Welcome to Day 1 of the SELF 4-Week At-Home Workout Challenge! We’re super psyched that you’ll be joining us for the next month for a mix of challenging, yet totally doable, cardio and strength workouts during this no-equipment workout challenge.
Each workout in this challenge is under 30 minutes and offers three options for intensity by increasing the amount of time you’re working, and decreasing the amount of rest you get between each move. The result: a program that you can tailor to fit your current fitness level and/or goals.
Today’s total-body strength workout is centered around five basic moves. It is a great way to build your foundational strength, giving you the necessary building blocks to effectively progress to more difficult exercises. It is also a great way to ease into the overall challenge.
Rather than focus on banging out as many reps as possible in the allotted time, concentrate instead on performing each exercise with precise form. And don’t forget to warm up first—not just today but prior to every workout in the coming month. Priming the body for what’s to come not only helps reduce your risk of injury but also helps ensure your body gets the maximum benefit out of your intended workout. Here’s a great warm-up to do before diving into this workout.
Scroll down for Day 1, and don’t forget to check out the full month of workouts here, or go to the workout calendar here. We can’t promise you this entire challenge will always be easy, but we can say that it will be worth it. Let’s go #TeamSELF!
Workout Directions:
Do each move below for your selected period of time and rest. At the end of all the moves, rest for 60 seconds. That’s one circuit. Do the entire circuit three to five times. After your last circuit, try the Bonus Move for 60 seconds.
- Option 1: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off
- Option 2: 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off
- Option 3: 50 seconds on, 10 seconds off
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Katie Thompson1 Bodyweight Squat
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Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out, arms at your sides, palms in.
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Engage your core and keep your chest lifted and back flat as you shift your weight into your heels, push your hips back, and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Bend your elbows and bring your palms together in front of your chest. (You can also just hold your hands in front of your chest the entire time.)
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Drive through your heels to stand and squeeze your glutes at the top for one rep.
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Katie Thompson2 Forearm Plank
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Place your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel.
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Extend your legs behind you, feet hip-width apart.
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Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads.
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Katie Thompson3 Bicycle Crunch
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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. Alternatively, sit up higher so you are resting more on your sit bones, while keeping your core engaged. This is the starting position.
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Twist to bring your right elbow to your left knee, while simultaneously straightening your right leg.
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Then twist to bring your left elbow to your right knee, simultaneously straightening your left leg. This is one rep.
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Continue alternating sides. Go at a slow and steady pace so that you can really twist and feel your abs working.
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Katie Thompson4 Reverse Lunge
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Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and engage your core.
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Step backward with your left foot, landing on the ball of your left foot and keeping your heel off the ground.
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Bend both knees to 90 degrees as you sink into a lunge. Focus on keeping your core engaged and your hips tucked (don’t stick your butt out). Sometimes it can be helpful to place your hands on your hips so you can make sure your hips aren’t tilting to the side or forward and back.
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Push off the ball of your left foot to return to your starting position.
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Now step back with your right foot, and sink into a lunge on the other side.
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Continue to lunge, alternating sides each time.
Optional: You can hold two dumbbells while doing this move.
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Katie Thompson5 Bonus Move: Forearm Plank Hold
After your last circuit, try this bonus move for 60 seconds.
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Place your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel.
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Extend your legs behind you, feet hip-width apart.
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Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads.
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