A Guide to an Inexpensive Workout

I have designed a workout for those who either do not like the traditional gym, or who cannot afford a membership. You will need flexible clothing and a set of at least 5 pound dumbbells. It may help to have a gym mat or carpeted workout area and a workout buddy. 

Here is a schedule of what components of fitness you will want to employ in your weekly workout session using the FITT principle.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
CRE                30 min	MS/ME           8 to 12 reps	CRE                30 min	MS/ME           8 to 12 reps	CRE                30 min	MS/ME           8 to 12 reps	CRE                30 min
FL                       2 to 4 reps	FL                       2 to 4 reps	FL                       2 to 4 reps	FL                       2 to 4 reps	FL                       2 to 4 reps	FL                       2 to 4 reps	FL                       2 to 4 reps

CRE is Cardio Respiratory Endurance

MS is Muscular Strength / ME is Muscular Endurance

FL is Flexibility

To begin any workout it is good to start with a warm up followed by some stretching and limbering movements. I also recommend that you follow up the workout session with more flexibility movements. 

For FL component: Remember to breath slowly and deeply, and never stretch far enough so you feel pain. You should hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.

Head Roll: Sit or stand with your back straight. Lay your head toward one shoulder and hold for 20 sec. Roll your head until your chin is aligned with your chest and hold for 20 sec. Roll your head toward the other shoulder and hold for 20 sec.

Chest & Biceps: Stand or sit upright. Interlace your fingers behind your back and straighten your arms. Lift arms up behind you while keeping your back straight and your shoulders down and relaxed. 

Triceps: Stand or sit upright. Place your right elbow in your left hand. Reach your right arm overhead, placing palm on the center of your back and supporting the elbow in your left hand. Reach your fingertips down your spine. Keep the shoulders relaxed. Repeat with other arm.

Quads: Stand tall, holding on to a chair or wall for balance if needed. Keep your feet hip width apart, your back straight and feet parallel. Reach back and grab your left foot in your left hand, keeping your thighs lined up next to each other and left leg in line with the hip (not pulled back behind you). Repeat on other side. 

Hamstrings: Stand with back straight, abs engaged, shoulders down and feet hip width apart. Bring your left leg forward, heel down, toes up and leg straight. Bend the right knee as if sitting back, while supporting yourself with both hands on your thighs. Repeat on other side. 

Back: Get on hands and knees with your hands shoulder width apart, knees hip width apart, and back flat. Engage your abs and round your back toward ceiling. Allow the head and neck to fall naturally. 

Hip & Gluts: Lie on your back with your legs extended and your back straight. Keep your hips level and your lower back down on the floor. Bend your right knee, placing right foot flat on the floor. Cross your left ankle at your right knee. Grab the back of your right thigh and hug your legs toward your chest. Place your left elbow on the inner portion of your left knee and push it slightly to the side. Repeat on other side.

For CRE component: Running on the beach or dirt path, preferably with an incline, swimming or biking.Fast stepping on stairs, any where you can find them. (CSUSM has a bunch of stairs to explore) Remember to breathe.

For MS/ME component:

For Strength good exercises are squats, seated calf raises, abdominal crunches, push ups and dumbbell flies. Remember these are exercises using weights and low rep count. (8)

Squats: Stand straight and pull your head and shoulders back, chest raised and slight arch in lower back. Hold dumbbells in each hand keeping your arms loose at your sides. Place your feet shoulder width apart. Take a deep breath, keep knees in line with feet, contract abs and descend until thighs are parallel with ground bending at the hip. Reverse direction and drive upward, not bouncing. 

Push ups: Get on the ground and set your hands shoulder width apart. Your feet can also be shoulder width apart or together, whichever is more comfortable. Keep your body in a straight line, clench your abs and gluts, head looking slightly ahead. At the top, arms are straight supporting your weight. Steadily lower yourself until your elbows are at 90 degrees or less. When your chest hits the floor, push back up to the top.  

Dumbbell flies: Grab two dumbbells and lie on your back on a bench. Support weights above chest with arms slightly bent. Rotate shoulders so elbows point out to sides. Lower weights to sides until elbows are fixed into a slightly bent position, stretching chest muscles. Bring weights together in hugging motion until weights almost touch.

For Endurance good exercises are body-weight squats, abdominal crunches, pull ups, and free weight exercises. Remember these are exercises using light or no weights and high rep count. (12)

Squats: Stand straight and pull your head and shoulders back, chest raised and slight arch in lower back. Take a deep breath, keep knees in line with feet, contract abs and descend until thighs are parallel with ground bending at the hip. Reverse direction and drive upward, not bouncing.

Calf Raises: This works well on a low step, use a railing for balance if needed. Keep knees slightly bent and not locked & toes facing forward. Raise your heels extending your ankles and flexing your calf. Hold for a second and go slowly back down. Lower your heels and stretch the calf. Hold for a second and slowly go back up. Breathe in on the way down and out  on the way up. 

Crunches: Lie on your back on the floor. Bend your knees with your feet shoulder width apart and either flat on the floor or suspended in air. Cross your arms on your chest. Keep looking at the ceiling and curl your back lifting your shoulders off the floor toward the ceiling using your abs only. Exhale as you go up and inhale when you go down. Remember to relax your abs between crunches. You can also raise one shoulder at a time, alternating sides with each crunch. 

Remember to breathe and have fun. Don't overdo it, you want to help your body, not hurt it!