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Fall Fitness: 5 Exercises to Get You Started on Your Road to Fit

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Victoria Jusme '12
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Kenya Bryant
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wheaton chapter.
We all want to tone up, but we don’t want to lift heavy weights and get bulky.  
 
The solution to this dilemma is BODY WEIGHTS! By using your own weight within basic exercises you will tone up gradually and safely. Here are 5 basic exercises that target many of the “ troubled” areas that a lot of young women worry about as their bodies develop. These exercises are very simple and can be done in your dorm rooms, outside, on the beach or at home.
 
I would recommend starting off light and doing each exercises 2×6 times, or 10 depending on your individual fit level. 2 = the number of sets, and 6 = the number of time you should do each exercises within the set. 
 
Example: Push ups 2×10- you would do 10 push up for the 1st set, then 10 more push ups, which would complete 2 full sets.
These workouts are also Spring Break simple–to-do Approved!

 

Wide Lunges: target Hamstrings, Quadriceps and Glutes. (Abs-adding weights adds resistance)
Split your legs while holding a weighted dumbbell in both hands at your sides. In one motion you are going to drop you body until your right leg is bent and your left leg is almost parallel to the ground. Remember to keep your abs contracted while in your lung position, as well as keeping your upper body straight.

 

Prisoner Squats: targets Hamstrings, Quadriceps and Glutes
Squats are a simple sitting motion. While standing up, place your feet at shoulder width apart with your toes pointed forward. Push your butt out behind you and sit, but make sure to keep your knees behind your toes. As you stand squeeze your Glutes and Abs, and keep your chest uptight.

 

Beginners Sitting Side Twist: targets Quadriceps, Glutes, Arms, Side Obliques, Abs
This exercise targets those dreaded “Love Handles” while helping to tone your arms and legs. Place your feet at shoulder width apart with your toes pointed forward. Push your butt out behind you and sit in the squat position. With a light medicine ball, hold your arms out straight in front of you and look directly at the ball. As you look at the ball turn your upper body to the left – then back to the middle – then to your right. As you turn, keep your lower body stationary and keep your abs contracted.


  
Advanced Sitting Side Twist: targets Quadriceps, Glutes, Arms, Side Obliques, Abs
This is the more advanced version of the Sitting Side Twist. Push your butt out behind you and sit in the squat position. With a round weight, hold your arms out straight in front of you and look directly into the hole. As you look at the hole turn your upper body to the left – then back to the middle- then to your right. As you turn, keep your lower body stationary and keep your abs contracted.
 

 
Beginners Stationary Toe Touches: targets Lower Abs, Lower Back
To target those hard to reach lower abs try mixing in some fun wall exercises. Lay on the floor, angle your feet on the wall and put your hands above your head. In one motion lift your hands above your head, reach up, and touch your toes.
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Kenya is a spunky and outspoken senior at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. Born and raised in Harlem, New York City, she's obsessed with the fast-paced noisy neighborhood she calls home. At Wheaton she's a Sociology major with a double minor in Studio Art and Journalism. She just wrapped up her summer internship at ESSENCE Magazine where she served as the Integrated Marketing intern. On campus Kenya works at the Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning, is a resident of the Feminist perspective house and is an advocate for diversity student programing. She spent her junior year abroad in Sydney, Australia and vows to return. Kenya has an extreme love for ketchup and dreams of working in magazine publishing. She can't wait to lauch HerCampus Wheaton!