15-MINUTE CORE WORKOUT

In an ideal world, we’d all have plenty of time to head to the gym and work out whenever we please and check every other task off our to-do lists in the meantime. In reality? Sometimes all you have time for is a quick workout at home that you can do without

equipment. The good news is that there actually are plenty of ways to squeeze a solid no-equipment workout into a short amount of time.

Perform each exercise for one minute, resting 30 seconds after each move, resting 30 seconds after each move. As you get more comfortable, you can swap that 30 seconds of rest for jogging in place. Keep track of your reps and try to squeeze more in every

time you do the workout. If you are feeling up to it, you can do this workout twice for a total 30-minute workout.

1. PLANK TO DOLPHIN Start in a forearm plank with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel, and legs extended behind you. Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads. This is the starting position.Press through your forearms and lift your hips up and back, creating an inverted V shape with your body. Your head should now be between your shoulders.Pause for a second and then slowly lower back into a forearm plank.Continue this movement for for 1 minute. Targets the core, deltoids, rhomboids, & quads.

Start in a high plank with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.Bend your elbows and lower your body to the floor. Drop to your knees if needed.Push through the palms of your hands to straighten your arms.Continue for 1 minute. Targets the core, pectorals, deltoids, and triceps.

2. PUSH-UP

Start in a high plank position with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.Tap your right hand to your left shoulder while engaging your core and glutes to keep your hips as still as possible so that they're not swaying from side to side.Do the same thing with your left hand to right shoulder.Continue alternating sides for 1 minute.To make this easier, try separating your legs a little more.Targets the core, deltoids, and triceps.

3. PLANK TAP

Start in a forearm side plank by propping your body up on your left forearm, with your elbow stacked underneath your shoulder and your hand in front of your body. Extend your legs and stack your right foot on top of your left, and then squeeze your abs and glutes to lift your hips off the floor.Place your right arm behind your head, with your elbow bent and pointing up toward the ceiling. This is the starting position.Rotate your torso toward the floor, bringing your right elbow to meet your left hand. Don't let your hips drop—the movement should just come from your core.Then, reverse the movement to return to the starting position.Continue for 1 minute. Then repeat for 1 minute on the opposite side. Targets the the core (especially the obliques) and the deltoids.

4. SIDE PLANK WITH TWIST

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Lie faceup with your legs in tabletop position (knees bent 90 degrees and stacked over your hips). Place your hands behind your head, elbows bent and pointing out to the sides. Use your abs to curl your shoulders off the floor. This is the starting position.Twist to bring your right elbow to your left knee, while simultaneously straightening your right leg.Then, twist to bring your left elbow to your right knee, simultaneously straightening your left leg.Continue alternating sides for 1 minute. Go at a slow and steady pace so that you can really twist and feel your abs working. Targets the core, especially the rectus abdominis and obliques.

5. BICYCLE CRUNCH

6. PLANK TO DOWNWARD DOG

Start in a high plank with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.Walk your hands together so that your thumbs and forefingers form a triangle. This is the starting position.Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the ground. Then, straighten your arms and push your body back up to the starting position. This is 1 rep.To make this easier, drop your knees to the ground. Just make sure to keep your core tight and your hips tucked in this position.Continue for 1 minute. Targets the core, triceps, deltoids, and pectorals.

7. DIAMOND PUSH UP

Start in a high plank position with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.Take a step to the right starting with your right hand and right foot and following with your left hand and foot, maintaining a plank position as you move. This is 1 rep.Do a set amount of reps in one direction, and then repeat the same amount moving in the opposite direction.Continue for 1 minute. Targets the core, deltoids, and triceps.

8. LATERAL PLANK WALK

Sit up straight with your legs bent, feet flat on the floor.Keeping your legs together, slowly lift them off the floor until they form a 45-degree angle to your torso. Engage your entire core, keep your back flat, and balance on your tailbone.You can keep your knees bent (as pictured) or straighten them out for more of a challenge.Reach your arms straight out in front of you, parallel to the floor. If you feel that you need some extra support, place your hands on the floor, underneath your hips.Hold here for 1 minute. Targets the core, hip flexors, and shoulders.

9. BOAT POSE

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Start in a high plank with your wrists under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart.Push your hips up and back to move into a Downward Dog with your heels reaching toward the floor.Keep your core tight and shift your weight forward to come back into a high plank.Continue for 1 minute. Targets the core, deltoids, and rhomboids.

BENT OVER ROW

Stand on a resistance band, bending forward slightly, and hold both handles just under your knee. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift the band up towards your upper rib. Lower the band and repeat.

THERABAND EXERCISES

SEATED ROW

Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Loop the band on your feet, with an end in each hand, arms extended.

