Exercises to Tone Up
Firm up your bum, legs, arms and tummy with this circuit that you can do at home. Just grab a couple vinyl dumbbells or hand weights.
Make sure to fully warm up before the circuit and cool down with some stretches once you have completed it.
Take 30 seconds rest between each exercise and try and do the routine at least twice all the way through.
1. Push up / half push up x 12 reps
Place your hands underneath your shoulders with your arms fully extended, palms flat and fingers facing forward. Keep your legs straight and knees off the floor.
Bend your arms at your elbows, lowering your chest until it is two inches above the floor and your elbows reach 90 degrees. Keep your back and legs straight at all times as if your body was a plank. Try not to bend or arch your upper or lower back as you push up. Push back up and repeat.
If this is too difficult, come down on to your knees.
2. Tricep dip x 12 reps
(You’ll need a chair or bench)
Place the heels of your hands on the edge of a sturdy chair or bench. Arms should be straight and feet on the floor with your bottom slightly in front of the bench.
Bend your arms to lower yourself towards the floor until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
Push back up to the start and repeat.
3. Alternating hammer curl x 12 reps
Holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, curl one dumbbell up to your shoulder. Slowly lower and repeat with the other dumbbell in the other hand. Continue in a fluid motion.
You will have completed one rep when you’ve done a curl with both arms.
4. Lateral raises x 12 reps
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms by your sides. Lift your arms up and out until they reach shoulder height. Slowly lower the weights and repeat.
5. Shoulder press x 12 reps
Hold a set of dumbbells with palms facing you at shoulder height. Push up to the ceiling as you rotate your palms to face away from you.
Lower and repeat.
6. Squat x 12 reps
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands down by your sides or stretched out in front for extra balance.
Lower yourself by bending your knees until they are nearly at a right angle, with your thighs parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and don’t let your knees extend over your toes.
7. Walking lunges x 20 reps
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Take a long stride forward with your right leg, bending both knees, until your right knee is at a right angle and your left knee is just off the floor.
Take a big step forward with the rear leg, and bend both knees until you are in another lunge. Continue moving forward with each lunge.
To make it a bit tougher, try using a couple of ankle weights.
8. Leg lifts x 20 on each leg
Lie on your right side, with your legs straight and your head supported by your left hand. Bend your right leg and place your left hand on the floor in front of you for support. Slowly lift your left leg off the floor, pause and squeeze your outer thigh and glutes, before lowering.
9. Bicycle crunch x 12 reps
Keep your stomach flat throughout and move in a controlled manner – don’t let your hips rock.
Lie on your back and bring your knees up to a right angle above your hips. Cross your arms in front of your chest, press your back into the floor and lift your head off the floor.
Exhale and bring your left shoulder across towards your right hip as you extend your left leg out. Inhale back to the centre and exhale as you repeat the move in the opposite direction.
10. Plank x 30 seconds
Start on your forearms and knees with hands locked together in front of you. Straighten legs and raise your body so that the balls of your feet, with feet hip-distance apart, support you. Face the floor and keep your body as straight as possible. Try not to dip or arch your back and keep your bottom down.
Make sure to fully warm up before the circuit and cool down with some stretches once you have completed it.
Take 30 seconds rest between each exercise and try and do the routine at least twice all the way through.
1. Push up / half push up x 12 reps
Place your hands underneath your shoulders with your arms fully extended, palms flat and fingers facing forward. Keep your legs straight and knees off the floor.
Bend your arms at your elbows, lowering your chest until it is two inches above the floor and your elbows reach 90 degrees. Keep your back and legs straight at all times as if your body was a plank. Try not to bend or arch your upper or lower back as you push up. Push back up and repeat.
If this is too difficult, come down on to your knees.
2. Tricep dip x 12 reps
(You’ll need a chair or bench)
Place the heels of your hands on the edge of a sturdy chair or bench. Arms should be straight and feet on the floor with your bottom slightly in front of the bench.
Bend your arms to lower yourself towards the floor until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
Push back up to the start and repeat.
3. Alternating hammer curl x 12 reps
Holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, curl one dumbbell up to your shoulder. Slowly lower and repeat with the other dumbbell in the other hand. Continue in a fluid motion.
You will have completed one rep when you’ve done a curl with both arms.
4. Lateral raises x 12 reps
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms by your sides. Lift your arms up and out until they reach shoulder height. Slowly lower the weights and repeat.
5. Shoulder press x 12 reps
Hold a set of dumbbells with palms facing you at shoulder height. Push up to the ceiling as you rotate your palms to face away from you.
Lower and repeat.
6. Squat x 12 reps
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands down by your sides or stretched out in front for extra balance.
Lower yourself by bending your knees until they are nearly at a right angle, with your thighs parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and don’t let your knees extend over your toes.
7. Walking lunges x 20 reps
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Take a long stride forward with your right leg, bending both knees, until your right knee is at a right angle and your left knee is just off the floor.
Take a big step forward with the rear leg, and bend both knees until you are in another lunge. Continue moving forward with each lunge.
To make it a bit tougher, try using a couple of ankle weights.
8. Leg lifts x 20 on each leg
Lie on your right side, with your legs straight and your head supported by your left hand. Bend your right leg and place your left hand on the floor in front of you for support. Slowly lift your left leg off the floor, pause and squeeze your outer thigh and glutes, before lowering.
9. Bicycle crunch x 12 reps
Keep your stomach flat throughout and move in a controlled manner – don’t let your hips rock.
Lie on your back and bring your knees up to a right angle above your hips. Cross your arms in front of your chest, press your back into the floor and lift your head off the floor.
Exhale and bring your left shoulder across towards your right hip as you extend your left leg out. Inhale back to the centre and exhale as you repeat the move in the opposite direction.
10. Plank x 30 seconds
Start on your forearms and knees with hands locked together in front of you. Straighten legs and raise your body so that the balls of your feet, with feet hip-distance apart, support you. Face the floor and keep your body as straight as possible. Try not to dip or arch your back and keep your bottom down.