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12-Minute Low-Impact HIIT Workout For Bad Knees

12-Minute Low-Impact HIIT Workout For Bad Knees My 12-minute low-impact HIIT workout for bad knees is designed to be gentle on joints while providing an effective cardio and strength workout, perfect for all fitness levels. So you want to do some high-intensity interval training (HIIT), but your knees are in rough shape? Can you even do HIIT with bad knees? The answer is yes! You can do low-impact HIIT that won’t aggravate knee pain. High intensity does not have to mean jumping. You can be high-intensity but perform low-impact exercises.  HIIT workouts encourage you to work hard during the work segment and then take a break to quickly recover during the rest segment. So, even if you can’t jump or do deep squats and lunges, this low-impact HIIT workout for bad knees will still help you reap the benefits that high-intensity interval training provides, such as: A higher rate of fat burn both during and after the workout Building your cardiovascular endurance Raising your metabolic rate Working smarter, not longer This workout was designed using moves that are protective of bad knees, some of which include holding dumbbells to give you that extra push of high intensity. And because it is low impact, you could do a workout like this daily. Ready to get started? Low-Impact HIIT Workout for Bad Knees Instructions Perform each move as hard as you can for 30 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, and repeat. Continue this pattern for all eight exercises, doing them each twice. It will take you a total of 12 minutes. For an extra challenge, rest for a few minutes and repeat the low-impact HIIT exercises again! 1. Front Kicks Doing front kicks improves leg strength and flexibility while providing a cardiovascular workout. How To Peform Front Kicks: Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms bent and held in front of you. Lift right leg up, bending knee slightly, and kick right foot forward. Keep ankle flexed and push through your heel. Place the right foot down and switch to the left. Continue to repeat kicking with intensity and speed. Go for 30 seconds. Transition to next exercise in 15 seconds. 2. Push-Up Renegade Row Performing push-up renegade rows strengthens your upper body and core, enhancing muscle tone and stability. How To Perform Push-Up Renegade Rows: Begin in a full plank with dumbbells in hands, arms extended, and on toes. (The kneeling variation is fine if you are not able to do a full plank). Engage your abdominals by drawing the belly inward towards your spine. Lower your body in a straight line toward the ground to a low plank without sagging your back, then push back up to plank. Pull right dumbbell up toward right hip bone, keeping weight close to your side. Slowly return it to the floor. Repeat the push-up and pull the left dumbbell to the left hip bone. Continue the push-up row alternating sides. Go for 30 seconds. Transition to next exercise in 15 seconds. 3. Lateral Shuffle The lateral shuffle boosts cardiovascular endurance and agility, targeting the lower body and core. How To Perform a Lateral Shuffle: Start standing with feet hip distance apart, slightly bend knees and sink your weight back into your heels so you don’t feel it in your knees. Bring both hands in front of the chest in guard position. Start with right foot moving right and left foot following. Shuffle right for four right-left steps, then move left for four left-right steps. Continue shuffling right/left for the desired amount of time. Go for 30 seconds. Transition to next exercise in 15 seconds. 4. Sit-Up Press The sit-up press engages your core and upper body muscles, promoting strength and coordination. How To Perform a Sit-Up Press: Start on back with bent knees and feet on the mat. Elbows are bent and dumbbells are resting above the chest. Bring the head, neck, and shoulders off the mat sitting up, and extend the arms out long pressing the dumbbell forward. Return back to the mat with control. Go for 30 seconds. Transition to next exercise in 15 seconds. 5. Punching Doing this punching exercise increases cardiovascular fitness and upper body strength while improving hand-eye coordination. How To Do Punching: Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart and bend knees slightly. Tighten the core to keep your center still. Punch out one arm at a time at a steady, intense pace. Go for 30 seconds. Transition to next exercise in 15 seconds. 6. Squat and Curl with Alternating Knee Lifts  The squat and curl with alternating knee lifts tones the legs, arms, and core, while enhancing balance and coordination. If balance is something you struggle with, try these balance exercises that help at any age! How To Perform Squat and Curl with Alternating Knee Lifts: Start in squat position, weight back on heels and arms long next to side holding dumbbells. Squeeze your glutes to press up and lift right knee as you curl the weights to your shoulders. Slowly lower the weights back down and return to squat position.  Repeat with left knee. Targets: biceps, glutes, quads 7. Army Crawl The army crawl strengthens the core, shoulders, and upper body, improving overall muscular endurance. How To Perform An Army Crawl: Begin in a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your feet together, and your body in a straight line. Bend your left arm so that it is now in forearm plank position. Then bend your right arm so you are in a full forearm plank position. Lift your left hand and place it on the mat directly below your shoulder as you push through your palm to lift yourself. As you reach the top, place your right palm on the floor under your right shoulder and push back into a full plank. Repeat, leading with the right arm. Go “forearm forearm hand hand” for 30 seconds, moving at an intense pace. Transition to next exercise in 15 seconds. 8. Knee Thrust Performing knee thrusts

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10-Minute Bicep Workout For Women At Any Age

