Flat belly, slender legs, firm breasts, shapely buttocks… You don’t have to work up a sweat to achieve such an effect. It’s enough that several times a week you find time for a few simple exercises in the comfort of your home.
Muscles involved: lower abdomen
Lie on your back, lift both legs bent at the knees, extend your arms along your body. With an exhale, lift your pelvis and roll your lower back, pulling your legs up to your chest. With an exhale, return to the starting position, making sure not to put your feet down on the floor.
Perform 6 sets of 20 repetitions, or even more if you are “seasoned”. If you need to rest, take a 10-second break between each series.
Muscles involved: oblique abdominal muscles
Lie on your back, bend your legs at the knees and press them against your chest. Tuck your loins into the floor. Bend your right arm behind your head and hold your left arm out to the side. With an exhalation, lift your torso and touch your right elbow to your left knee. Change sides.
Perform 4 sets of 20 repetitions on each side.
Muscles involved: quadriceps, gluteus maximus, adductors, hamstrings and shin muscle
Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart, lower your arms along your body and look straight ahead. With an exhale, slowly bend your legs and stop when your hips are at knee level. You may keep your arms straight in front of you. Do not round your back. When your buttocks are down and your hips are pushed back, exhale by pinning your buttocks and lifting yourself up.
During this movement, your back will be slightly bent but flat. Push your buttocks back as if you were trying to sit up. To feel your glutes, thighs and legs working, lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Do 4 sets of 20 repetitions. Allow yourself a minute of rest between each series.
Muscle involvement: upper thigh muscles
Stick your back to the wall, bend your legs to a right angle, extend your arms along your torso, tighten your abdomen. Hold this position for 30-40 seconds.
Repeat this exercise 6 times. After each repetition, allow your body to relax for 20 seconds. Slowly increase the time you hold the position until you feel a burning sensation in your thighs.
Muscles involved: gluteus maximus muscle
Kneel down and rest your hands on the floor at shoulder height or bend your arms at the elbows. Keep your back stable. The head is an extension of the spine, with the eyes directed toward the floor. With an exhalation, lift the straight leg no higher than the level of the buttocks, toes pointing to the floor. With an inhalation, slowly put your leg away, not touching the floor with your feet. Make sure it remains tense.
Do 5 series of 10-15 repetitions for each leg. After each series, keep the leg tense for about 15 seconds.
Involved muscles: gluteus maximus, hamstrings, loins
Lie on the floor, arms outstretched along the body, legs bent, feet on the floor.
With an exhalation, clench the buttocks and pull them away from the floor, not bending the bottom of the back. With an inhalation, lower your pelvis without resting your buttocks on the floor.
Do 6 series of 20 repetitions.
Muscles involved: chest, arm and back muscles
Lie on your stomach. Place your hands on the ground at shoulder height. Spread them slightly wider than your shoulders. Straighten your arms at the elbows. Bend your legs at the knees. Inhale, bend your arms and lower your chest just above the floor, clasping your glutes tightly. With an exhalation, straighten your arms until they are fully extended.
Do 4 series of 8-15 repetitions depending on your ability. Take a minute break between each series. This is a strength exercise, so you will need a few days to do a full cycle. Don’t get discouraged.
Muscles involved: chest muscles
Lie down on the floor, if you don’t have dumbbells, take water bottles and extend straight arms upwards. With an inhale, lower your slightly bent arms to the side. With an exhale, raise your arms up again.
Perform 4 sets of 20 repetitions. Take a 45-second pause between each series.
If you do these series three times a week, you’ll feel the first effects quickly. So go for it!
Photo: Li Sun/Pexels
