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Are you slumped over your favorite gyms and workout studios being closed right now but having trouble finding the motivation to work out from home? Don’t worry you are not alone. Quarantining has me snacking harder than ever before and wanting to choose naps over workouts on most days.
I finally got into the mindset that I owe it to myself to devote at least 30 minutes of my day to being active (for the sake of my sanity). I know what you’re thinking; what am I possibly going to do for 30 minutes that is going to benefit my fitness goals? You’d be surprised how much you can achieve if you just devote 30 minutes to yourself everyday!
My absolute favorite 30-minute workout is all about resistance bands! Resistance bands are not only easy to use but are also incredibly versatile. You can get in an arm, leg, glutes and abs workout all with just one set of resistance bands. I was able to burn nearly 200 calories in 30 minutes just by using them!
For this workout I only focused on legs, glutes, and abs but oh boy do those bands make you feel the burn. The best part about the resistance bands is they are affordable. You can find the ones I purchased on Amazon here. This set of bands comes with five different levels and is great for beginners who are not sure how to use the bands. The bands come with a little booklet showcasing several different exercises that you can use them for!
I did a couple of different exercises with my bands that anyone can do no matter their fitness level. Below I have outlined the exercises I performed and a demonstration on how to do each
Banded Crab Walks:
These are much simpler than they sound. Chose which resistance you would like to work with, I usually alternate between the red and black bands depending on how I feel that day. Position the band around the middle of your thighs. Position yourself into a squat position as shown and begin to walk in this position by bringing your legs together and then back apart. Do this for 3 sets of 10.
Squat Jumps:
Using the same positioning techniques I move on to squat jumps. Rather than crab walking, you will stay in place jumping from a squat position followed by jumping to bring your legs together. Stay in a squatted position the entire time and perform this is 3 sets of 10.
Hip Abduction Side Kicks:
Find a surface that you can use for support, I usually use the nearest wall, in this case I used my fence. Position the band around your ankles; I use the red band for this exercise. Start with your feet hip width apart and begin extending your foot out to the side, making sure to keep your working leg straight. Be sure to squeeze and contract your glutes to get the full affect of this exercise. To protect my joints and muscles, I also bend my standing (supporting) leg. Do this for 3 sets of 10 on both the left and right side. If preferred, this exercise can be performed by laying down on your side.
Hip Abduction Kick Backs:
Using the same positioning as Hip Abduction side kicks we move on to Hip Abduction Kick Backs. Start again with the band around your ankles standing hip width. Rather than extending your foot to the side, you will extend your foot towards the back as shown while keeping your leg straight. Just like the side kicks you want to make sure to squeeze and contract your glutes to get the full affect of this exercise. Perform 3 sets of 10 on both the left and right side.
Glute Bridges:
Begin this exercise by lying on your back, knees facing up and feet on the ground hip width apart. Position the band of your choice around your thighs. Before beginning be aware of your body positioning. Try keeping your rib cage down and focus on your hips. Pushing through your heels, begin to move into a full hip extension coming back down to your starting position in between each rep. During each rep, focus on keeping your rib cage down and moving your hips up as shown. During each hip extension roll your pelvis, tighten your core, squeeze your glutes and keep your spine neutral. I perform at least 3 sets of 10 when doing these but you can feel free to add on more!
Flutter Kicks:
It’s Ab time! These next two exercises don’t look like much but I promise you will be feeling the burn in no time. Begin by laying flat on your back with your legs extending in front of you. Position the band of your choice around your ankles. You can place your hands under your glutes for added back support. Hover your legs slightly off the off the ground and begin to flutter kick your legs up and down. To avoid strain on my back I usually break these into 30 seconds sets. You can do as many sets as you please; I try to aim for 2-3 30 seconds sets.
Scissor Kicks:
Using the same technique and positioning, start by laying flat on your back, legs extended, with your band around your ankles. Hover your legs slightly off the floor and begin crossing your legs at your ankles alternating left and right, in the motion of a scissor. You can do as many sets as you please; I try to aim for 2-3 30 seconds sets.
And that’s a wrap! 30 minutes of burn and you’re set for the day! I hope you found this article helpful and as always feel free to leave your comments/questions below!
OUTFIT DEETS: Leggings: Beyond Yoga Space Dye ; Cropped Sweatshirt: Urban Outfitters ; Sports Bra: Calvin Klein ; Sneakers: Adidas Cloud Foam