Now that the warm weather has arrived and being outdoors is no longer a cold and wet experience, it's a perfect time to hit the park or backyard to get a quick, metabolism-boosting break from your weekly gym routine. You'll not only feel fantastic after a fun, body-weight only exercise routine, but you'll also get healthy doses of sunlight and fresh clean air. Remember, there's no perfect exercise routine for everybody, so if you feel any joint pain or experience any distressing symptoms while performing an exercise or exercise routine, it's probably not the best workout for you. Haven't exercised much, feel like you're out of shape, or just don't want to push yourself too hard? Try this routine. Perform 15 repetitions of each exercise, and rest just long enough to catch your breath following each set. When you get to the end, return to the beginning and complete two more times. Jumping Jacks - everybody is familiar with this old-school favorite... Knee Push-Ups - just like a regular push-up, but from your knees... Half Squats - squat down halfway, keeping your back straight, your knees behind your toes and your weight on your heels... Kickouts (15 reps per leg) - get in a crawl position on your hands and knees and kick out behind your body with one leg, extending from the hip as far as possible... Too easy? Give this a try, following the same instructions for the previous routine. Vertical Jumps - pretty straightforward. Just jump as high as possible (swing the arms if it helps) and land as soft as possible. Remember - that's for 15 repetitions. Push-Ups - perform a regular push-up, keeping your wrists under your shoulders, and pressing down as far as possible... Deep Squats - squat down to at least 90 degrees (thighs parallel to the ground), keeping your back straight, your knees behind your toes and your weight on your heels... Crawl Extensions (15 reps per side) - get in a crawl position on your hands and knees and kick as far out behind your body as possible with your right leg, while reaching as far out in front as possible with your right hand. Now return to the start position and perform the same movement for the opposite side. If you still don't feel challenged, I guarantee the following workout will fix that problem. Again, follow the same instructions as the previous routines. You may just need a bit more rest! Lunge Jumps - get down in a lunge position with one leg forward and one leg back. Jump by pushing through your front leg, switch legs in mid-air, land in the opposite position, and then jump again, performing the same movement. Perform 15 repetitions for each side. Narrow Grip Push-Ups - perform just like a push-up, but keep your hands about one inch apart and the elbows tucked into the side as you push down as far as possible... One Legged Squats (15 reps per leg) - that's right; do a standard squat, but standing on one leg only. Your knee must stay behind your toe, and you must get as close to 90 degrees as possible. This is tough! Squat-Thrust-Jumps - squat down, place both hands on the ground, thrust your legs out behind you, thrust your legs back into a squat position, stand and jump. That's one repetition (have fun with this one)! If you need more help with your exercise routine, just let me know. Feel free to e-mail elite@pacificfit.net and I'll give you some suggestions on how a personal trainer can help you with enhancing your fitness routine. My new book, Shape21, includes 21 days of similar workouts that can be performed anywhere, with minimal equipment, as well as an accompanying exercise DVD that shows you exactly how to perform each exercise. You can check it out at my website, www.pacificfit.net, or at a gym near you. Or you can order it now by clicking here. Until next time, train smart! Ben Greenfield
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