10-Minute Bicep Workout For Women At Any Age Use my 10 minute bicep workout for women to get toned arms that look great while keeping you healthy and strong! Who doesn’t want sculpted, sexy arms? If you feel like you’re fighting flabby arms or don’t like to show off your arms with tank tops, keep reading! I created this 10 minute workout for you, because it’s time to start strength training those biceps! It’s a common fitness myth among women that if you lift, you’re going to bulk up. But honestly, that is just not the case! If you want to be toned, sleek arms on the other hand, then you SHOULD be lifting weights. The sooner you start incorporating strength training of any kind into your workout, the better. As you age, you start to lose muscle, which can also slow down your metabolism. Strength training will help build muscle, and speed your metabolism back up! It will also help you feel stronger and more confident as you age. Ready to get started with by bicep exercises? You only need 10 minutes and the instructions below! 10 Minute Bicep Workout Instructions The below biceps exercises are designed specifically for women to strengthen not only their biceps but also their triceps, shoulders, and a little chest too! When you train the biceps, you also need to train the triceps since they are opposing muscle groups. This helps prevent injury and creates good muscular balance as well. Equipment: A set of dumbbells A timer Instructions: Set a timer for ten minutes Do 10-12 reps of each exercise below, then take a 1-minute rest after you complete them all. Begin again from the top. Stop working when the timer goes off! Do this workout twice a week, combined with cardio workouts, to start seeing stronger, more toned arms. [adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”q6QHVCtf” upload-date=”2017-10-10T13:03:37.000Z” name=”10 Minutes to Beautiful Biceps” description=”This quick, 10-minute bicep workout will have your arms looking better than ever in no time. These moves will leave your muscles aching but feeling stronger and looking amazing! Arms are a major problem area, especially as we age, so nip that issue in the bud and work those biceps today!”] 1. Bicep Curl The bicep curl exercise directly target and isolate the biceps, enhancing muscle size and strength. Here’s how to do bicep curls: To do bicep curls, stand with feet hip-width apart. Start by holding the dumbbells down next to the sides of your legs with arms fully extended, a slight bend in the elbow, and palms facing forward. Bend your elbows and curl your dumbbells up to your shoulders, make sure your bicep curl all the way to the top. Lower the weights back down making sure to straighten your arms until they are next to your legs where you started. 2. Hammer Curl Hammer curls emphasize the brachialis muscle, increasing the overall thickness of the upper arm. Here’s how to do a hammer curl: Stand with feet hip width apart with core engaged, weights resting at sides with palms facing in. Curl the dumbbells up, thumbs on top, until they reach shoulders. Lower to start position with control. 3. Push-Up Punch Doing push-up punches will engage the biceps along with the chest and shoulders, improving functional strength and stability. Here’s how to do a push-up punch: Begin in a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your feet together, and your body in a straight line. Position your feet hip width apart or slightly narrower. Keeping your body straight, bend your arms to lower your body toward the floor. Straighten your arms to push your body back up into plank position as you punch your right arm forward.  Return your hand to the floor, lower back to the bottom of your push-up and repeat punching with left arm. 4. Tricep Overhead Extension While primarily targeting the triceps, overhead extensions also engage the biceps for stabilization, enhancing arm endurance. Here’s how to do tricep overhead extensions: Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbells straight overhead and keeping your spine long and abs tight. Bend elbows lowering dumbbells behind the base of the head. Keep your elbows hugging in towards your head and pointing forward. Then extend your arms long returning to your starting position working the triceps. 5. Tricep Dips Tricep dips primarily work the triceps but also engage the biceps and forearms for stabilization, improving overall upper arm strength. Here’s how to do tricep dips: Start seated with knees bent and feet on the floor. Place hands behind you, directly under the shoulders, with finger facing your hips. Lift hips to a hover. Bend elbow straight back and use your triceps to press back up. This is one of the most challenging but best bicep exercises because it uses your own bodyweight to sculpt your upper body. Beginner’s Tips For Using Dumbbells Most of the moves in this 10-minute bicep workouts for women will require dumbbells. If you’re not currently using weights, here are some basics on arm workouts with dumbbells. 1. Use the Right Amount of Weight Many biceps workouts for women say to use light weights to avoid “bulking up.” But here’s the truth: it would be pretty hard for you to bulk up unless you were eating massive amounts of protein and are lifting weights 24/7. The best biceps workout for women uses resistance to help your bicep muscles grow! Now, what constitutes a “heavy” weight for you? Everyone is a little different. Start out with 8 pounds; if that is doable, go to 10, 12, etc. If you’re struggling to decide, check out the guide I wrote on when to increase your weights! 2. Focus on Form When you’re lifting weights, you want to go heavy enough that you’re working hard. But this doesn’t mean you should sacrifice on form. Focusing on the correct form for your bicep exercises will help make sure you’re building muscle without causing injury. From the starting position to the end, move

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Hula Hoop Workout: Burn Calories While Having Fun

