories. How to: Hold a dumbbell close to your shoulder with your right arm bent [A].
Right leg forward, lower body till right knee is bent 90 degrees and left knee almost touches floor [B]. Return to the starting position. One rep. Repeat with your left leg, holding the weight in your left hand.
Straight-Leg Dumbbell
This workout strengthens your glutes and core as well as your hamstrings. The less muscular imbalance between your legs means less chance of injury. It may also increase hamstring flexibility by stretching them every time you decrease the weight. How to: Hold
a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length in front of your thighs. Knees slightly bent, feet shoulder-width apart Now lift one leg [A]. Keep your back naturally arched, bend at the hips, and lower your body nearly parallel to the floor [B]. Reverse the movement by repositioning your hips and torso.
Dumbbell Single-Arm Chest Press
It works your glutes and abs as hard as your chest and triceps. Toning your upper body will tense your hips and core. Take a dumbbell in your left hand and lay on a flat bench on your
back. Hold the dumbbell straight over your chest. So, palm out, slightly inward. Right hand on abs [B]. Lower the dumbbell to your side. Pause, then reset the weight. Do all your reps, then switch sides.
Scaption and Shrug
The benefit: When you lift the dumbbells to begin this exercise, you target your rotator cuff and front shoulders. Then a shrug. This portion of the exercise helps balance the shoulder blade rotation muscles. The result: improved shoulders and posture.How to: Hold a pair of
dumbbells shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells at arm’s length, palms facing each other [A]. Raise your arms at an angle to your torso (so they’re parallel to the floor [B]). Shake your shoulders upward at the end [C]. Pause, then reverse the movement to start again.
Swiss Ball Triceps Extension
The advantage: Lying on a Swiss ball pushes your core to work harder. So you sculpt your abs while shaping your arms. How to: Lie on your back on a Swiss ball with your middle and upper back on the ball. Lean forward and raise your hips so your body is in a straight line. Hold the dumbbells straight over your head, palms facing each other [A]. Bend your elbows and drop the dumbbells until your forearms are parallel to the floor (B). Lift the
weights to the start and pause. The benefit: Standing on a bench with one foot forward pushes your hip and core muscles to work harder. So you use more muscles and burn more calories than if you performed the workout standing up. How to: Place one foot in front of you on a seat or step slightly above knee level. Hold the dumbbells at arm’s length, palms facing front [A]. Bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders [B]. Reset the weights and pause.
Swiss Ball Leg Raise
This workout focuses on the upper back. Working these muscles can help you stand taller, contour your shoulders, and look fantastic in a backless garment. How to: Lie face down on a Swiss ball, back flat, chest off the ball. Straighten your arms and palms behind you [A].
Lift your upper arms as high as you can while keeping your elbows flared out and your shoulder blades squeezed together. Upper arms are perpendicular to the torso [B]. Rotate your forearms up and back as far as you can without moving your elbows. Pause, then reverse. Use dumbbells if you can perform more than 12 reps.
McGill Curl up
This exercise strengthens your core while keeping your lower back naturally arched. So it reduces spinal tension while improving muscular endurance, preventing lower-back
discomfort. How to: Lie flat on your back on the floor, left leg straight. Right knee bent, right foot flat. Lie down on your back with your palms facing down [A]. Hold your head and shoulders off the floor for 7–8 seconds, inhaling deeply [B]. One rep. Rep 4–5 times, then swap legs.
Tip
Don’t forget to warm up for at least 5 minutes before you start up your computer! It is critical to properly warm-up before exercising in order to avoid any injuries from occurring. Relax your muscles and joints in every region of your body. To get your heart rate up, jog for a minute or march for a few minutes. Stretch yourself first, and then begin your daily exercise regimen!