THE 8-MINUTE CIRCUIT TO HELP YOU AVOID WINTER BOD

 

Get rid of that extra layer of insulation we all seem to put on this time of year.

Winter bod: The softer shape we take on when daylight feels in short supply and the weather calls for comfy layers. You haven’t stopped working out; it’s just that you have a little less motivation than you did during, say, the summer, and a lot more desire for, say, carbs-and-couch time.

This workout, from Tamara Pridgett, NASM certified personal trainer, can help counteract that. “You’re targeting the four areas of the body that tend to soften up the most—the abs, upper legs, butt and arms. You’ll get your heart rate up to burn calories, too,” says Pridgett, head coach at Tone House gym in New York. So, grab a small towel and a timer and get started.

The Routine

Do this five-move circuit three times, resting in-between exercises for one minute, taking no more than three minutes between circuits. Pridgett says her clients find it easier to stay engaged when they count how many reps of each move they do during the first circuit, then try to beat that mark on the second, and again on the third.

Mountain Climbers – Starting in a push-up position, alternate bringing your right knee, then your left knee toward your chest, keeping the lifted foot just an inch, or so, off the ground as you pull your knee in. You’re aiming for a fast pace—this exercise should get your heart pumping, says Pridgett, and it’s better to give all-out effort and need to rest for a few seconds during the exercise and then resume, than to go at a slow pace that doesn’t rev your heart rate. Continue for 45 seconds.

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Rest for 1 minute.

Pikes – Get back into a push-up position with the towel under your feet on a hardwood or other noncarpeted floor. Use your abs to lift your hips toward the ceiling, sliding your feet closer to your hands so your body is in an upside-down V position. Don’t worry if you can’t bring your hips very high—just go as far as you can, hold for one second; then, in a slow and controlled motion, bring your hips and feet back to starting position. Do as many pikes as you can in 45 seconds.

Rest for 1 minute.

Wall Sits – Stand with your back against a wall and your feet shoulder-distance apart. Slowly slide your back down the wall, walking your feet out from the wall as you move down, until your knees form 90-degree angles, with ankles directly under your knees.

“Sit a little bit deeper than you think you should, because you’ll raise up as you start to get tired,” says Pridgett. Hold for 45 seconds.

Rest for 1 minute.

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