Then, tuck your elbows in as you pull the band towards you, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Pause, then slowly return to start.

SQUAT

Stand on band with feet shoulder width apart and hold the handles next to your shoulders so the band is behind the back of your arms. Slowly sit down and back into squat position keeping abdominal tight and chest lifted.Press back up through heels, squeezing glutes.

SQUAT WITH LEG LIFT

Place the band just above your knees.Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your hands at your chest or on your hips. Bend your knees and push your butt back to lower into a squat.Stand back up and lift your right leg out to the side, keeping your knee straight.

Return your right leg to the floor. Squat again. This time when you stand back up, lift your left leg out to the side, keeping your knee straight.

DONKEY KICK

Get down on all fours and wrap the resistance band around your left foot and grab the other end of the bank with both hands. Kick back with your left left and squeeze your glutes. Bend the knee, lower the leg, and repeat this movement for the duration of the set. Switch legs and repeat.

ARM CURL

Stand with both feet together, holding the handle of a resistance band in either hand. Step both feet onto the middle of the band, hips-width distance apart. Inhale, and as you exhale, simultaneously bend both elbows. Make sure you have the correct alignment. As you inhale, straighten both your arms, coming back to the starting position.

OVERHEAD TRICEP EXTENSION

Stand with one foot slightly in front of the other and place the center of the band under the back foot. Bring handles together straight up above the top of your head. Slowly lower handles behind the back of your head until elbows are bent 90 degrees, keeping elbows close to the side of your head. Press hands back up overhead slowly.

TRICEP KICKBACK

 Grab the ends of the resistance band with your right and left hand and step on the middle of the band. Bend over at the waist so that you chest is parallel with the floor. Extend your arms backwards and lock your elbows out. Hold for a second and then return back to start. Repeat this motion for the desired amount of repetitions.

RESISTANCE BAND PUSH UPS

Wrap band around back just under armpits, while holding handles, loop the band an extra time around each hand to tighten it. Kneel down placing handles against the floor then extend legs long until you are in a plank position. Slowly lower chest to floor keeping body long. Press back up until arms are long. Repeat.

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Strength training doesn’t always mean you have to go to the gym to lift weights or use weight machines. You can do some simple strength training exercises at home. Below are some simple, but effective exercises using a resistance band. As with

all exercise, it is important to warm up for five to 10 minutes and gently stretch the muscles you will be working. For beginners, it is best to do one set of 12 to 15 repetitions. Intermediate exercisers (i.e., those that have been lifting weights

for up to three months) can perform one to two sets of each exercise. More advanced strength trainers (i.e., those who have been lifting weights or using tubing for more than three months) should try to complete two or three sets of 12 to 15

repetitions. Stretch each muscle group after each set and at the end of the entire workout to improve flexibility.

Alternating Chest Press

Wrap the band around a sturdy object behind you at chest level. Begin with the elbows bent to 90 degrees, forearms parallel to the floor. Keep the right arm stationary and press the left arm out. Bring the left arm back and then press forward with the right arm. Continue alternating arms for a total of 16 reps on each side.

One-Arm Chest Fly

Attach the band to a sturdy object at about shoulder height (standing or sitting). Hold the handle in right hand and wrap the loop around hand to increase tension if needed. Keeping arm straight (elbow slightly bent) at shoulder level, contract the chest to bring the arm in towards the mid-chest. Return to start and repeat.

Lat Pulls

Begin with arms straight up overhead, holding the band towards the middle. Adjust hands closer to increase tension. Contract the back and pull the band out while bringing the elbows towards the rib cage. Raise back up and repeat.

Rear Delt Fly Standing or sitting, hold band in the middle, arms straight out in front of you, hands a few inches apart. Squeeze the shoulder blades together and pull band so that arms are out to the sides like an airplane. Return to start and repeat, keeping tension on the band the entire time.

Tricep Extensions

Hold the band in both hands at shoulder level with right arm bent so that it's in front of the chest, left arm straight out. Keeping the left arm straight to hold tension on the hand, contract the triceps to straighten the right arm. Return to start and repeat before switching sides.

Bicep Curls

Stand on the band and hold handles with palms facing out. Keeping abs in and knees slightly bent, bend arms and bring palms toward shoulders in a bicep curl. Position feet wider for more tension. Return to start and repeat.

Squats

Stand on the band with feet shoulder-width apart, keeping tension on the band by holding a half-bicep curl. Lower into a squat, keeping knees behind toes, and pulling on the band to add tension. Return to start and repeat.

Lunges

Stand with right leg forward, left leg back and band positioned under right leg. Keeping tension on the band by bending elbows, lower into a lunge until both knees are at 90 degrees, front knee behind the toe. Return to start and repeat.