The No Squats Belly, Butt, and Thighs Workout
If you’re tired of doing squats, try these exercises to mix things up.
Let’s be honest, who actually likes doing squats? The truth is, while squats are a very effective exercise for toning your tummy, butt, and thighs, most people just do not like doing them. The complaints range from squats being too boring to the fact that they take a serious toll on your knee joints. So what can you do to tone your thighs, abs, and glutes without performing squats?
The following article provides some exercises you can do that do not involve squatting. These exercises are just as effective as squats and will take some pressure off those knee joints.
Wall BridgeLie on your back with your butt against the wall and arms at your sides. Bend your knees and plant your feet 3 to 4 feet up the wall. Raise your lower and middle back off floor, keeping your shoulder blades on the ground. Hold for a deep inhale, then exhale and slowly return to the starting position. To make it easier, don’t use the wall. Keep your feet flat on floor as you lift into a bridge. For a bigger challenge, cross your right ankle over your left knee so that only your left foot is on wall.
Windshield WipersLie faceup on the floor with your legs against a wall, the bottoms of your feet facing the ceiling. Slowly lower your left leg down the wall like a clock arm toward 9 o’clock, then return to the starting position. Repeat with right leg, sweeping toward 3 o’clock. Continue to alternate legs until you’ve completed all of the reps. (Fire up your fat-loss hormones to gain strength and burn belly fat. To make it easier, move your butt 3 to 6 inches away from the wall while performing the move. For a bigger challenge, wrap an elastic exercise band around your left foot. Hold both ends at your right hip for added resistance as you sweep your left foot down the wall. Do all reps, then switch legs and repeat.
Toe Reaches
All images courtesy of Prevention.com.
