Fall is officially here, which means bring on the leggings, sweaters and curling up on the couch for some great TV. To keep you active while lounging in your living room, Nourish Move Love designed a 15-minute, “lazy girl” couch workout (just for Fabletics) that transforms your couch and throw pillows into a functional training center! Now Netflix is no longer an excuse to waste all the hard work(outs) you put in over the summer.
Below are seven exercises that can be repeated for 3 sets to create a total body, 15-minute circuit workout (perfect for Sunday football halftime). Complete each strength exercise for 12 repetitions per leg as needed. Amp up your couch workout by adding on 30-second intervals of the bonus cardio exercises. Once you complete all seven exercises, take a 1-minute break and repeat the entire circuit 3 times.
Move One: Single Leg Pistol Squat + Pillow Hold — 12 repetitions per leg
Muscle Focus: glutes, hamstrings, quads, core and shoulders
1. Start in an athletic stance, feet shoulder-width distance apart, holding a throw pillow straight out in front of you at shoulder-height.
2. With all your weight on your left leg, extend your right leg straight out in front of you. Keep your right foot flexed and quad engaged.
3. Slowly lower down into a single leg squat on your left standing leg, driving your hips back. Lower to the point where your bottom taps or rests on the couch, then stand back up driving through your glutes as you push your hips forward.
4. Hold the pillow at shoulder-height and maintain quad engagement in your floating leg throughout the entire exercise.
5. Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions on the left leg and then 12 repetitions on the right leg, keeping your chest lifted and core engaged throughout all 24 repetitions.
Modification: this is a challenging exercise, so if you feel that you cannot complete it with great form you can keep the toe of your floating leg on the ground, putting 80-90% of the weight on your standing leg and 10-20% of your weight on the toe of your floating leg for added balance and stability.
Move Two: Tricep Dips — 12 repetitions
Muscle Focus: triceps, shoulders, chest and core
1. Sit on the edge of the couch, holding onto the edge with both hands, fingertips facing your glutes. Slide your bottom off the couch and hold yourself up with arms straight, keeping your body close to the couch and shoulders pulled down (away from your ears).
2. Slowly lower your body down as you bend your elbows (putting your elbow directly behind you, not out to the side).
3. When you reach the bottom, your elbows should be at a 90-degree angle. Then push yourself up to the starting position.
4. Try this with your legs straight out in front of you first. If that’s too challenging you can modify and bend your knees as needed.
5. Repeat for 12 repetitions.
Move Three: Bulgarian Lunge + Arm Raise — 12 repetitions per leg
Muscle Focus: glutes, hamstrings, quads, core and shoulders
1. Place one foot on the couch—either on the ball or top of your foot—while holding a throw pillow straight out in front of you at shoulder-height.
2. Take a large step forward with the other leg. This is the top of the movement.
3. Lower down to the bottom of your lunge; your back knee should almost touch the floor and your front thigh should be parallel to the floor, while keeping your front knee behind your front toe. As you lower down to the bottom of your lunge, you should simultaneously raise the pillow directly overhead.
4. Drive through your front foot, squeezing your glutes as you return to the starting position and lower the pillow back to shoulder-height.
5. Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions on the left leg and then 12 repetitions on the right leg; keeping your chest lifted and core engaged throughout all 24 repetitions.
Move Four: Incline Spiderman Pushups — 12 repetitions
Muscle Focus: chest, shoulders, triceps, obliques and core
1. Start in an incline high plank position with your hands shoulder-width distance apart on the couch and feet hip-width distance apart on the ground. Shoulders should be stacked directly over your wrists and your back should be straight (do not let your butt stick up in the air).
2. Lower yourself toward the couch, as you would in a normal pushup by bending your elbows. However, when you are at the lowest point of the movement, lift your right foot off the ground and bring your knee forward until it reaches your elbow.
3. Hold this position for a moment, and then return your right leg to its initial position and push yourself back up to the plank position.
4. Repeat the same movement, but this time bring your left knee forward to your left elbow.
5. Continue alternating sides for 12 repetitions (6 repetitions per side).
Move Five: Pillow Squeeze Reverse Crunch — 12 repetitions
Muscle Focus: inner thighs, core with an emphasis on lower core
1. Start in a seated position on the couch with your hands slightly behind you, fingertips facing forward.
2. Place the throw pillow between your thighs. Squeeze the pillow tightly between your knees to maintain constant inner thigh engagement throughout the entire movement.
3. With your legs slightly bent in front of you and core engaged, lengthen through your torso and recline slightly as you straighten your legs in front of you. Avoiding any rounding of your back.
4. Hold your legs straight out in front of you for a moment and then pull your knees back towards your chest returning to the starting position.
5. Repeat for 12 repetitions.
Bonus Cardio Move Six: High Knee Toe Taps — 30 seconds
Muscle Focus: hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves and core
1. Start standing in an athletic stance, facing the couch, feet shoulder-width distance apart.
2. Alternate driving your knees straight up as you tap your toe on the couch; striving to drive your knee up to hip-height.
3. Repeat this movement rapidly for 30 seconds as you pump your arms to raise your heart rate.
Bonus Cardio Move Seven: Incline Mountain Climbers — 30 seconds
Muscle Focus: shoulders, back, hip flexors, quads and core
1. Start in an incline high plank position with your hands shoulder-width distance apart on the couch and feet hip-width distance apart on the ground. Shoulders should be stacked directly over your wrists and your back straight (do not let your butt stick up in the air).
2. Lift your right foot off the floor and pull your knee as close to your chest as you can.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg, pulling your left knee as close to your chest as you can.
4. Repeat this movement, rapidly alternating legs as fast as you can for 30 seconds to raise your heart rate.
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