Here’s one of my favorite no-equipment needed workouts for when I’m on the road. Just grab a towel, doesn’t matter the size. You’ll be surprised at how it can make your muscles burn! The added resistance it provides works for me when weights aren’t an option. Perform each exercise once all the way through and then repeat 3-4 more times. Follow along with the video above.
1. Standing Shoulder Reach: Hold your towel with your right hand, toss it over your right shoulder and dangle it behind you. Grab it with your left hand by the small of your back. Pull your hands away from each other so the towel is tight. Maintain that resistance throughout this exercise. While keeping your core tight and engaged pull the towel up and then slowly back down towards the ground. Do 15 reps and then switch sides.
2. Side Shuffle Walk with Squat: This is a rehab exercise I incorporate into my daily warm-up. It engages the whole lower body, but most importantly gets the glutes and quads burning and ready for running. Start with your feet shoulder width apart in a 1/4 squat, like you’re halfway down to sitting in a chair. Hold your towel in front of you keeping the tension tight. Keeping that semi-squat, take five steps to the right and 5 steps to the left. 3x to each side is one set. Hold that squat for a few seconds at the end of each set for an extra oomph in the glutes. As you are performing this exercise make sure you are keeping your core engaged, chest upright, butt tucked in, back nice and aligned, and knees not extending past your toes. I promise you, your glutes will be on fire with this exercise.
3. Lunge with Towel Twist: Hold the towel in both hands out in front of you. Take your right leg and lunge forward, making sure your core is nice and tight and your knee doesn’t extend past your toe. When you are in the lunge take the towel and twist to your right, getting some nice oblique work and t-spine rotation. Twist back to center then return to standing position. Repeat the same movement with your left leg. Perform 10 reps on each side.
4. Alternating Bicycle Crunch: Lie on your back holding the towel in both hands behind your head. Extend right leg straight keeping it a few inches off the ground. Crunch up bringing your right elbow and left knee (bent) together then switch sides. Do this for 30 reps in a nice fluid motion. Make sure you don’t hunch your neck, keep your core engaged and make sure to breathe each time you come up.
5. Clamshell Crunches with Reach: Sit up, lean back so that both your upper body and feet off the ground. Place the towel in your hands and above your head. With your knees bent, crunch up into a V and try to reach the towel towards your feet as far as you can, then extend both your arms and legs back out straight. That equals 1 rep. Repeat for 20 reps.
Have fun and stay Fit As A Pro on the Go!!
