Starting in January 2018, Women's Health will feature readers of all shapes and sizes rather than fitness models in the magazine's "15-Minute Workout" series. Here, Morgan Gibson Kanner, digital content manager at WeddingWire, kicks it off! Follow her #IAmFit story!
If you're looking to change up your workout routine, consider throwing a weight plate into the mix. This simple barbell accessory can help you refine your technique during upper-body exercises (courtesy of its shoulder-width diameter), add difficulty to basic strength exercises (placing one hand or foot on the plate offers a subtle but effective change in elevation), and master rotational movements (the unique weight distribution can make it easier to twist without compromising form).
To test it out for yourself, try this total-body workout (here, using a 10-pound weight) created by Idalis Velazquez, certified personal trainer and founder of I.V. Fitness in Miami. Crank this circuit in order, resting only as needed. Repeat as many times as you can in 15 minutes, and do it two or three times a week for major results.
(Get tons of great workout ideas that will help you maintain a fit, healthy lifestyle for GOOD with The Women's Health Fitness Fix.)
Overhead Press Squat Jack
How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a weight plate at your chest, elbows bent (a). Jump your feet out wider than your shoulders as you raise the plate directly overhead and push your hips down and back to lower into a squat (b). Reverse the movement to return to start. That's one rep; do eight.
Related: How Often Do You Need To Do Leg Workouts To See Results?
Deficit Lateral Lunge
How to: Stand with both feet centered over the middle of the plate, your hands together at your chest (a). Brace your core as you step your right foot out to the side and lower your body until your right knee is bent 90 degrees and your left leg is straight (b). Reverse the movement to return to start. Repeat on the other side. That's one rep; continue alternating for eight.
Check out Morgan's fitness story here:
Rotational Skater Hop
How to: Stand on your left foot and hold a plate in front of you with both hands, elbows bent. Brace your core and lift your right foot off the floor (a). Hop to your right, raising your left leg behind you as you rotate your torso and bring the plate toward your right hip, keeping it close to your body (b). Repeat on the other side. That's one rep; continue alternating for eight.
Related: The 5-Minute Workout That Will Rev Your Metabolism
Alternating Knee-In and Press
How to: Lie on the floor and hold a plate a few inches above your torso, then raise your shoulders, back, and legs off the floor (a). Engage your abs to lift your upper body higher as you bring the plate overhead and pull your right knee in toward your chest (b). Reverse the movement to return to start. Repeat on the other side. That's one rep; do eight.
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2018 issue of Women's Health. For more great advice, pick up a copy of the issue on newsstands now!
