Put down that pumpkin spice latte and grab your workout gear. Fall is a great time to shape up before the holidays.
If you’re like most people, you always gain a few pounds between Thanksgiving and the New Year, so TODAY wants to help you be proactive and get trim before the turkey so you can enjoy the pumpkin pie guilt-free this year!
Part of that is an intense exercise plan with personal trainer Will Weber. Here’s the Day 1 workout — he’ll have three days in all, so keep watching TODAY for the next installment. Weber wants you to do these exercises 16-20 times in order, then repeat the whole routine three times. It’s a lot, but it works! And you only have to work out three days of the week.
Day 1
Legs
• Squats (assisted/resisted)
Standing with your feet hip-width apart, sit back as low as possible. For the “assisted” version, use a structure or band to help with going down and up. For the “resisted” version, add a weight in your hands to challenge the legs more.
• Weighted leg extensions
Sitting in a chair, pinch a weight between your feet and extend your legs straight out in front of you.
• Straight leg dead lift
With your legs hip-width apart, bend only at the hips by shifting your butt back. While keeping your legs and back straight, pick up a weight then straighten back up by squeezing your glutes.
• Slider squats
From a standing position, with one food on a slider plate, slide out into a sumo-like stance, then drag your feet together without lifting your feet off the ground.
Upper Body
• Counter push-up
With your hands placed at the edge of a counter about shoulder-width apart, lower yourself to the counter then press back up.
• Cable or band row
Attach a band to a rigid body like a pole, then grab the band from the other end and pull it into your body. Keep your feet set in a staggered stance.
• Band tri-extension
Grip each side of the band and set it behind your head. Starting with both hands at 90 degrees, punch the hands outward.
• Hammer curls
Using a small weight, keep your hands in a neutral position and bring them to your shoulders and back down.
Core
• Leg tuck kick-out
Lying on a mat, start with your legs straight out, then tuck them to the chest and kick straight up. Lower your legs to the starting position.
• Lying heel touches
Lying on a mat and placing your heels close to your butt, tilt your body side to side while tapping your heels with your hands.
• Lying windshield wipers
Lying on a mat with your knees tucked in, rotate your knees from one side to the other without removing your shoulders from the mat.
Day 2
Legs
• Dead lift
Start with your feet hip-width apart. Bend at the knees and sit back. Grab the weight from the floor and stand up, extending the hips and knees at the same time.
• Walking lunges
Step out into a deep lunge while placing most of your weight in your front heel. Stand up on the front leg and step forward with your back leg into the next lunge.
• Butt kickers
Stand upright and bring your heel as close as you can to your butt and hold for three seconds. Alternate legs.
• Lateral band walks
Attach a green or yellow resistance band around your ankles. Step out to the left with your heel. Bring your feet back together while keeping tension in the band.
Upper Body
• Chair pike press
Using a stable chair, place your hands on arm rests. Bending at the hips, walk your hands in until you are about 90 degrees from legs to upper body. Bending at the elbows, lower your head between the arm rests, then push yourself back up.
• Mini assisted pull-up
Set a chair under a pull-up bar. Use your legs as necessary to raise your chin to the bar.
• Bench dips
Sit at the edge of a bench or chair with your hands around the edge. Set your feet at 90 degrees to the ground and use them as support as you lower your body from the bench. Using your arms, press your body back up to above bench height.
• Supinated curls
Using light weights, hands start neutral then as you raise them to your shoulders, rotate them until your palms are facing you.
Core
• Leg raises
Laying on your back and keeping your legs straight, raise your legs to a straight up position from the ground.
• Superman pulses
Laying on your stomach raise both of your arms and legs off the ground and hold for one second before repeating.
• Modified oblique V-up
Laying on your side, set the elbow closest to the ground to prop up your upper body. Keeping your legs together, raise both of your legs off the ground to touch your fingers of the upper (free) hand.
• Mason twists
In a seated position, clasp your hands together and rotate your shoulders. Your hands should touch your hip, then repeat on the other side.
Day 3
Legs
• Weighted stair march
Holding weights in each hand, march up and down two flights of stairs.
• Step back lunge
Holding weights in each hand, step back into a lunge, keeping your weight in your heel.
• Feet elevated bridge
Place feet on a bench or chair, keeping your butt close to the bench. Raise your hips into the air and straighten your body squeezing your glutes.
• Lying leg raise
Lying on your side, lift your upper leg while keeping your foot as level with the ground as possible.
Upper body
• Reverse grip counter push-up
Place your hands at the edge of a counter, about shoulder-width apart, rotated so that your fingers are pointing down or behind you. Lower yourself to the counter, then press back up.
• Dumbbell pull-over
Taking a single weight in both hands, raise over your head with straight arms, then lower back down to hip level.
• Triceps kickback
Setting 1 knee and 1 hand on the bench, raise the free elbow until it is line up with your body. Stretch the free arm back while holding a light weight.
• Drag curls
Holding weights, raise your hands to your shoulders while keeping your elbows behind your body.
Core
• Plank hold (30 seconds)
On the ground or on a bench, flatten your body out to be level from heel to head. Hold the position.
• Briefcase carry (30 seconds per side)
Holding a substantial weight at your side in one hand, maintain an upright posture, without tilting to the weighted side.
• Band Palov holds
Attaching a resistance band to a rigid fixture about shoulder height, you will hold the band out in front of you while facing a perpendicular direction (right or left) to where the band is fixed.