Whenever the weather changes, without fail, it seems a new round of bugs comes to town. Feeling draggy is never fun. But when it comes to your get-fit goals, there’s nothing more frustrating than finally getting into the swing of a great routine and then bam: you’re suddenly too pooped to hit the gym.
With a mild case of the sniffles, however, some gentle exercise could provide just the energy boost you need. Here’s a quick and light workout you can try at home. Perform 10-15 reps of each exercise, then repeat the series until about 15 minutes are up. Your focus should be on activating and stretching your muscles. So take care not to push your body too hard. This circuit is designed to keep you moving without wrecking your recovery.
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Sun salutations
Photo: Jen Cohen
Start by standing with your arms by your sides, chest out, and shoulders back. From here, raise your arms up and over your head, reaching as high up as you can. Hold for a few seconds.
Lateral band walk
Photo: Jen Cohen
Place a light resistance band around your legs, just below your knees. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, so the tension in the band stays tight. While maintaining this tension, squat down and take 5 steps to the left. Stay in your squat position and take 5 steps to the right. Repeat you have completed 15 steps in each direction.
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Static lunge with floor touch
Photo: Jen Cohen
Get into a lunge position with your left leg behind you and right leg in front. Make sure your right leg is creating a 90-degree angle and that your knee is not going past your toes. From here, take your right hand and reach down to touch the outside of your right foot. Repeat this for 10 reps before switching sides.
Standing hip abduction
Photo: Jen Cohen
Place a light resistance band around your shins. Stand with your feet wide enough to create tension. Shift your weight into your right leg and lift your left leg off the ground. From here, extend your left leg out to the side as far as you can before bringing it back in. When you do this, be sure to keep your feet far enough apart to maintain constant tension in the band. Perform 10 reps before switching to your other leg.
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Sumo squat to side reach
Photo: Jen Cohen
Take a wide stance with your toes slightly flared out. From here, squat down and place your hands behind your head. While maintaining your squat, tilt your torso to the right and tap your elbow to your leg. Come back to center and repeat on the left side. Continue alternating until you’ve completed 10 reps on each side.
Looking for more articles like this? Check out A 6-Move Circuit You Can Do Without Leaving Your Chair.
Jennifer Cohen is a leading fitness authority, TV personality, entrepreneur, and best-selling author of the new book, Strong is the New Skinny. With her signature, straight-talking approach to wellness, Jennifer was the featured trainer on The CW’s Shedding for the Wedding, mentoring the contestants to lose hundreds of pounds before their big day, and she appears regularly on NBC’s Today, Extra, The Doctors, and Good Morning America. Connect with Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest.
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