Kelly Ferguson - Get Fit For Free: Progressive Total Body Home Workouts With No Equipment Needed

Y ou bought this book because you need an effective full-body workout that you can do at home without any expensive exercise equipment. Great! Whether you are a total beginner to exercise or someone who simply wants to stay in shape without shelling out for a monthly gym membership, you will be able to learn these exercises, master them, and grow with them as your fitness level increases.

Each Resistance workout level is designed specifically to target all of your body's major muscle groups for full-body strengthening and sculpting, while the Cardio Interval workout will burn calories and improve your cardiovascular fitness level in as little as fifteen minutes per session.

Start at Resistance Level One if you are a complete beginner to exercise, or if you have pain or mobility issues that affect your ability to exercise. If you are more comfortable with your ability to exercise, you will probably be able to start at Resistance Level Two.

Once you grow stronger and master each movement, move progressively through each level of difficulty. The Cardio Interval workout can be done at any fitness level - just use the optional modifications to make each exercise appropriate for you.

For optimal improvements, do a Resistance workout 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days, and the Cardio Interval workout 1-2 days per week on non-Resistance days.

An example of a schedule for complete beginners might look like this:

M: Resistance workout

T: Rest

W: Cardio Interval workout

Th: Rest

F: Resistance workout

Sat: Rest

Sun: Rest

If you are starting at a higher fitness level, your schedule might look more like this:

M: Resistance workout

T: Cardio Interval workout

W: Resistance workout

Th: Rest

F: Resistance workout

Sat: Cardio Interval workout

Sun: Rest

It's up to you! Just pick a workout and begin.

T his is intended for people new to working out, or those who may have pain or mobility issues limiting the types of exercises they can do. This workout will help develop a basic level of strength and flexibility. Start at the lower end of the time / rep ranges given, and over time try to increase this.

Reps: Stands for "repetitions." This is one single movement within an exercise. For example, to complete eight reps of the Overhead Press exercise, you will need to raise the weight through the full range of motion eight times.

Sets: The total reps completed at one time. For example, if you complete eight reps of the Overhead Press, you have just done one set of eight reps. If you then go on to repeat the whole workout three times total, you will have done three sets of each exercise by the time you are finished.

Things you'll need:

-supportive shoes

-a sturdy wall

-a low step (anything from a stair to a thick, solid book)

-light weights (If you have them, use dumbbells or hand weights. If not, use water bottles, books, etc.)

1) March In Place (2 - 3 minutes)

Stand comfortably with your arms at your sides. Bend your elbows so that your forearms are parallel to the floor, your palms facing down. Begin to march in place. With each step, try to bring your knee up to meet the palm of your hand before lowering your leg again.

2) Arm Circles (2 sets (1 forward, 1 backward) of 20 - 45 seconds for each arm)

Stand comfortably with your arms at your sides. Begin to rotate your shoulder, swinging one arm at a time in a circle through its full range of motion. After a couple of full rotations, hold your arm straight out to your side and continue to move it in circles of just a few inches. Repeat for the other arm. Then do the same thing again, circling in the opposite direction.

3) Hip Circles (15-30 seconds each direction)

Stand comfortably with your hands on your hips. Begin to move your hips in a circle, keeping your hands in place. Repeat going the other direction.

4) Dumbbell Overhead Presses (8-15 reps)

Stand comfortably or sit in a chair with your back straight. Hold a light dumbbell or other weight in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing forward. Extend both arms over your head slowly, reaching as high as you can. Pause for a moment at the top and then bring your arms back down to the starting position.

5) Shallow Squats (5-20 reps)

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. If you have balance issues, brace one arm against a wall or the back of a chair. Keeping your back straight, bend your knees and sink down several inches. Go as low as you feel comfortable. Pause for a moment at the bottom, and then extend your legs again and raise yourself back up to the starting position. Over time, try to deepen the squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground.

6) Wall Pushups (5-20 reps)

Stand facing a wall, slightly more than arm's length away. Lean forward and place both hands on the wall, shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows, letting your body lean closer and closer to the wall. Get as close as you can. Pause for a moment, and then extend your arms back to the starting position.

7) Step-Ups (5-20 reps with each leg)

Stand in front of a step. This can be anything from a stair to a sturdy footstool. Step up onto the surface with one leg. Don't place your other foot on the step - instead, pause for a moment and then lower yourself back down and plant your foot on the ground again. Use higher surfaces for more of a challenge or lower surfaces if you have pain.

8) Dumbbell Floor Presses (8-15 reps)

Lie flat on your back, holding light dumbbells or other weights in each hand. Perform a bench press motion, extending your arms out in front of your body into the air. Pause for a moment at the top, and then lower your arms again until your elbows rest on the floor.

9) Dumbbell Flys (8-15 reps)

Lie flat on your back, holding light dumbbells or other weights in each hand. Extend your arms out in front of you into the air as in the previous motion. This time, however, do not lower your elbows back to the floor. Instead, widen your arms apart and lower your hands toward the floor with your arms almost straight out to your sides (keep a slight bend in the elbow to avoid stressing the joint). Pause for a moment with the weights hovering just above the floor, and then squeeze the chest muscles, raising the weights again, still keeping your elbows nearly straight.

10) Leg Climbs (5-15 reps on each side)

Lie flat on your back with your arms extended over your head and your legs out straight. At the same time, raise one leg and the opposite arm into the air above you. Try to bring your leg as far up as you can with the knee as straight as possible. Using your abdominal muscles, reach and try to touch your hand to your toes (or ankle, or knee, whatever you can reach). Pause in that position for a moment before lowering everything back to the floor.

11) Repeat steps 1-10 if you need more of a challenge

If you can complete this workout three times through at the high end of the rep range given, move on to the Level Two workout.

T hings you'll need:

-supportive shoes

-a light resistance band or hand towel

1) Squats x 15

With feet shoulder width apart and back straight, bend at the knees and hips to let the torso sink down between the legs. Go as low as you comfortably can without feeling stress on your knees or back. You should at least try to make your thighs parallel to the floor at the lowest point in your squat. Slowly, raise yourself back up to a standing position by pushing down through your heels and keeping your back straight.