The ultimate 5-minute ‘lazy girl workout’ to tone your arms, abs and bum this summer – and you can do it anywhere
BETWEEN work, childcare, summer activities and holidays, it’s normal to sometimes feel a little… lazy.
There are days when pulling out all the stops and huffing and puffing at the gym just doesn’t seem appealing.
If you’re having one of those lazy summer days where all you want to do is lounge but you still want to get a workout in, we’ve got you covered.
Sarah Campus – a women’s personal trainer, nutrition coach and mum-of-three – put together a routine of five exercises to tone your arms, abs and bum.
You can complete the circuit in as many minutes and do it “absolutely anywhere, with no equipment needed”, the founder of LDN MUMS FITNESS told The Sun.
The five body weight exercises can help you build strength, stability, and core control.
“I recommend doing this circuit three times a week for maximum benefits,” Sarah said.
“As well as this circuit, to really help you achieve your holistic wellness goals – both physical and mental – it’s important to combine this with nutrition filled with nutritious balanced wholefoods, minimising processed, sugary foods.
“Really try to be consistent with both exercise and the nutrition as that is what will give you results and patience is key. Losing fat and building lean muscle takes time.
“Find some space and give these moves a try.”
Do each exercise for 40 seconds with 20 seconds rest between each.
Repeat the whole circuit two to three times depending on how much of a challenge you want.
1. Press-ups
Start at the top of the push up position with your hands on the floor, arms straight and underneath your shoulders.
Step your knees back behind you so that there is a straight line through your body from your knees up to your head.
Engage your glutes, tense your legs and brace your core to keep your body rigid.
Exhale to lower your body to the floor and inhale to lift yourself up.
2. Diamond leg lifts
Lie flat on the floor, resting your head in your hands.
Have both feet touch each other into a diamond/frog shape, then lift your knees up off of the floor, feeling your glutes and hamstring and lower back activate.
Be sure keep your head facing down to protect your lower back.
Raise your legs then lower and repeat.
3. Scissor kicks
Scissor kicks are a supine core exercise, meaning they’re done lying down, face-up.
This move involves lowering one leg toward the floor at a time while the other stays up in the air, alternating which leg you lower with each rep.
Other speedy workouts to get trim for summer
From arms to tummy, legs, bum and back - we've got you covered:
- A celeb PT has revealed the five best exercises to tone flabby arms in time for summer
- If you’re concerned about bingo wings, here’s four PT-approved ways to target them
- If you’ve got 30 minutes to spare at the gym, give this upper body workout a go for a chiselled torso and arms
- For a trim tummy and waist, look no further than this video showing five at-home Pilates moves
- Tone your back at home or at the gym with these 10 exercises
- For a one-stop-shop, watch our quick five-minute workouts to tone your bum, legs, abs and arms
The exercise resembles opening and closing scissors – hence the name.
Aim to keep your lower back pressing into the floor – you can place your hands under your tailbone for some extra support.
4. Elevated clam shells
Turn to your side, resting your elbow underneath your shoulder.
Then bend both knees and draw them forwards slightly to bring your feet in line with your glutes.
Elevate your shins off the mat, ensuring that your hips are stacked one on top of each other.
Make sure that you maintain a small gap between your waist and the floor.
You should be able to feel the work in your glutes.
5. Glute Bridge
Finally, lie on your back and bend your knees.
Elevate your hips until your torso makes a straight line from your shoulder up to your knee.
Once you reach the top of the glute bridge, squeeze your glutes as tightly as possible and hold for a few seconds.
Roll down and then repeat.