You can actually resolve to stop going to the gym in 2013 if you follow Mark Lauren’s advice. The author of You Are Your Own Gym, which shows how to get great workouts using only your own body weight, has just released a new book tailored just for women, Body By You: The You Are Your Own Gym’s Guide to Total Women’s Fitness. Here’s a sample total-body exercise that takes just 5 short minutes. We can commit to that.
When it comes to achieving a strong, healthy body, consistency is king! You have to keep showing up. I’m about to show you how to make that easier and more convenient than ever before with a favorite body-weight exercise of mine that works every muscle in your body from your neck to your ankles. And best of all, you don’t need any equipment, so you can work out in the comfort of your home, office or hotel room. In less time than it takes you to drive to the gym, you could be done and get a better work out!
The exercise is called the 4-Count Bodybuilder, and it’s as simple as it is effective. It is a variant of an exercise that I’ve used to train hundreds of Special Operations troops. Here’s how it’s done:
1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands on the ground just in front of your feet.
2. Jump your feet back so that you land in the starting position of a push-up.
3. Jump your feet forward to your hands again.
4. Stand up. Simple!
Try doing this exercise for 1 minute, then rest for 1 minute. Repeat two more times and call it a day! If that’s easy for you, then try doing 2 minutes straight, rest for 1 minute, and then repeat.
Ready to kick it up a notch?
When you’re in the push-up position, do a push-up and add a jump to the end of the movement as you’re standing back up. You can do the push-up on or off your knees. For the elite athletes out there, try using this variation and going for 5 minutes straight!
For more information, visit marklauren.com.
