The holiday indulgence is over, the Christmas tree has been kicked to the curb, and now it's time to cleanse for the new year.
If your New Year's resolution involved healthy living, you may have started your day with a few push-ups or lunges. It can be hard to make a lifestyle change stick if you're trying to go from sedentary to daily 10K runner, but it's those quick, efficent exercises that are easy to implement and make a big difference.
For the next two weeks, we're bringing you daily fitness tips from Bay Area gyms and trainers, but we'd also like to know what works for you in your own daily life.
Tell us: which quick, efficient exercises do you use to get in shape? Extra points if little or no equipment is required.
burpees can be done anywhere. stuck in a hotel room with no gym? do burpees. burpees came out of the prison system where inmates figured out how to get a full-body exercise in the small space inside a cell. there are many variants, here is one i like: 1. stand up straight. 2. bend over and put your palms out in front while keeping legs straight. 3. walk those hands forward until you are in a push-up position 4. do the pushup 5. walk your hands back toward your feet so you are back to a position of standing up straight with your palms as close to your toes as possible 6. lift up your hands and jump, reaching for the ceiling 7. repeat every variation of a burpee is basically a pushup mixed in with a reaching jump to the ceiling. i like burpees because they are a tough full-body workout that requires no equipment, can be done anywhere, and will even give you a bit of cardio if you are moving fast enough.