Back to basics part 2: Forget gym equipment

Last week, I spoke to you about getting back to the basics and helping your body return to its natural healthy state with moves that are natural and organic. The main goal of these exercises is to eschew machines and gadgets and use your body weight and limbs in a manner that are reflective of the way we move and react in our natural environment.

Try and do 20 reps of the below exercise or as many as you can for 60 seconds. Beginners can also try doing these exercises in sets of 3 with 8 reps each.

Lower Body Exercises:

Squats

The other name for the traditional squat is the prisoner squat. This exercise derives its name from the hand behind the head position adopted by prisoners while being moved around. The prisoner squat is good for beginners as the act of placing your hand behind your head forces you to keep your spine straight and encourages a good thoracic extension. Another variation is the air squat where you extend your arms straight out ahead of you and hold them in that position while you do your squats. It is vital to keep your form correct while performing the squat. Failure to do so can result in injuries.

How to do a squat?

1. You should make sure that your feet are firmly planted about shoulder-width apart you’re your feet pointing slightly outward and not straight ahead. If your stance is too wide or too narrow it can place strain on the knees.

2. Make sure that your knees don’t extend beyond your toes. This is a very important point to keep in mind at all times otherwise the chances of injuring your knees are very high.

3. Look straight ahead and keep your back straight and then bend your knees as though you are going to sit on a chair. Make sure your heels are firmly planted on the floor and that your quads are parallel to the ground.

4. Make sure that you are sticking your butt out. Focus on thrusting your hips forward and tightening your whole body when performing the squat.

5. Your movements should be controlled and not jerky and ensure that the weights are distributed on your upper thighs and heels and not on the knees or toes.

Another variation of the squat is the combination of the squat with the leg lift. It is a great exercise that engages your butts and quads and gives a harder workout to your legs. For this you have to do the regular squat. As you raise yourself out of your squat lift your left leg off the floor and extend it out to the side and hold the position for a second. Lower the leg back to the floor as you return to the squat position and repeat with the other leg.

If you really want to work up a sweat and give your heart a real workout, try the Bodyweight Jump Squat. Jump squats are a plyometric exercise in which your place your fingers on the back of your head and pull your elbows back in line with your body. You go in to your squat position and as you rise out of the squat jump straight up as high as you can. Land and immediately go into your squat and repeat the steps.

There is a reason why squats are considered one of the best exercises out there by the experts – it has sufficient number of variations to single-handedly give you a 45 minute workout. Another variation of it is the pistol squat, in which your stand holding your arms straight out in front and then raise your right leg straight out while flexing the right ankle and pushing the hips back. Lower your body in to the squat while holding your right leg raised and then repeat with the other leg. This is a toughie and should not be attempted by those who are new to exercising and squats in general. Beginners to pistol squat can use a chair for support and an exercise bench to place their raised feet on until they get the hang of it.

Another, and for the purposes of this feature, the last variation is the Chair Squat Pose. Here in you get into your basic squat position while swinging your arms up in a controlled manner. Then as you straighten up, lift your right knee towards your torso while swinging the left arm outside the right knee. Return to your standing position and repeat on the other side.

Lunges

Like the squat, the humble lunge has many variations that help tone the lower body especially the gluts and calves. It is also great for working on the body’s overall balance.

How to do a lunge?

1. Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart and your legs straight.

2. Take a big step (lunge) forward with your right leg.

3. The right knee should be at a 90-degree angle with the floor and your back (left) knee should be almost touching the floor.

4. Ensure that the weight is on your front (right) heel. Contract the muscles of your right leg and the glutes to push yourself back to the starting position.

5. Return to starting position and alternate with your other leg.

Front lunges are often combined with reverse lunges. These are slightly more challenging than the front lunges as they engage the glutes and quads more, but are gentler on the knees.

How to do a reverse lunge?

1. Stand up straight with your shoulders back and hands resting at your sides.

2. Take a big step (lunge) backwards with your right foot and lower your hips to the floor until your front (right) knee forms a 90-degree angle with the floor.

3. Now push yourself back up to the starting position using your front foot. Remember to press the heel of your front foot in to the ground as your rise up. This uses your glutes to the maximum.

4. Alternate with the other foot. Remember not to press on your knees with your hands to help push yourself back in to position.

Another variation of the lunge is the side lunge which besides focusing on the quads and glutes also targets the inner and outer thighs and hips. For this instead of lunging forward you have to take a wide step to your right and lower yourself in to a side lunge. Now raise yourself up to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

The plyometric version of the lunge is the lunge jumps. This exercise is a fat burner that develops lower body strength, speed and agility. The starting position is the same with your feet shoulder width apart. You have to then squat slowly bringing your buttocks towards your heel and then leap upwards as high as you can. While leaping and still in the air separate your legs and bend your right leg 90 degrees in front of you so that you land in the basic lunge position. When you land your right foot should be flat on the ground and your left foot is behind balancing on the toes. Now leap up again from this position and scissor your legs underneath your body while in mid-air so that your left foot is in the front now.

Repeat with alternate feet.