If you’re anything like me, during the year you get super busy, and you have to prioritize what you spend your time on. Unfortunately, usually the first thing to go for me is fitness. If I don’t have time to go to the gym, I’m not going to work out.
Staying healthy can look different for each person, but a big part of that is staying active. I looked to my friend, Nikki, to help us out with tips on how to stay fit in the comfort of your own living room (or kitchen).
Nikki is a senior industrial design major at SCAD, along with an active member of the SCAD track team. Nikki is known for her many hairstyles, girlboss work ethic, and making fitness look chic as hell.
Nikki so kindly let me come work out with her in her kitchen the morning of her track meet. Here are some techniques you can do for a home exercise routine:
1. Lunge
“Lunges, you should be doing about 20 on each leg. It helps with balance a lot, I find. It’s mainly for leg strength, but also helps with balance. Once you have your form down, you can add weight with hand weights, or even household objects.”
2. Squat
“You are focusing on keeping your weight behind your knees. Focus on your form for this one. Try doing 10 of them, and jumping when you come up, that way you can fall into the position, giving your legs a deeper stretch.”
3. Front Plank
“You should be holding this for a minute. You really want to make sure you keep your butt down, so your whole body is in a parallel plank position. It’s hard, but you’re going to want to keep doing it to build your core up. You need to focus on your core strength before you can do any other type of weight lifting.”
4. Side Plank
“Hold your side plank for 30 seconds on each side, and make sure you keep your body aligned, with your supporting arm directly under your shoulder at a right angle. This also works your core, and helps improve your balance.”
5. Superman
“To do a Superman, you’re laying flat on the ground, and then you bring your legs and shoulders off the ground, into the air. Do 20 of these, helping strengthen your core.”
6. Russian Twist
“Your butt is the only thing on the ground, with your legs crossed, and twisting your torso side-to-side, holding your core tight. Do 20 of these, 10 on each side. You should really feel the burn after these sets.”
7. Toe-touches
“You’re working your core again with these toe-touches. You need to reach for your toes, bringing your shoulders off the floor, and keeping your legs straight.”
8. Cross Crunch
“For this one, you’re crossing one leg over the other, and bringing your elbow to your opposite knee. Do 10 of these on each side, working your core, yet again.” (she told you core was important!)
9a. Donkey Kick
“You’re really working your glutes in this exercise. Hold your core tight as you extend your leg backward.”
9b. Side Donkey Kick
“Similar to the last, extend your leg sideways, holding your core tight. Do each form (donkey kick and side donkey kick) 10 times on each side. Don’t compromise your form. If you feel that you can’t go on, stop and take a break instead of keep going with an incorrect form. These gets challenging quickly, so don’t feel bad if you need to take a breather in-between reps.”
10. Push-Up
“You really want to focus on keeping your body in line, and your elbows pointed inwards when you push your body weight up. Doing a push-up sounds simple, but it really does work your arm muscles well. Do 2 sets of 10.”
Words of wisdom from Nikki: Consistency is key. Create a schedule, and do these exercises at least every other day. Once you get in shape, it’s super easy to get out of shape. If you miss a week, it can set you back a month. So have your workout fitted to your daily routine. It only takes 30 (sometimes less) minutes of your day, and you will benefit so much from it.
If you want more Nikki inspiration, check out her Instagram @n_ikkii, and check out her professional website nicolekkurtz.com.
Zany Lady 