Flatten your belly, slim your thighs, and firm your butt in 2 weeks—without a single sit-up or squat

Love Your Lower Body!

The No Squats Belly, Butt, and Thighs Workout

Flatten your belly, slim your thighs, and firm your butt in 2 weeks—without a single sit-up or squat

Natalie Gingerich

Love your lower body!

The newest way to shape up your belly, butt, and thighs without stressing your joints: Flip your workout upside down! These five moves, designed by fitness expert Ellen Barrett, star of Prevention's Flat Belly Diet Workout DVDs, use one piece of equipment you're sure to have in your home—a wall. You'll isolate the tough-to-reach muscles that pull in your belly, lift your backside, and trim your thighs. The perfect complement to weight-bearing exercises such as walking, inverted moves use gravity to naturally boost circulation and provide an instant energizing rush. They also give your knees and hips a break from the pounding of upright life.
Perform the following routine barefoot 4 or 5 times a week. Do 10 slow, controlled reps of each move. For faster results, do 2 sets of each exercise and add at least 30 minutes of cardio most days of the week.

Wall Bridge

Lie 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.
MAKE IT HARDER

Cross your right ankle over your left knee so that only your left foot is on wall.
MAKE IT EASIER

Don't use the wall. Keep your feet flat on floor as you lift into a bridge.

Windshield Wipers

Lie 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.
MAKE IT HARDER

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.
MAKE IT EASIER

Move your butt 3 to 6 inches away from the wall while performing the move.

Toe Reaches

Lie on the floor with your heels pressed against the wall, your legs straight. Reach your right hand toward your left foot, allowing your right shoulder to raise off the floor. Return to the starting position. Repeat with your left hand and right foot. Continue to alternate until you've completed all reps.
MAKE IT HARDER

Perform the exercise with your feet stacked toe to heel.
MAKE IT EASIER

Reach toward your knees.

Wall Scissor

Begin with your butt close to the wall, knees bent, and your feet planted on the wall. Raise your hips up, and place your elbows on the floor and your hands on your hips to support your lower body. Walk your feet up the wall so that your legs are straight. This is your starting position.
From here, lower your left leg toward your head, keeping both legs straight. Return to the starting position and repeat with your right leg. Continue to alternate until you've completed all reps.
MAKE IT HARDER

As you lower your leg, pause and pulse 2 or 3 times, moving it up and down an inch or two, before returning it back to the wall.
MAKE IT EASIER

Start with your hips 3 to 6 inches away from the wall.

Knee Press

Lie on your back with your butt against the wall, knees bent, and feet planted 3 to 4 feet up the wall. Raise your butt and back off the floor and cross your right ankle over your left knee. Without moving the rest of your body, pulse your knee toward the wall 20 times. Lower your body, and repeat on your left side.
MAKE IT HARDER

As you press your knee, lift and lower your hips a couple of inches with each rep.
MAKE IT EASIER

Do the move with your butt on the floor.

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Strength-Training Exercises: Squats

Pain-Free Squats

Two ways to workout your legs without causing knee aches

I've heard squats are good strength-training exercises for my lower body, but when I do them they seem to hurt my knees. What am I doing wrong?

 Squats are great strength-training exercises to work your quads, your hamstrings and your glutes. If your knees are hurting, you are probably not following proper form.

Try these instructions:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your abs tight.

Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position as if you are sitting back into an imaginary chair. Stop when your knees are at 90 degrees. Make sure you are sticking your buns back, keeping your chest lifted and most importantly keeping your knees above your ankles. Do not let your knees go forward beyond your ankles.

Try using an exercise ball against the wall, pressing your back into the ball to stabilize your back and do wall squats.

As with the regular squats: Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position as if you are sitting back into an imaginary chair. Stop when your knees are at 90 degrees.

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Best Moves To Firm Your Body

Three at-home routines designed to sculpt and firm arm muscles

Arm Exercises: 3 At-Home Workouts to Tone Arms

One Woman, Three Workouts: "I Want Sexy, Shapely Arms!"

