Commercial Break Exercise!

Do you find yourself watching TV in the evening and saying these words to yourself: “sitting on this couch is doing nothing but wreaking havoc on my body, but I just can’t muster up enough energy to go to the gym? That would require just too much effort.” A quick way to get a workout in and thus make good use of your time involves toning your butt and legs. This exercise is called the donkey kick. At every commercial break during a 30 minute segment get on the floor and do 2-3 sets of this exercise. Not only will you feel less guilty about not going to the gym, but you will get a great lower body exercise in without leaving your living room. Here is how:

1. Start by getting on your hands and knees with your shoulder lining up over your wrist, and your knees lining up under your hips.
2. Look towards the floor in order to keep your spine in a neutral position parallel to the floor.
3. Shift your weight to one side. Bend your knee and extend your leg backward in a kick (just like a donkey). Make sure your foot is flexed and not pointed.
4. Slowly return to the starting position, repeating the same movement on the opposite side.
5. Perform 15 – 30 repetitions for 2-3 sets.

Tips: Don’t let your stomach drop to the floor when you extend your leg, creating an arch in your low back. You can also add weight to your ankle to help increase the resistance and maximize the burn in your buns. To view more exercises like these, visitLiveLiving’s eMagazine.