6 Anytime, Anywhere Moves for Summer Muscle
The sun is shining, school is letting out, vacations are on: it must be summer time. This year, the season feels like more of a release than ever before, after the long lockdowns and restrictions to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, with rules easing and people feeling more comfortable spending time in public, it's time to get outside.
Like other years, we're going to give you a specialized workout for your "summer body"—and this year, and this workout, is no different. But there is one twist: While you might want to get back into your gym to hit the weights hard, we're giving you the opportunity to take your training on the road to the public spaces where you'll want to spend most of your time.
You can do this six movement routine, which can be finished in about 30 minutes, at the beach, park, or anywhere else you can find some space to move around. Make it your workout of the month and you'll be moving better than ever—and feeling better, too.
Directions: Do this workout 3 to 5 times a week. Start with the warmup, then do the supersets in order. On days you don’t do this workout, aim for a 20-minute run or walk.
Warmup
Walkout to Lunge Windmill
First, loosen your hips and upper back and fire up your core. Start standing. Place your hands on the floor. Walk them forward into pushup position. Shift your right foot to just outside your right hand. Pause. Reach your right hand forward, then rotate it back toward your hip, making a wide arc as you do. Return it to the floor. Reverse back to the start, then repeat on the other side. Do alternating reps for 40 seconds, then rest 20 seconds. Do 3 sets.
SUPERSET 1
Directions: Do the exercises in order without resting. Do 3 rounds. Rest 60 seconds between each round.
1. Hip Thrust to Alternating Leg Extension
Lie with your shoulder blades on a bench, heels near your butt, core tight. Look forward. Squeeze your glutes, lifting your hips. Keeping your hips square to the ceiling, lift your right foot, straightening your right knee. Return your right foot to the floor and repeat with your left foot. Lower your butt. That’s 1 rep. Do 12, continuing to alternate legs. You’ll build back-saving glute strength and blast your quads, too.
2. Pushup to Bench Plank
Start in pushup position with a bench about a foot in front of you, your feet spread apart. Bend at the shoulders and elbows, lowering your chest to within an inch of the floor. Press back up. Keeping your hips and shoulders square to the floor, place your right hand on the bench, then your left hand. Pause, then return to pushup position. That’s 1 rep. Do 8 to 10 to build chest strength and also challenge your abs.
Superset 2
Directions: Do the exercises in order without resting. Do 3 rounds. Rest 60 seconds between each round.
3. Bulgarian Split Squat to Hinge
Get into a half-kneeling stance on the floor, left leg forward, right instep on a bench behind you. Stand up. This is the start. Bend your left knee, lowering your torso until your left thigh is parallel to the floor. Press back up. Tighten your core and push your butt back, lowering your torso until it’s at a 45 degree angle with the floor. Press back up. That’s 1 rep. Do 8 per side. You’ll build single-leg strength, and you’ll hone your balance in any situation as well.
4. Thumbs-Up Pushup
Start in pushup position, hands balled into fists. Your forearms should be on the floor, thumbs facing up, upper arms nearly perpendicular to the floor. Tighten your core. Squeeze your triceps and drive your arms straight, squeezing your shoulder blades. Slowly lower back to the start. That's 1 rep. Do 8 to 10 to build back and triceps strength.
Superset 3
Directions: Do the exercises in order without resting. Do 3 rounds. Rest 60 seconds between each round.
5. Copenhagen Plank Knee Drive
Start in a left-side plank, right foot on a bench or ottoman, left leg held out in front of you, knee bent. Keeping your hips and shoulders square to the front, bring your left leg in line with your right leg, then drive it in front of you again. That’s 1 rep. Do 10 per side to build abdominal and oblique strength.
6. Plank Reach
Start in plank position, forearms on the floor, elbows directly below shoulders, core and glutes tight. Keeping your hips and shoulders square to the floor, lift your left arm off the floor and reach your lefthand forward. Return it to the floor. Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep. Do 10. You’ll learn to brace your core while also building shoulder-saving back strength.
This story originally appears in the June 2021 issue of Men's Health.
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