Break a Sweat: Upper and Lower Body Workouts from Personal Trainer Easton Johnson

This shelter-in-place-approved workout routine can be completed in 30 minutes or less, no bulky gym equipment required

By Andrew Hoge April 13, 2020

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Last week, we kicked off our dive into at-home fitness with a round-up of virtual fitness classes and workout tips from local pros. For those looking to work out on your own time, no class required, personal trainer Easton Johnson has put together this simple, straightforward routine. “There’s always something nice about crossing something off your list,” Johnson says, of working out at home. This workout is broken down into upper- and lower-body circuits; Johnson suggests performing each exercise for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of rest, and aim to complete five rounds total of each circuit.

Upper Body

Mountain Climbers
Keep your core engaged as you hold a push-up position. Alternate raising knees up under your chest.

Crab/Reach
Start in a crab position with both arms and feet on the floor. Hold your backside slightly off the ground. Alternate reaching arm upward.

Push-Ups (with rotation)
Perform one push-up, then rotate to a side plank, reaching one arm to the sky.

Push-Up Shoulder Touch
Perform a push-up, then take one hand and tap the opposite shoulder; perform another push-up and switch hands and shoulder.

Plank
Resting on forearms and toes, keep your core engaged—envision pushing your belly button through to your spine.

Lower Body

Prisoner Squats
Similar to regular squats, but place your hands behind your head.

Curtsey Squats
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Take a step back with your right leg and cross it behind your left. Bend both knees until the hip is parallel to the ground. Keep the core engaged and elevate, bringing the right leg back to the starting position. Now take your left leg and do the same behind the right. That’s one rep.

Glute Bridges
Lying on your back, with knees bent and feet on the floor, push through your heels and raise your hips until you feel tension in your glutes and hamstrings. Bring hips back down to the ground.

Kickbacks
On hands and knees, kick one leg straight back and flex your glute muscle.

Hydrants
On your hands and knees, lift one knee off the ground laterally until there is tension in that glute muscle. Bring knee back down to starting position.

Donkey Kicks
On your hands and knees, kick your heel up while keeping your leg at a 90-degree angle. Raise your leg until you feel tension in your glute muscle.