Get Strong, Fit, and Fabulous in 4 Weeks

Strength Workout 2

1. Dynamic Lunge

Target: Hamstrings, Quads, Glutes

• Stand with feet parallel and shoulder-distance apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
• Lunge forward with right leg, bending right knee 90 degrees and bringing left knee close to ground.
• From this position, explosively push off right foot and return to start.
• Switch legs and repeat.

Keep it easy: Don't use any weights; make the movement less explosive.

Challenge yourself: Hold a body bar or barbell across your shoulders.

2. Opposite Arm/Leg Lifts

Target: Back, Abs, Glutes

• Lie facedown on a stability ball with hands and toes touching the floor.
• Tighten your abs and glutes, and simultaneously raise your left arm and right leg.
• Switch legs and arms, then repeat.

Keep it easy: Do the exercise on the floor on all fours, without the ball.

Challenge yourself: Add ankle and hand weights.

3. Step Up

Target: Quads, Glutes

Place right foot on a bench or step (if possible, find a bench or step that's slightly above knee height).

Pushing through your right heel, straighten leg, bringing left leg toward right (don't let your left foot touch the step). Lower left foot toward floor without touching, then straighten right leg again. Do 12 to 15 reps; switch sides.

Keep it easy: Touch the top of the step and the floor with each rep.

Challenge yourself: Hold dumbbells with arms at sides.

4. Prone Jackknife

Target: Abs

• Get into a push-up position with hands on floor aligned under shoulders.
• Place feet on a stability ball with legs extended, abs pulled in toward spine for balance.
• Slowly draw knees in toward your chest without twisting your spine or shifting your hips.
• Roll ball back to start with your feet and repeat.

Keep it easy: Lie with back on top of ball and do crunches.

Challenge yourself: Lift hips toward ceiling in an inverted V.