When my family was in town last week, I learned many things. Including a fun jumping-jack workout! It takes 10-15 minutes to complete and works the whole body. It’s a great way to jump start the day with a quick morning workout, or to do when you don’t have much time to spare.
When I was in Chicago over the weekend, my days were packed with activities, and I didn’t have much gym time. This workout was easy to do, and you don’t need any fancy equipment to do it.
Now you have no excuse to not workout! Muahahahaaa!
My aunt taught me this workout. You complete fifty jumping jacks and fifty exercises. For each round after that, the reps decrease by five. At the end, cool down with your favorite stretches. The first time I did this, I was sore the next day! Jumping jacks work a muscle that I really don’t use that often.
NOTES:
- Crunches: Do not strain your neck. May be completed with legs in the air or on ground.
- Squats: Do not squat with knees over toes. Squat in 90* angle. If you cannot do this the first time, try using a chair as a guide.
- Bicycle Crunch: On the ground with legs in 90* angle in air with head up and arms behind head. Bring opposite elbow to opposite knee. 35 each leg.
- Curtsy squats: bring one leg behind and squat like a curtsy. 30 each leg.
- Pushups: Feel free to start from your knees.
- Knee Pulls: Start with arms up and bring one leg up while pulling arms down. 20 each leg.
- Mountain Climbers: start in plank and bring knees to chest. Should be completed quickly.
- Burpees: Start in Plank and jump knees towards hands. Jump up. Go back to plank. (This is one rep).
- Feel free to change the workouts up a bit! Do kick box-punches instead of jumping jacks, pull ups instead of burpees, etc.
Giveaway Time!
Henley from SlimKicker would like to give one of these Digital Measuring Cup and Scale to one Spoonful of Sugar Free reader. This is for all your hard work, everyone!
How to Enter:
This Giveaway is now Closed.
There are multiple ways to win. Please leave a separate comment below for each entry.
- Answer this question: How do you keep yourself motivated to stay fit?
- Subscribe to Spoonful of Sugar Free by entering your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the right. Or follow by RSS, google reader, etc. **Please note that if you were subscribed to me before, you may no longer be subscribed because I switched my site servers.
- Like me on facebook.
- Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Can be something like, “I want to win @Bobs_Red_Mill coconut flour @SugarFreeAlex http://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2012/02/26/chocolate-peanut-butter-cake-giveaway/ ”
- Follow SlimKicker on twitter.
- Follow me on Pinterest and Pin something of mine.
- Blog about this giveaway on your blog.
Giveaway ends Sunday, March 25th at Midnight.
Good luck!
P.S. If you are in need of some motivation, check out SlimKicker.com. They offer a calorie counter, and challenges that keep you motivated. It’s like a level-up game, where you start out as level 1, and gradually level up as you complete harder and harder challenges. (Courtesy of SlimKicker).
That measuring cup is so cool! I think the best way to keep myself motivated is to remind myself of the awesome feeling after I’m done with a great workout!
Welcome back! Glad your trip was awesome.
I am excited by this (always looking for lunch break equipment free workouts) but slightly confused at how this works – so you do 50 jumping jacks then 50 reps of each listed exercise and then 45 jumping jacks and 45 of each…40…35…30…25…20…15…10…5?
Yes?
Celeste,
You do 50 jumping jacks, 50 crunches, 45 jumping jacks, 45 squats, 40 jumpin jacks, 40 pushups, etc. I hope this is less confusing! So sorry for the confusion.
What a great idea! The link is broken for the actual workout, but I’d love to see it in full detail =).
Anyway, my students actually motivate me most. I’m a fitness instructor, but the thought of all my students getting up and working hard gets me out of bed and gets me revved up to do MY best!
Haley,
Can you see the pyramid? Sorry for the confusion!!
I stay motivated by signing up for races. I love always having something to train for and a goal to accomplish!
awesome workout, I’ve been into home workouts that don’t involve equipment lately and this fits the bill. I keep myself motivated by thinking of long term benefits for health.
I stay motivated because I feel my best when I am fit and healthy!
I sign up for races to keep up my motivation. I am going out of town for the next couple of days and am going to do the pyramid workout in my hotel room!
Jennifer,
That is exactly what I did, and it was perfect!
I like you on FB!
I also follow you on Pinterest and re-pinned your thin mint recipe
I keep myself motivated to stay fit by eating and sleeping well, when those two are in check, I have enough energy to want to work out.
I love workouts that don’t require leaving the house. I am crazy about my gym, but very rarely, I just don’t want to get myself there!
I keep myself motivated by doing exercises that I love. Then it hardly ever feels like a chore, because I enjoy doing it. And if that doesn’t do the trick, I remind myself that I’ll get to enjoy a delicious smoothie afterwards. =)
I “like” Spoonful of Sugar Free on facebook!
I am following SlimKicker on twitter!
I’m following you on pinterest + i repinned one of your pins!
Also my motivation to staying fit is to live long and feel amazing!
thanks for holding this giveaway! reading blogs is definitely one way for me to stay motivated. it does wonders to know there’s a whole community out there rooting for each other’s progress and health!
i’m also subscribed via rss feeder!
