A couple of weeks ago, Mari and I started a little health project over here. Mari’s goal is to get into a better shape that, for her, means improving her cardiovascular health, get stronger and alleviate the annoying back pain. I talked a bit more about her goals and our work in this post.

But it’s not only about physique, because she also wants to get back to her true, energetic nature!

I’m really proud of Mari. She is serious about her training, has worked hard and sees some results already. Physical changes take time, but she says that her mental energy and mindset are better already after two weeks of training. Here’s what she has to say:

Training in general has already affected positively to my mood and energy level. Both VERY important things to keep me motivated to continue!

That's important, because consistency is what the results depend on.

Get Creative

One very cool thing about Mari is her creativity. She works out outdoors, mostly in her backyard or even in the nearby forest. Isn't it cool?

The other day, she used pieces of log for her exercises. Why not? Anything works! Do the fun stuff. Never think you look weird when you are doing something different than others. Instead, be proud of it!

Don’t Let the Weather Stop You

The weather doesn’t matter either, if you really want to get your workout done. Let’s face it: It’s really easy to use the weather as an excuse to skip you sweat sesh. Don't let it happen.

Okay, it’s not fun to work out when it’s pouring rain or when the temperatures drop below zero, but if the conditions are not all that extreme, working out in fresh air is going to make you feel so much better than going to a stuffy gym.

And if it really is freezing cold out there, you can still do your workout. The comfort of your own home is always there. Most of the workouts in the plan that I have put together for Mari don’t require too much space, so even a tiny apartment will work.

This Week: Focus on Core Strength

In the past months, Mari has experienced some back pain, which she believes is a result of long hours of sitting in front of the computer. Her back and core area in general need to be strengthened, and that’s exactly what we will focus on this and next week’s workouts.

Not only though – the body is one unit and all its pieces are connected to one another. Sure, there can be focus on one thing, but it's always useful to add in at least couple of movements to strengthen other areas of the body too. I'm a huge fan on big compound movements and in general, try to incorporate them into every workout.

Today’s workout is divided into two parts. The main focus of part one is core and number two, lower body.

The Workouts

“No Crunches” Core Workout

If you are not a big fan of sit ups and crunches, but still want to strengthen the deeper core muscles, this workout is for you. You will be doing the following exercises:

3 rounds of

20 Plank Toe Touches

20 Dead Bugs

20 Bird Dogs

20 Plank Knee Touches

20 Split Leg V-Ups

Bonus: 45 seconds “Bicycle ride”

See the video for the details on how to perform each exercise.

 

“Strong Legs” Lower Body Work

The second part of the workout is short and sweet, consisting of only two exercises. You will be doing a combination of side and front lunges, followed by side kicks.

Make sure to do the kicks as fast as you can, and stay in a low position all the time to really feel the burn in your quads!

Here are the exercises: