Simple "no equiptment" floor exercises

1. BICYCLE ---Lie on a mat with your lower back in a comfortable position. Place your finger tips on either side of your head by your ears. Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle. Slowly go through a bicycle pedaling motion, alternating your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee.
The lower to the ground your legs bicycle, the harder your abs have to work. Perform one to three sets of 12 repetitions.

2. ABDOMINAL VACUUM -- Begin by getting on all fours on the floor (on your hands and knees) and keep your back flat. Start by exhaling all the air from your lungs (and I do mean all the air!). Then, relax your abdomen and let it hang like a loose sling. Next, suck your belly in tight. Continue breathing lightly through your nostrils. Try to hold the contraction for at least 40 seconds. Perform three to four cycles of 40 seconds.

3. CAT STRETCH ---Starting Position:
Start with your hands and knees on a mat. Your hands should be shoulders-width apart and your head, neck, hips and legs should be in a straight line. Do not let your back arch and cave in.
Maintain a slight bend in the elbows.
Movement:
Lower your upper body by bending your elbows outward, stopping before your face touches the floor.
Contracting the chest muscles, slowly return to the starting position.
Key Points:
Inhale while lowering your body.
Exhale while returning to the starting position.

4. TIGHTEN-While in a seated position, simply contract the abdominals for 30 seconds while breathing naturally. Next, tighten your legs for 60 seconds. You can do this for any part of the body. And, yes, it does work. You'll feel your muscles get tighter in just three weeks if you perform this a few times per week.

5. QUADRICEPS STRETCH--Starting Position:
Stand straight near a wall or chair.
Standing tall, bend your right knee. Reach behind you with the right hand and grab onto the foot.
Movement:
Slowly pull your foot toward your buttocks until you feel a stretch in the right quadriceps. Both thighs should be parallel to one another.
Hold for 30 seconds and then return to the starting position.
Repeat this several times and then switch sides.

6. POSTURE STRENGTH--Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulders width.
Keep your head directly over your shoulders and shoulders over the pelvis (don't lean forward or backward).
Tighten the abdominal muscles.
Tighten and tuck in the Glutes (the butt).
Hold for 10 seconds and keep your breathing natural.
Repeat two additional times.
Then bring the feet in just inside shoulder width and repeat. This helps to improve posture while in various standing positions.

7. COUNTERTOP PUSHOFFS----
Simply stand about three feet from the edge of the countertop, and with your legs slightly spread, plant your heals on the floor. Lean forward and rest the palms of your hands on the edge of the countertop. Perform a set of 20 push-ups, and alter the method in which you do them according to your strength and physical ability. Back up further and go slower for a more challenging workout. You'll burn calories while effectively strengthening your legs as well as your upper body.

8. BACKWARD SITUPS-Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your palms facing downward beneath your buttocks. With your legs together, draw your bent knees toward your upper body. While your knees are perpendicular to your body, straighten your legs. When correctly doing this easy exercise you'll feel your lower abdominal muscles tightening. After a second or two, bend your knees, and slowly bring your feet back down to the floor.

9. STANDING LEG LIFTS-
Leg lifts are easy exercises that help make the legs shapelier while burning calories, and you don't have to lie on the floor. Simply place your right hand on a countertop or wall for balance, and lift your left leg to the side a number of times as well as forwards and backwards. Perform a set of 10 leg lifts in each direction before turning around and changing sides.
If a simple workout with basic leg lifts isn't strenuous enough, make the workout a little more difficult by holding your leg out for several seconds and moving slower. Your muscles will have to work a little harder as a result, and even though you won't be moving as quickly, you'll effectively burn calories and greatly hasten your weight-loss efforts.


10. FOOTBALL 1-2-3- TOE TOUCHES-
Starting position, hands on hips, legs shoulder width apart-soft knee---
Bend at waist touch hands to floor in front of feet, bounce and bring hands to inside of feet and bounce gently and touch floor at heel.

11. DUMMY STRETCHES-starting position, sit on floor with legs wide apart, Bed and touch right foot bounce gently 10 times return to starting position, then bend and stretch toward center, bounce gently 10 times and then repeat toward left foot --repeat entire exercise once.

12. BENT KNEE LEG LIFTS Starting position Lie on side with upper body supported with arm. bring leg forward and lift 10 times bring leg to center and lift leg 10 times and move leg to the back and lift 10 times. Turn to other side and repeat entire sequence.

13. FIRE HYDRANT- starting position- On hands and knees, lift bent leg to the side 10 times repeat on other leg.

14. CAT STRETCH-starting position-stand feet shoulder width apart, soft knee, hands on knees, round back and suck tummy in. Hold for 15 seconds and relax, repeat 10 times.

15. WAIST TWIST. Stand- feet shoulder width apart- arms out and elbows bent with fingertips pointed toward ceiling. twist to one side, return to middle and pause and then twist to other side, repeat for total of 20 times-10 for each side.

16-CRUNCHES-starting position on back with hands on floor-knees bent. Come up using stomach muscles to pull upper body about 3 or 4 inches off of floor. repeat 10 times.