With the Oscars just around the corner, you can bet your life’s savings that Oscar body prep is in high gear. Everyone who will be walking down the red carpet on February 28th will be looking their absolute best. Now we can’t all afford to have our trainers work us out daily while surviving off as few calories as possible, but we can use that red carpet to motivate us in a healthy way.
For the next few days I will be sharing my favourite Oscar inspired workouts that you can add into your own workout regime. These workouts are meant to be done with as little equipment as possible so there is zero excuse as to why you can’t get yourself moving. The first workout is inspired by Oscar legs, which I am sure we will see a lot of on the red carpet. All you will need for this workout is a light exercise band.
Multi Leg Lunges
I love this exercise because it is going to hit all 360 degrees of your legs, a definite leg burner. Begin with your feet together and then step forward into a lunge with your right foot. Press yourself back to center but rather than placing your right foot back down on the floor, step out into a side lunge. Press yourself back towards center before stepping back into a reverse lunge and then the for last one, step your right foot behind your left and lunge down as if you are doing a curtsy. Start by doing 5 sets on one side, then 5 on the other and work your way up to 10.
Cable resisted side-steps
This exercise will bring you back to your first awkward elementary school dance. Take your exercise band and stand on it, making sure there is the same length of cable on each side. Then you will grab onto the handles, crossing them in front of your body, while you step your right foot out to the side and then back to center, repeating on the other side. Here is a tip – when you are stepping back to center, do not allow your feet to step any closer than hip width apart. This will ensure optimal tension the entire time. Go for 1 minute, and if your legs are burning within a few seconds, you are doing it right!
Pulsing jump squats
One of my favourite butt burners and I try and include this into all of my classes. Get into as low of a squat as you can and pulse, small little pulses, for 5 seconds then jump as high as you can, landing once again into a squat where you will pulse for 5 seconds. Continue this for 1 minute.
Single leg hamstring hip lifts
I used to make Lainey do this when she lived back in Vancouver and she would squirm around in pain after saying she felt like she had hamsters in her hamstrings. Start lying on your back, with your arms straight and pressed firmly into the ground (you should feel your triceps working here). Extend one leg straight to the ceiling, keeping a level pelvis and then lift and lower your hips 3 times. After three hip lifts, lift and lower your leg 3 times, again making sure you keep a level pelvis. Repeat this sequence 5 times before switching sides, working your way up to 10.
3 point side-lying leg lifts
The gluteus medius has many functions, including giving your backside some serious shape. If you lack this muscle, along with skeletal issues, you will suffer some serious flat bum. This next exercise targets all of its fibres to ensure your butt is balanced. Lie on your side, making sure your hips are stacked (think about keeping a long waist on both sides). Bend your knees to start, then extend your top leg straight while keeping your thighs in line. Lift your leg up and down 10 times then position it so it is now straight with the rest of your body, completing another 10 and finally extending it as far back as you can before completing your last set of 10 lifts. Switch sides and repeat.
Go through this circuit 1 to 3 times or add these exercises in to whatever you are already doing to stay fit. I can’t promise you are going to look like Jennifer Lawrence overnight but I can promise you will feel the burn of these exercises when you sit down next Sunday to watch the Oscars.
