Thanks to lots of hard work by our intern, Tim Bessette from Rising Tide Charter School, here is a large selection of exercises that can be done just about anywhere…at home, at the park, in the backyard, etc. It’s FITNESS AT HOME powered by Plymouth Fitness! Make sure to select your movements appropriately by Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced.
(Advanced): Skull Crushers
Grab onto a bar and begin at an incline position. Have your palms facing away from your body with a narrow grip. Keep your hands close together and elbows pointing down. Lower your body down until your head is underneath the bar. Then push yourself back up to starting position.
(Beginner): Regular Push Ups
Start out in a plank position and keep your toes pointed to the ground. Extend out your arms slightly shoulder width apart. Keep your butt and back straight throughout the movement. Face forward and lower your body until your chest almost hits the ground. Push back up and pause at the top.
(Intermediate): Wide Push Up
Begin in a plank position and have your arms extended out. Place your hands out wider than shoulder width. Make sure that there’s no curvature to your back. Don’t have your butt too low or too high. Face forward as you lower yourself. Your chest should almost hit the ground. Push back.
(Beginner): Shoulder Taps
Begin in a plank position with your arms underneath your shoulders and feet spread out hip-width apart. Bring your right or left hand to the opposite shoulder. Tighten your core and clench your butt as you engage in exercise to stabilize yourself.
(Intermediate): Pull Ups
(Beginner): Jump Chin Up Negatives
Jump onto the bar and set your arms wider than shoulder width apart. Have your palms facing towards your body. Pull yourself up and keep your torso straight, while sticking your chest out. Keep your elbows close to your torso. Bring your head to bar level and slowly lower yourself, until your feet touches the ground. Use a box to elevate you if you need assistance to reach the bar.
(Advanced): Bulgarian Split Squat
Find yourself a bench or an elevated surface that’s about knee high. Get into a forward lunge position and with your back foot, place it on the bench or surface. Tighten your core, and square off your body during the movement. Lower your body until your front leg is perpendicular. Make sure your torso is upright and don’t hyperextend your knees. Then push back up through your heels.
(Advanced): Commando Pull Ups
Stand underneath a bar and face the end of the bar. Bring one of your hands to one side of bar and other hand to the other side. Place your hands about an inch away from each other. Pull your body up to one side of your arms until your shoulder touches the bar. Slowly lower yourself down and alternate arms.
(Beginner): Jump Pull Up Negatives
Jump onto the bar and set your arms shoulder width apart. Keep your arms shoulder width apart and have your palms facing away from your body. Pull yourself up and keep your torso straight, while sticking your chest out. Bring your head to bar level and slowly lower your self, until your feet touch the ground. Use a box to elevate you if you need assistance to reach the bar.
(Advanced): Wall Plank
Face away from a wall and get into a push up position. Walk your feet up the wall until your body is completely parallel to the ground. Do not bend your elbows, keep your core tight and hold position.
(Intermediate): Tip Toe Wall Sits
Place your back flat against the wall while bending your knees at a 90 degree angle. Set your feet shoulder width apart. Hold your position as you concentrate on your core. Push off your tiptoes while you keep a straight back.
(Intermediate): Diamond Cutter Push Ups
Get into a push up position and bring your hands close in together so that they form a diamond. Lower your chest to the ground and while having a flat back. Push back up and have arms parallel to the ground.
(Intermediate): Pike Push Ups
Begin in a push up position on the floor and have your arms shoulder width apart. Lift up your hips and keep your arms and legs straight as possible. Bend your elbows and lower yourself to the ground until your head almost hits the ground. Then push yourself back up.
(Intermediate): Low to High Planks
(Advanced): Pseudo Push Ups
Get into a push up position and have yours arms out to the side of your body. Your hands should also be pointing out to the side of your body as well. Keep your back straight the whole time. Look in front of you and lean forward as much as possible. Keep a straight back and lower your body.
(Intermediate): Side Squats
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Get into a squat position and take one step to one side while tightening your abs and straightening your back the whole time. Then squat to the other side and continue squatting side to side.
(Advanced): Tricep Extensions
Start out in a push up position and extend your arms out farther in front of you. Slowly lower your body, until your elbows hit the ground. Press back up to starting position.
(Intermediate): Box Jumps
Stand an arm’s length away from any box or flat surface with feet spread shoulder width apart. Lower yourself into a squat position and bring your arms behind you. Make sure your knees do not go past your feet . Swing your arms back up and push your feet through the floor to build momentum. Try to land softly and quietly on top of the box or surface.
(Beginner): Bench Dips
Place a chair, bench or any other surface underneath your back. Extend out your legs and put your hands at the edge of the bench. Have your arms shoulder width apart, as the starting position of your arms should be at a 90 degree angle. Push your arms up and squeeze the triceps, then slowly lower yourself to your starting position.
(Beginner): Australian Pull Ups
Grab onto a bar that is waistline level. Begin an incline position and pronate your hands. Your heels should be touching the ground and your toes pointing up. Pull your chest to the bar, while keeping a completely straight body. Pause briefly when your arms form a 90 degree angle and slowly lower yourself back down.
(Beginner): Plank
Plant your hands underneath your shoulders. Place them shoulder width apart, or place your forearms on the ground with elbows aligned to your shoulders. Do whatever that feels comfortable for you. Keep toes pointed to the ground and squeeze your glutes. Keep your legs straight and be careful to not hyperextend your knees. Neutralize your neck and head looking at the ground.