Three at-home routines designed to sculpt and firm arm muscles

Kerrie Keegan, 33
Goal: To tone her arms with arm exercises
Current Regimen: Takes an indoor cycling class one or two times a week at lunch; runs occasionally
Obstacles: A full-time job that leaves her little energy for after-work activities



WORKOUT #1: Disc Fix
EXPERT: Mindy Mylrea, creator of the Gliding Disc program and star of the DVD All About Arms

SECRET WEAPON: Gliding Discs
These slick circles slide on carpet, wood, and linoleum. Add them to traditional moves like lunges and your muscles will work extra hard to control your motion. (discs plus instructional DVDs, $23; glidingdiscs.com)
THE PLAN: Because Kerrie prefers cardio over strength workouts, I suggest a supershort toning routine including unique Gliding Disc moves that she can easily squeeze into her day. She should do this 6-minute routine 3 or 4 times a week, starting with 10 reps of each exercise and building up to 3 sets of each. To burn more fat every day and get extra energy, Kerrie should start each morning with a 5-minute cardio microburst. After a quick warm-up, she can do jump squats, V-sits, jumping lunges, or mountain climbers.
TOP TONERS:

                       1. WIDE-ARM PUSH-UP
With discs under palms, slide hands out to sides as you bend elbows and lower. Slide them back in as you push up.  

2. SLIDING DIP
With discs under feet, bend elbows back to lower hips while you extend one or both legs. Straighten arms and slide leg(s) back in.

 
3. ELBOW PULLS
Lie facedown with arms overhead, hands on discs. Slide discs to you, lifting chest and bending elbows back. Lower. On 5th rep, hold the up position; slide discs in and out 10 times.

WORKOUT #2: Dumbbell Drills
EXPERT: Shelly Knight, senior director of training for Physique 57's West Coast fitness studio
SECRET WEAPON: Adjustable Weights
Get firm faster by adding weight every 4 to 6 weeks. Buy a pair of adjustable dumbbells to save trips to the store. (Weider PowerSwitch, $80; amazon.com)
THE PLAN: Kerrie's current workouts are cardio and lower-body focused. That's important for burning fat, so she should fit in at least three sessions a week. To shape her arms, she needs to lift weights—a surefire way to build muscle tone. Each of these basic exercises has multiple variations that, put together, target all of the arm and shoulder muscles for speedy results. She should do this routine 4 times a week on nonconsecutive days.
TOP TONERS:

1. ARM CURL
Use 5-to 8-pound dumbbells
Do 10 reps each:
-With palms facing forward (biceps curl)
-With palms at sides, facing in (hammer curl)
-Alternate biceps curls, lifting one arm at a time
-Alternate hammer curls
-With palms out to sides (side curl)
-Alternate side curls

2. SHOULDER SHAPER
Use 3-to 8-pound dumbbells

-With arms raised and elbows bent, slowly lift and lower weights 1 inch; do 10 reps.
-Quickly lift and lower; do 20 reps.
-Quickly lift, alternating arms; do 10 reps with each arm.

3. TRICEPS TONER
Use 3-to 5-pound dumbbells
Do 10 reps each:
-In a lunge with left arm bent, straighten and bend elbow.
-With arm straight, palm in, lift and lower arm 1 inch.
-Squeeze straight arm in toward body, then out.
-With palm up, lift and lower arm.
-Squeeze arm in toward body, palm up. After last rep, hold for 5 seconds.
-Repeat with right arm.

WORKOUT #3: Quick Cardio/Strength
EXPERT: Pete Cerqua, author of The 90-Second Fitness Solution
SECRET WEAPON: At-Home Pull-Up Bar
This quick-to-install device makes it easy to consistently practice one of the best arm-toning moves around. (The Chin-Up and Sit-Up Bar, $20; everlast.com)
THE PLAN: Kerrie needs to fit in cardio every day to shed fat. To sculpt shapely muscles, she should do push-ups and pull-ups. They're the ultimate arm toners, because they target all the major muscles at once for a fast workout that delivers. Here are variations that make these moves easier while maximizing their toning benefits. Do 10 reps of each every other day.
TOP TONERS:
1. CARDIO EVERY DAY
Run up the stairs (then walk down) 20 times; challenge a friend to sprints in the park; or do 20 minutes of cardio at the gym.

2. DOWN-ONLY PUSH-UP
From a plank position, slowly lower (10 seconds) into a push-up, keeping entire body in line. Hold for a second; relax onto floor.

3. DOWN-ONLY PULL-UP
Hold on to an overhead bar (at a playground or gym, or install your own; see above right) with palms facing away. Jump up so chin is above bar, elbows bent at sides. Slowly straighten arms until fully extended (10 seconds). Don't let feet touch the floor. Hop down.
Kerrie's Pick: Workout #2
Why She Chose It: "I like the convenience of lifting dumbbells. If I don't have weights handy, I just use water bottles. The best part: I see definition in the mirror as I do the moves!"
 

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