This month we have decided to start our athletic tip of the week; it will include things such as workouts, stretches, tips and suggestions. With March being woman’s history month, we’ve decided start our athletic tip series with a workout routine more directed toward the ladies. Women usually have different problem areas, different fitness goals and have to design their workout programs accordingly. However anybody can do these workouts. Whether its school, work, kids, or all of the above, most of us here at Cerritos College don’t have the time to fit a two-hour gym session into our day. So a quick workout you can do at home with little to no equipment is more than ideal. Here is an easy routine you can do to workout your lower body. 

Any workout should be started out with a warm-up, an easy 5 minute light jog should be sufficient followed by another 5-10 minute stretch to avoid any injuries.  These exercises could be done with lighter weights of about 10-15 lbs in each hand or no weight at all depending on your strength and skill level. Do a set of each, one after the other, stretching in between as needed until you are done.

Calf Raise: With the dumbbells at your side, stand on the edge of a step or small ledge so that your heels fall off the back and your toes are holding you up. Slowly lower your heels down as far as they go. Slowly push yourself up using your toes and tense the calf muscles. Pause at this top position for one second and repeat. Do 5 sets of 12.

Squats: Cross your arms holding the weights at your shoulders.  Keep legs a bit wider than shoulder width and your back straight. Squat down to a point where your upper legs are almost parallel with the floor as if sitting in a chair. Pause for a brief second then push back up to standing position.  Do 4 sets of 10.

Lunges: Stand with your feet together and hold the dumbbells at your side.  Keeping your back straight, slowly step forward with your left leg so your knee is bent at about a 90-degree angle. Step your leg back to starting position and repeat with your right leg. To avoid injury, don’t let your knees touch the ground.  Do 4 sets of 15.

By keeping the reps high you will tone and firm the muscle you already have instead of building new muscle mass. Low weight will prevent an increase in size in the muscle. The more lean muscle mass you have the more body fat you will burn during the day and even in your sleep. As your technique gets better you can add some more sets and increase the weight.  Make sure to pick up next weeks issue of Talon Marks for our women’s upper body workout.