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Happy Chinese New Year and Gong Xi Fatt Cai to all. I have been looking forward to CNY since a month ago ‘cause CNY is my favorite festive season! We get to enjoy dishes that we don’t normally eat at home like those CNY biscuits, BBQ dried meat, and all sorts of other fattening snacks, hahaha. I told myself you’re only allowed to eat whatever you want during CNY so make it count! As most of you should know I have been hitting the gym and eating healthily since a year ago so usually I will try to avoid eating oily and fattening food on a daily basis.

But since it’s CNY I told myself I’m allowed to eat whatever I want so I’m taking it as a little holiday for my body! The scariest part of the holiday is that I will have to pick up everything and go back to my normal routine when I’m back from my CNY break. I’m not sure about you but I always feel nervous and demotivated to go back to the gym after a short break. I feel that my body is not ready to sweat and my brain is telling me NO to all the running and jumping.

I have experienced this a few times before and usually it happens after a short break so I sort of created my own little circuit to do before I hit the gym from a break. I usually do this circuit at home or the night before I go to the gym. It helps to warm up my body a little and also give myself a mental preparation that it’s about time to go back to my usual routine. To those who made their 2016 resolution to be healthier or workout more, this is something you can use too  =)

The circuit that I put together is pretty simple and can be done at home without using any equipment. You can do it anytime and anywhere too =) It’s pretty simple, all you need to do is to follow each workout that I listed for example if it’s written 15 reps means you repeat the same workout for 15 times. Repeat the whole circuit (7 workouts) 3 – 4 times. Take a short 1 min break in between circuits.

*Before you begin please make sure that you run on a spot for 1-2 mins to warm up your body a little.

R you ready?

JUMPING ROPE

JUMPING ROPE X 50 reps

Instruction-

Swing the rope upwards and over your head through small rotations in the wrist. As the rope is about to touch the floor, quickly jump upwards to allow the rope to swing under your feet and behind your body.

SQUATS

SQUATS X 20 reps

Instruction-

1. Stand tall with your feet hip width apart and your arms down by your side
2. Start to lower your body back as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees and pushing your body weight into your heels
3. As you are lowering into the squat your arms will start to raise out in front of you for balance
4. Keep a neutral spine at all times and never let your knees go over your toes
5. The lower body should be parallel with the floor and your chest should be lifted at all times not rounded.
6. Pause then lift back up in a controlled movement to the starting position

JUMP LUNGES

JUMPING LUNGES X 30 reps (15 each side)

1. Start in a split stance position, your torso upright, and your knees about bent at a 90-degree angle. Push your chest out and lower your rear knee toward the ground in a lunge while keeping your front shin
2. Push explosively off the ground, jumping and switching the position of your legs while in mid-air, landing into the lunge position with the opposite leg forward. Repeat, switching legs on each jump.

BURPEES

BURPESES X 15 reps

1. Begin in a standing position.
2. Drop down into a squat position with your hands on the ground.
3. Extend your feet back in one quick motion to assume the front plank position.
4. Return to the squat position in one quick motion.
5. Then jump straight into the air as high as possible.

PLANK

PLANK x 1 min

1. Start by placing your forearms (elbow to wrist) firmly on the floor and linking your fingers together.
2. Raise your hips and torso off of the ground and rest on the balls of your feet, ensuring that your elbos are directly bgelow your shoulders as shown.
3. Brace your abdominals and ensure that your body reminds in one straight line from head to toe as shown.

PUSHUP

PUSHUP X 15 reps

1. Begin on all fours placing your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your body should form a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders. Squeeze your abs as tight as possible and keep them contracted for the entire exercise.
2. Lower your body as low as you can, making sure that you tuck your elbows close to the sides of your torso. Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position.

AB BIKES

AB BIKES X 30reps (15 each side)

1. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put your hands beside your head. Be careful however to not strain with the neck as you perform it. Now lift your shoulders into the crunch position.
2. Bring knees up to where they are perpendicular to the floor, with your lower legs parallel to the floor. This will be your starting position.
3. Now simultaneously, slowly go through a cycle pedal motion kicking forward with the right leg and bringing in the knee of the left leg. Bring your right elbow close to your left knee by crunching to the side, as you breathe out.
4. Go back to the initial position as you breathe in.
5. Crunch to the opposite side as you cycle your legs and bring closer your left elbow to your right knee and exhale.
6. Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.

Congrats, you are done with your work out and burned off some of the calories from CNY!

It feels good to sweat and get your heart pumping after a workout right? I sort of like the feeling of sweating and sore muscles after my daily routine, I feel motivated and accomplished!

Last but not least, remember to keep your body hydrated at all times ya! If you feel dizzy throughout the workout just stop whatever you’re doing and take a deep breathe, just sit down and rest for a few minutes =)

Give yourself a shoulder pat because you are one step closer to accomplishing your 2016 resolutions!

HAVE FUN!!!

♥