Motivation is hard to come by on Mondays, especially when you have bad knees.
However, personal trainers Maddy and Alex Weaver, dubbed the ‘Soul Sisters’, have created their own routine for Daily Mail Online that targets the lower body without putting a lot of stress on the knee joints.
Their regimen, made up of six workouts performed in 30 second intervals, includes sumo squats, split lunges, and squat jumps that they say will strengthen and tone your muscles and help burn fat.
The sisters’ workouts require no equipment and can be performed anywhere, at home or in the break room at work.
Maddy and Alex Weaver are physical trainers who shared with Daily Mail Online their quick lower body workout routine
‘For those looking to strengthen and tone your lower body with no equipment and no gym this is the work out for you. It’s quick and simple but very effective as it targets the main muscle groups in the lower body,’ the Soul Sisters said.
They recommend doing these exercises two to three times a week for maximum results.
If you have access to weights, you can do this routine using dumbbells and kettlebells.
1. Split lunges
Alternating split lunges target the glutes, thighs, calves and abdomen muscles
This low-impact exercise strengthens and tones the lower body and core
The Soul Sisters start their Monday Motivation routine with alternating split lunges, which have been shown to increase balance and coordination.
This exercise strengthens and tones the glutes, thighs, calves and abdomen muscles while putting little to no harmful stress on the body.
They provide tips for proper form which include standing with your feet hip width apart.
While keeping your upper body straight and tightening your abs, step forward with your right leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90 degree angle.
Make sure the front of your knee does not go over your toes.
Use your front heel to push back up to standing position.
Although this exercise primarily target the lower body, your abdominal and back muscles are also being used to help stabilize the upper body during this workout.
Continue this action for 30 seconds, then perform the exercise on the other leg for the same amount of time.
2. Lunge pulse
The lunge pulse exercise strengthens and tones the thighs and butt area
The sisters’ routine includes five workouts done in 30 second intervals to repeat twice
The lunge pulse is a muscle-burning, cardio-infused exercise that strengthens and tones the glutes in your hips and butt, as well as the hamstrings and quadriceps in your thighs.
This exercise not only targets muscles, it also increases heart rate for a higher calorie burn.
The muscles in the glute and thighs are larger and require more energy to work out, which is where the cardio aspect of this exercise comes in.
To do this workout, you should start with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips.
Step forward with your right leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90 degree angle – make sure your knees don’t go over your toes.
Slowly move up and down about two to three inches.
This micro-movement exercise will increase balance.
While doing this, make sure there’s equal weight on both legs so that you’re moving up and down and not forward.
Continue this action for 30 seconds, then perform the exercise on the other leg for the same amount of time.
3. Sumo squat
All of their workouts require no equipment they say you’ll never need a gym membership
The sumo squat primarily targets the inner thighs and butt area
The sumo squat is very similar to a standard squat.
However, due to the feet placement of a sumo squat – toes pointed out at a 45 degree angle – this workout more effectively targets and strengthens the inner thighs and glutes.
For this exercise, the Soul Sisters’ said you should stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, with your feet pointed out.
Then lower yourself by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
Once your hips are parallel to the floor, come back up and repeat for 30 seconds.
In addition to strengthening the inner thighs, this exercise also enhances balance by demanding stability from your abdomen muscles so that you are not rocking back and forth during the workout.
4. Sumo squat pulse
The starting position for this exercise is similar to the sumo squat, except it’s done on your tippy toes
For this exercise, you stay in a squat position and gently pulse up and down
The sumo squat pulse adds a bit of cardio to the mix.
The starting position for this exercise is similar to the one for the sumo squat – stand with feet wider than hip-width apart with toes pointed out at a 45 degree angle.
However, with this workout you’re pressing your toes into the floor and raising your heels.
Stay in this squat position and gently bounce up and down for 30 seconds.
In addition to toning your inner thigh muscles – adductors, you’re also increasing your heart rate for a significant calorie burn.
Working these larger muscles require more energy, which means your body will have to burn more calories – which is where the cardio aspect comes in.
If it’s too difficult for you to stand on your toes while doing this exercise, you can keep your feet flat on the floor.
5. Squat hold
The squat hold is a low-impact exercise that enhances stability while preventing injury
For this exercise, you need to stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Then lower your body into a squat position and stay there.
Keep weight in back of the heels and don’t let your knees go over your toes.
While doing this exercise squeeze your glutes and make sure you keep your chest up.
The muscles you’re targeting – glutes and quadriceps – won’t move during this exercise.
But by remaining in a squat position, these muscles are holding up your body weight – this will increase enhance strength and tone.
This low-impact workout helps improve stability and strength while preventing injury.
6. Squat jump
The squat jumps are the last workout to get your blood pumping and heart
The squat jump is a full body exercise that helps build strength, speed and burns fat
This exercise takes squats to the next level.
This workout engages and strengthens your entire body and increases your heart rate, thus causing you to burn more calories.
For the squat jump, you need to stand with your feet together.
Then jump out into a squat and try to touch the floor with one arm.
Jump back up to starting position. Then jump into another squat, but this time touch the ground with the opposite arm.
The jump squat uses the body weight to help tone the calves, glutes, hamstrings, core, and quadriceps while helping you burn fat in your whole body.
This is a high-impact exercise, which means it puts greater stress on your bones, like your knee joints, so it’s very important to make sure you’re in the right shape to perform this workout.
Continue this action for 30 seconds.