I keep myself motivated to stay fit/workout by remembering how much it boosts my mood/energy!
I’m subscribed via email: happy_haylee_3(at)hotmail(dot)com
like you on facebook
tweeted and following: https://twitter.com/#!/hayleemariex/status/182233130692911105
What motivates me to be fit is the drive to be strong and powerful. Human beings are wicked smart ANIMALS when you get down to it, and we should be physically capable.
But in a different vein… um the ipod and kindle fire with hulu plus! = D
I subscribe via google reader
1. These days, the weather keeps me motivated to stay fit! It has been 70-80 degrees (in Buffalo, in March!!)!
2. I subscribed to your blog via email
3. I liked your Facebook page
4., 5., and 7. I don’t use Twitter and I don’t have a blog (but I love yours!).
6. I followed you on Pinterest and re-pinned your Homemade Peanut Butter Cups!
I keep myself motivated by thinking about all the great endorphin’s I feel after a workout!
I love circuit workouts, so I think I’d love the jumping jacks workout!
I stay motivated by remembering how good I feel after working out and how great it feels to move my body. Once I get going, it always feels better! Staying fit also helps me enjoy the activities I love spending my spare time doing like rock climbing or ski touring!
i stay motivated by remembering that at 70+ lbs heavier, i was always tired and miserable. i don’t want to return to that state!
i tweeted!
https://twitter.com/#!/pace_of_laurel/status/182483024263385088
When I need a little spurt of inspiration, I think about how lucky I am to be able to run and be active because there’s so many people who wish they could but can’t! And I always feel so much better after I work out
I follow you on pinterest and repinned the awesome idea to use a ketchup bottle for pancake batter!
i like you on Facebook!
i am a blog follower!
i follow slimkicker!
My dog keeps me motivated to be active on days when an afternoon naps looks attractive. He won’t take no for an answer when it comes to his walks!
That looks really cool! I stay motivated by rewarding myself with little treats (nothing big… a nice coffee once a week).
Thanks for the giveaway.
tweeted!
repinned cookie dough
i stay motivated by always remembering how good in feel after a great workout and by reading blogs!
My gym friends keep me motivated! I would not have gone today if they hadn’t texted me!!!
I’m motivated to stay fit because of all the adventures I’ve had in the last 2 years while living a healthy lifestyle. I love running half marathons, completing triathlons, etc I don’t ever want to go back to a life where I’m not properly fueling my body and staying active.
I’m now subscribed to your posts.
I stay motivated to stay fit to live a healthy and energized lifestyle! I like to feed my body the right foods it deserves!
I follow you on twitter!
I keep myself motivated by reminding myself how much better I feel when I exercise and eat well!
I have certain songs that I love to workout to, so I put them on and that gets me motivated to move!
I like and follow you on facebook
I follow you on twitter and tweeted
https://twitter.com/#!/Ilovemybeagle2/status/183075334361583617
I Follow SlimKicker on twitter.
ilovemybeagle2
i stay motivated by signing up for races – next one is a 1/2 marathon this sunday!
i follow you on my google reader
I “like” SSF on FB
I “like” spoonful of sugarfree on facebook
i follow you on pinterest and re-pinned the german apple flour pancakes
My motivation to stay fit is the history of diabetes, heart conditions (and a buffet line of myriad diseases to chose from) in my family. I want to avoid all of these for as long as I can (hopefully forever).
My new goal and motivation (in addition to the above) is to complete an Ironman by next year.
I keep myself motivated by reminding myself how much better I will feel better – both physically and mentally. I feel better, eat better, and sleep better! The benefits are worth it
How do I stay motivated? I remind myself that just 6 months ago I was 60 pounds over weight, very unhappy, and breaking out with hives. I did several juice fasts which got rid of the hives (and excess weight!). I now eat VERY cleanly and currently working on ridding my body of Candida. I also work out 6 days a week. I feel so much better about myself. I want to feel vibrant, healthy, and sexy – staying fit helps me feel that way!
Heather,
Congrats on the weight loss and healthy lifestyle!!! That is fabulous ;D
Thanks, Alex! It’s been quite the journey
I just subscribed to your page!
I “liked” you on Facebook not long ago.
My long term health keeps me motivated! Seeing all the disease and problems in my family, I know I have control over my future so it keeps me going! Also, I love working out because it really helps tame my stress, as does cooking. Thanks for your amazing recipes!
What a great workout! I am SO doing this today!
I keep myself motivated by thinking of how good I feel after I’m done!
I just saw that today is the 26th! So you don’t have to add me into the drawing for the measuring cup. But I did want to let you know I subscribed by email. My subscription must have been cut with the switch like you mentioned. (I had been wondering why I wasn’t getting your emails for your posts lately! Now I know why!)
Hey, I really like your blog! But, I was just wondering, around how many calories do you burn doing this workout, and about how long should it take?
THANKS!
Sal,
It really depends from person to person the amount of calories burned, but it should take about 10 minutes.