Are you looking to start 2024 off on the right foot? Check out this workout for your New Year’s Day! Complete 8-12 repetitions of each exercise beginning with the first one and then move on to the next week. At the end of the circuit repeat 2-4 times depending on your energy or your time available.
Goblet Squat
Taking a dumbbell or kettlebell in your hands, hold it close to your chest and reach your hips backwards like you are reaching your butt back towards an imaginary chair behind you. Keep your weight evenly distributed throughout your feet. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor or a 90 degree bend at the knee (not everyone will be able to get this initially and that’s okay, if you don’t have it yet just ensure you are focusing on range of motion when you practice your squatting movements). Ensure that you keep your chest high as you drop down into position. At the bottom of the movement, drive through your feet evenly and stand back up to your start position.
Dumbbell Bent Over Row
Begin taking one dumbbell in each hand with a shoulder to hip width stance. Hinge at the hips leaning forward and sticking your butt out. Your spine should remain tall when you do these and there should be no rounding other than the natural curves of your spine. Begin with your arms hanging straight down from this hinged position. Start the movement by rowing your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together (imagine there is a pencil between your shoulder blades and you are trying to hold it in place. Ensure your core is engaged and your spine stays tall as you row the elbows back. In a controlled manner lower the dumbbells back down to your start position.
Banded Hamstring Curl
Start the exercise by anchoring your band securely around a sturdy object close to the floor (this should be something that is heavy enough that you aren’t going to have to worry about pulling it over). Laying down on the floor on your stomach loop the band around your ankles (you can either loop it over your leggings/pants, or use a small towel to prevent the band from rubbing on the skin if that bothers you). Ensure that when your legs are fully outstretched there is a small amount of tension in the band. Begin the movement by curling your heels towards your butt while keeping your hip bones in contact with the floor (if your hips are lifting off the floor try decreasing the resistance). Curl your heels as far as you can towards your butt while squeezing in the back of your legs (hamstrings). At the end range of motion return to full extension in a controlled manner.
Dumbbell Chest Press
Lying on a bench or the floor, take a dumbbell in each hand. Bend at the elbow keeping your elbows closer to the body and avoid flaring them to the side (they don’t need to be glued to your side, just avoid having chicken wings straight out to the side). Ensure that you lower the dumbbells at the same pace keeping your hands together. At the bottom of the movement push the dumbbells away from your chest to the start position with full extension of the elbows (you don’t need to lock your elbows out at the top).
Dumbbell Split Squat
Taking a dumbbell in each hand begin with one foot behind you. Bending the back knee towards the floor and your front knee lower into a lunge position allowing yourself to lean forward slightly as you drop. The goal is to reach a 90 degree angle at the front knee, however you may not have that range of motion at first (do what you can and focus on striving for the 90 degrees). At the end range of motion drive evenly through your front foot to return to standing and your start position.
Lateral Raise
Standing tall with your core tight and your spine neutral, take a dumbbell in each hand and allow them to hang at your sides. Activating through the deltoid (shoulder), lift the weights out to the side to the level of your shoulders. Your arms should be at a slight angle to the front of your body instead of straight out to the side. Lower the dumbbells back to your side in a controlled manner.
Dumbbell Glute Bridge
Begin by laying on your back on the floor with a dumbbell positioned on your hips. If the dumbbell is causing pain on your hips try placing a mat between the dumbbell and your hips to provide a bit of cushioning. Begin the movement by lifting your hips towards the sky keeping your core active and driving through evenly through your feet. Your core and glutes should be active through the movement and you should feel a glute squeeze at the top of the movement. Ensure that you fully extend through the hips, but avoid arching in the low back when you do this. At the end range of motion return in a controlled manner to the floor.
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
Take a dumbbell in each hand and engage your core before you start the movement. Bending at the elbow curl the dumbbells up towards your collar bone with your palms facing away from you. At the top of the movement, return to the start position in a controlled manner ensuring full extension of the elbows at the bottom of the movement.
Pallof Press
Begin by anchoring a band securely at about the level of your chest. Place one hand through the loop on the band and place your opposite hand over top of the first hand. Position your feet about hip width apart and begin with your hands at your chest level. Engaging through your core (think shoulders to glutes when I say core here) press the band straight out away from your chest to full extension. Your body will want to be pulled towards the band but the goal of this exercise to fight that and maintain your upright posture. Once you have reached full extension bring your hands back to your chest in a controlled manner.
Pallof Press + Rotation
Begin by anchoring a band securely at about the level of your chest. Place one hand through the loop on the band and place your opposite hand over top of the first hand. Position your feet about hip width apart and begin with your hands at your chest level. Engaging through your core (think shoulders to glutes when I say core here) press the band straight out away from your chest to full extension. Your body will want to be pulled towards the band but the goal of this exercise to fight that and maintain your upright posture. Once you have reached full extension pivot on your foot closest to the anchor point and rotate away from the anchor point as far as you can maintaining good posture. At the end range of motion rotate back to your center position and bring your hands back to your chest in a controlled manner.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for video demonstrations of all these workouts.
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