Hula Hoop Workout: Burn Calories While Having Fun Discover the transformative power of hula hoop workouts for weight loss. This fun form of low-impact cardio exercise will enhance your overall health while slimming your waistline. If you’re sick of doing the same old exercise routine day in and day out, it’s time to shake things with a hula hoop workout! My first encounter with a weighted hula hoop was a decade ago with the ladies from Hoopnotica. I did a hula hoop workout for 30 minutes straight, and my abs were so sore the next day….I was hooked! Hula hoop workouts provide a similar heart rate and calorie burn as boot camp classes, step aerobics, and cardio kickboxing. And these workouts pack a serious punch! You’ll burn approximately 210 calories per 30 minute session. Ready to give it a try? Here’s my calorie burning hula hoop workout that will keep you smiling as you exercise! My Hula Hoop Workout Follow the instructions below for my heart pumping hula hoop workout that will burn calories just as effectively as other types of cardio exercise! This workout includes a short warm up followed by 3 sets of hula hoop exercises. Keep scrolling to see my recommendations for choosing your hula hoop. [adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Hdv5RPZO” upload-date=”2021-07-14T02:59:39.000Z” name=”Hula Hoop Workout” description=”Try this 25-Minute cardio workout using just your bodyweight and a hula hoop! ” player-type=”static”] Hula Hoop Warm Up (4 Minutes) Always remember to warm up your body as needed. Complete the following exercises to get warmed up and ready for your hula workout: 1 Minute Jumping Jacks 1 Minute Walking Lunges 1 Minute Squats 1 Minute Hula Hoop around your waist Take a 30 seconds rest before starting the bulk of the workout. If you need to take a longer warm-up feel free to do the above circuit again or add on any other movements. Hula Hoop Workout SET 1: Follow this set of exercises for the first set of this hula hoop workout: 1 Minute – Hula Hoop around your waist 1 Minute – Jump Through the Hoop (like a jump rope) 1 Minute – 2 Feet Hops Forward and Back* Repeat Circuit x 2 Sets Take a 30 second rest *To Perform 2 Feet Hops Forward and Back: Step 1: Place the Hula Hoop down on the ground Step 2: Start by standing behind the Hula Hoop Step 3: Hop with 2 feet into the center of the Hula Hoop Step 4: Hop with 2 feet forward over the top of the Hula Hoop Step 5: Then repeat with 2 feet hopping back into the center of the Hula Hoop Step 6: Finally, jump with 2 feet back again, back to the starting position of behind the Hula Hoop Continue this pattern, hopping with 2 feet forward and back for the full minute. Hula Hoop Workout SET 2:  Follow this set of exercises for the second set of this hula hoop workout: 1 Minute – Hula Hoop around your waist 1 Minute – 2 Feet Hops Side to Side* 1 Minute – Hula Hoop around your waist Repeat Circuit x 2 Sets 30 Second Rest *To Perform 2 Feet Hops Side to Side: Step 1: Place the Hula Hoop down on the ground Step 2: Start by standing on one side of the Hula Hoop (right or left side; it does not matter) Step 3: Hop with 2 feet into the center of the Hula Hoop Step 4: Hop with 2 feet forward over the opposite side of the Hula Hoop Step 5: Then repeat with 2 feet hopping back into the center of the Hula Hoop Step 6: Finally, jump with 2 feet back again, back to the starting position of the side of the Hula Hoop Continue this pattern, hopping with 2 feet from side to side for the full minute Hula Hoop Workout SET 3:  Follow this set of exercises for the third set of this hula hoop workout: 1 Minute – Hula Hoop around your waist 1 Minute – Hula Hoop Squats* 1 Minute – Line Jumping** 1 Minute – Hula Hoop around your waist Repeat Circuit x 2 Sets *To Perform Hula Hoop Squats: Step 1: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart (squat position) Step 2: Hold the Hula Hoop overhead with straight arms (in an overhead press position) Tip/ Modification: If the overhead press position is too much with the squat, bring the arms slightly forward at an angled position. Or you can bring the Hula Hoop straight out in front of you. By bringing the Hula Hoop overhead, you are forced to use more core in your squat position. Step 3: Continuously perform squats for 1 straight minute, keeping the arms extended overhead **To Perform Hula Hoop Line Jumping: Step 1: Place the Hula Hoop on the ground Step 2: Start behind the Hula Hoop Step 3: Place the right foot into the center of the Hula Hoop, then bring the left foot into the center next to the right foot. Step 4: Return the right foot back to the back of the Hula Hoop, allowing the left leg to follow along. Step 5; Continue this pattern in and out of the Hula Hoop for 1 straight minute. Line Jumping Pattern = Right Foot, Left Foot (into the center of the Hula Hoop), Right Foot, Left Foot (to the back of the Hula Hoop) What Muscles Do Hula Hoop Workouts Target? The hula hoop workout will primarily target your core muscles! Along with your abs, your thighs and glutes are getting toned. Your lower back muscles are getting put to work as well by supporting and stabilizing your posture while you spin your hoop. The best part is that you are also secretly sculpting your waistline while you are simultaneously laughing and doing aerobic exercise. It’s a little bit like riding a bike, the movement comes back to you in the first 10 minutes, and the weighted hoop is entirely different than

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