At-Home Sculpting Workout in Just 5 Exercises
Sculpting workouts are a hyper-efficient way to build up your core, and a strong core is critical to boxing. Sculpting workouts increase strength without bulking up. Building a strong core and toning muscles will help you lean out, increase balance and coordination, and also help prevent injuries to the lower back.
Coach Mo is one of our Sculpt Coaches on BoxUnion Digital. She created five easy-on-the-joints exercises to complete your muscle and body sculpting workout.
Spider Knees
This move is a total body strengthening exercise. It will engage your shoulders, abs, obliques and legs. The trick is to push your body away from the ground while squeezing your glutes to give you one solid line from your head to your toes.
The Exercise: Set yourself up in a high plant position. Pull one knee towards the same elbow and repeat on the other side. Keep your core tight, hips squared to the ground and your spine neutral throughout the entire exercise.
Reps: 3 total rounds for 30 seconds with a 10-30 second rest in between each round.
Donkey Kick
While you are only moving one leg at a time, you’re actually sculpting both legs – one is doing the work while the other leg is stabilizing your body and engaging your core. Doing single leg exercises also help lower the odds of developing a dominate side, which lowers the chance of injury and force all muscle groups to engage in the exercise. However, when you first start out, you may notice that the exercises are easier on one side. This is totally normal! J
The Exercise: Place yourself in a tabletop position. Keep your shoulders over your hands and lift one knee up to a 90-degree angle and flex the foot. Keep your knee bent at 90 degrees as you lift your leg to the ceiling using your hamstring and glute muscles.
Reps: 12-15 on each side and repeat 3 times with 10-30 seconds of rest in between.
Low Squat with Heel Raise
This move is a lower body blaster! You are engaging every part of your lower body – glutes, quads, hamstrings and even your calves. Working big muscle groups, like your legs, in short spurts helps you burn more calories quicker (INSERT HIIT BLOG) than you would just running on a treadmill. After this move, you will be breathing just as hard as you would if you had run a mile!
The Exercise: Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width a part. Squat down pushing your butt backwards to keep your knees in line with your ankles. Engage your core so your lower back doesn’t sway. Shift your weight to your opposite leg as you raise your heel, then alternate to the other side.
Reps: Hold the low squat for 30 seconds and alternate raising the heels. Rest for 10-30 seconds in between each set and repeat 3 to 4 times.
Reverse Lunge
Not done with legs just yet! This single leg exercise will not only increase your strength, but also your stability. Control your movements on the way down and explode your way back up to a standing position. You can always make it harder by adding weights by your side or over your head.
The Exercise: Stand with your feet shoulder width a part. Alternate single leg reverse lunges keeping your chest lifted and both knees at 90 degrees. Make sure to keep your hips aligned and engage your core!
Reps: 12-15 on each side and repeat 3 times with 10-30 seconds of rest in between.
Elbow Plank
It’s simple, effective and seems like it takes forever. This total body sculpting workout is easy on the joints, engages the entire body and gives you a mental challenge – all in one exercise. Just like the first exercise, push away from the floor, squeeze the core and glutes and practice a little one-minute meditation.
The Exercise: Place your shoulders above your elbows and relax your hands. Lift up onto your toes with your legs straight and your heels pushing away from you. Keep your core tight, flex your quads (front of your legs) and squeeze your butt!
Reps: Hold for 1 min to finish!
BoxUnion Digital offers weekly LIVE sculpting workouts with Coach Mo. BoxUnion also includes over thirty On-Demand sculpting workouts that range from 10 to 30 minutes so you can squeeze on in anywhere, anytime. Check it out for TWO WEEKS FREE and 33% off your first two months with the code STAYSTRONG.