(Beginner): Lunges
Maintain a straight upper body with shoulders back and up. Step forward with one leg while lowering your hips and both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.Make sure your knees don’t go past your feet.Keep the weight in your heels as you push back up. (Do not perform full range of motion if you have knee problems, as it will put stress on your knees.Take smaller lunges instead.
(Advanced): Pistol Squats
Lift one foot off the floor and stand with your arms straight out in front of you. Don’t have any of your toes turned, make sure they are facing forward. Slowly lower yourself into a squat position with the your standing leg. Once you go down as far as you can, makes sure that the leg off the ground is straight as possible. Don’t allow the knee of your standing leg to go past your toes. Hold position for a few seconds and lift yourself back into the starting position.
(Advanced): Squat Lunges
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and lower your butt. Do not allow your knees go far past your feet. Your body should create a perpendicular position. Put your body weight on your heels while keeping a straight back. Keep your chest up and face forward. As you come back up, perform lunges by stepping forward with one leg and lowering your hips. Make sure that both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Repeat movement with opposites legs. Lastly alternate between the two exercises.
(Beginner): Assisted Push Ups
Start out in a plank position on your knees and have arms extended out. Your arms should be slightly shoulder width apart. Maintain a straight back the whole time and make sure that your butt is not too low, or not too high. Face forward and lower your body. Your chest should almost hit the ground. Push back up and pause at the top with straight arms.
(Beginner): Wall Sit
Lean back against the wall while bending your knees at a 90 degree angle. Have your feet shoulder width apart and about 2 feet away from the wall. Maintain a straight back and heels flat on the ground. Your thighs should be parallel to the ground and make sure your knees don’t go past your ankles. If you feel pain in your knees, stop performing exercise.
(Beginner): Australian Chin Ups
Grab onto a bar that is waist high. Start in a incline position and supinate your hands . waistline so that your heels are touching the ground and toes are pointing up. Pull your chest to the bar, while keeping a completely straight body. Pause briefly when your arms form a 90 degree angle and lower yourself back down in a slow controlled manner.
(Beginner): Chin Up Holds
Grab onto the bar with a supinated grip (palms facing towards your body) about shoulder width apart. As you pull yourself up, keep your upper body straight as possible, while sticking your chest out. This should create a slight curvature to your lower levels back. Make sure your head meets bar level when you pull yourself up. Elbows should be locked close to your body. Hold for the desired amount of seconds and have body remain stationary.
(Beginner): Broad Jumps
Start in a squat position and pump up your arms to build up momentum. Raise your arms in front of you, then swing your arms back as you get into a squat position. As you jump, Come off your toes and swing your arms forward. Your arms should move in sync with the rest of your body as most of your power comes from your hips and glutes. Then land and back into a squat position.
(Beginner): Regular Push Ups
Start out in a plank position and keep your toes pointed to the ground. Extend out your arms slightly shoulder width apart. Keep your butt and back straight throughout the movement. Face forward and lower your body until your chest almost hits the ground. Push back up and pause at the top with straight arms.
(Intermediate): Archer Push Ups
Start in a push up position and have your arms slightly wider than shoulder width. As you lower your chest to the ground, lean to one side of your arms. One arm should bent while the other is straight. Push back up and alternate arms.
(Intermediate): Elevated Push Ups
Get into a push up position and place your feet on a bench or flat surface so that your body is elevated. The higher the elevation, the higher the resistance. Have your arms shoulder width apart. Keep your back straight the whole time and look forward. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the ground. Press your body back up and pause at the top. Contract your chest and repeat the movement.
(Advanced): Tiger Bend Push Ups
Start in a push up position and extend your arms shoulder width. Keep your back and neck straight, and tighten your core. Lower yourself until your chest almost hits the ground. Push yourself back and lower your forearms and elbows to the ground without raising your hips. Push yourself forward and push back up to starting position.
(Advanced): Archer Australian Pull Ups
Grab onto a bar that is waistline level. Pronate your hands and hang below it. Pull your chest to the bar and lean to one side of your arms. Your arms should be bent to the side you lean to, while the other is straight. Alternate arms and keep a completely straight body. Pause briefly at the top and lower yourself back down.
(Intermediate): Wide Push Ups
Grab onto a bar that is waistline level. Pronate your hands and hang below it. Pull your chest to the bar and lean to one side of your arms. Your arms should be bent to the side you lean to, while the other is straight. Alternate arms and keep a completely straight body. Pause briefly at the top and lower yourself back down.
(Intermediate): Wide Pull Ups
Grab onto the bar with your hands pronated (palms facing away from your body) and pull yourself up. Keep your back straight and stick your chest out. Bring your chin past the bar and slowly lower yourself back to neutral position. Keep your core tight throughout the movement. Repeat movement several times.
(Advanced): Behind The Back Chin Ups
Hold onto a bar with your palms facing your body. Lean slightly forward so that the back of your neck is directly underneath the bar. Pull yourself up until the bar touches your neck. Tighten your core and keep your back straight during the movement. Pause at the top and slowly lower yourself back down.
(Advanced): Skull Crushers
Grab onto a bar and begin at an incline position. Have your palms facing away from your body with a narrow grip. Keep your hands close together and elbows pointing down. Lower your body down until your head is underneath the bar. Then push yourself back up to starting position.
(Intermediate): Straight Bar Dips
Position your body behind a dip bar or any flat surfaces.This may include a couple of chairs. As you Lower yourself down, lean slightly forward and get all the way down until your your elbows form a 90 degree angle. Make sure you don’t shrug your shoulders or allow your arms to flare out to the sides.
