Exercise Mat - 10 Exercises for a Toned Body
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Reading time: 5 min.
Not only TV coach and personal trainer Arne Derricks feels transported back to his childhood when gym nostalgia arises with the gym mat. In this video, Arne shows you his top ten exercises for a crisp full-body workout.
contents
Exercise 1: Balance Step Back
Exercise 2: Kneeling Squat
Exercise 3: Down-looking Dog
Exercise 4: Side Plank Knee
Exercise 5: Divers
Exercise 6: Side Plank Knee
Exercise 7: Jumping Jacks
Exercise 8: Triceps push
Exercise 9: Wiping Legs
Exercise 10: Full Crunch & Hold
Exercise 1: Balance Step Back
In the first exercise, the stability of your legs is trained, including balance. To do this, roll up the mat. The ARTZT Vintage Series gymnastics mat is significantly thicker than a normal gymnastics mat and is great for stability and coordination training when rolled up.
Now crouch slightly on the roll and balance yourself, upper body tilted forwards and upwards and make leg taps backwards from this position: To do this, stretch your leg straight back and pull it back in. You can take your arms with you in a dynamic balancing manner, i.e. if you lead your leg backwards, you stretch your arms out in extension with your upper body forwards and upwards. As you bend your leg back onto the mat, your arms bend back toward your torso.
This exercise can be varied as you like, for example by not putting your leg down during the repetitions instead of putting it on the floor and mat. After 20 reps, switch sides. This exercise trains balance and coordination in equal measure and, thanks to the variations, offers numerous training incentives for the whole body.
Exercise 2: Kneeling Squat
For the second exercise, you roll out the gymnastics mat again on the floor. The thick mat provides excellent cushioning and is therefore ideal for the next exercise, the kneeling squats. To do this, you stand with a long back in the open squat at the front narrow end of the mat, your feet stand parallel to the right and left directly on the side edge of the mat, you hold your folded hands with bent arms in front of your upper body.
Now do the kneeling squats on the mat and back up to the starting position. So that your thighs work continuously, the upper body remains low throughout the exercise sequence. If you perform ten repetitions, starting on the right and left, you are doing an effective leg workout.
Exercise 3: Down-looking Dog
Now Arne's full-body workout is about the upper body and his following exercise is based on one of the most popular and effective yoga postures, the Downward-Facing Dog.
To do this, go into an extended quadruped stand, feet remain placed behind the mat a little wider than hip-width. Now you push yourself out of the all-fours position with your arms backwards and upwards. The buttocks rise, the back is long, the hips pull backwards and upwards, legs and arms are stretched and - very importantly - the soles of the feet on the floor so that the back sides of the legs are stretched effectively.
From this pose, you now bring your right hand under your upper body to your left foot and back again, followed by a powerful Flowing Pushup and from there straight back into Downlooking Dog. Repeat this sequence of movements with your left hand.
Too strenuous? Then you can first lead your knees to the floor in the Flowing Pushup. 20 repetitions will definitely bring you closer to your training goal!
Exercise 4: Side Plank Knee
Now it's time for the lateral abdominal muscles. In the side position, the feet form a small pair of scissors, the upper leg is in front. Support yourself on the mat with your left elbow. Important: The entire body - hips, torso, shoulder girdle - forms a line, the legs are stretched out on the floor. First you do the side plank, you push yourself up with your hips. You can train the following exercise in two degrees of difficulty:
In Level 1 you stabilize yourself with your free arm, i.e. you put your hand on the mat. Then you pull the lower leg bent to the elbow and then go back to the starting position.
If that's not a problem for you, stretch your free arm straight up for level 2 . In this exercise, too, you ideally do 20 repetitions first on one side, then you go straight to the diver.
Exercise 5: Divers
For the diver you go into the slightly stretched all-fours position. Knees and hands are on the mat, feet on the floor. Again, depending on your level of fitness, there are two levels for you.
Level 1: You pull your buttocks far back towards your feet, your back is straight, your arms stretched out in front of you, your nose almost touches the mat; in yoga this is the prayer posture. Now you push yourself forward - your elbows are bent, your nose parallel to the mat surface - and then lift your breastbone and head up, your arms straighten. Imagine you emerge from the water. The upper body goes into a slight backward bend, similar to the Cobra in yoga. Then lift your buttocks and go into the starting position with your back straight. Let the repetitions create a flowing movement.
Level 2: You go into Downlooking Dog - see above - as the starting position, from there it goes forward-down, pull your nose forward parallel to the mat and, with your breastbone raised, back up into Downlooking Dog without lying down. Arne demands 15 repetitions in this quite strenuous flow.
Exercise 6: Side Plank Knee
Now come the side planks from Top 5 on the other side. Don't forget: Your gaze goes forward, your lower leg pulls through. Important: the upper body stays in one line. 20 reps complete the set.
Exercise 7: Jumping Jacks
It is now a bit more comfortable in the prone position. Again, you will notice how comfortable the ARTZT Vintage Series gynastic mat is. The next exercise is the classic jumping jack, but lying down: Stretch your slightly raised arms and legs, then pull your elbows back to the side and open your legs like scissors. Your back and buttocks are activated, powerfully pull your stomach inwards. Important: Your cervical spine forms the extension to your back.
Here you can easily do 20 repetitions!
Exercise 8: Triceps push
Of course, the arms should not be missing in a full-body workout. To do this, sit on the mat, your legs are slightly bent, your heels are on your feet and your toes are pointing upwards. You support your stretched arms behind your back - fingers point towards your feet.
In Level 1 you now lift your buttocks off the floor, then alternately bend your elbows slightly - buttocks lower - and straighten your arms again - buttocks come up. Your stomach is firm and your back is straight. You set the pace.
Level 2: For this, the exercise is not only extended, but also much more strenuous. When your arms are stretched again after the triceps push, you stretch your legs and push your buttocks backwards and balance your stretched upper body between your arms on the mat.
From this position, you push yourself forward-up again - your buttocks do not touch the mat - and do the next triceps push. Can you do 10 reps here too?
Exercise 9: Wiping Legs
Now for the abs. To strengthen this effectively, you sit in the starting position on the mat with stretched, slightly raised legs, your arms are placed behind your back for support. You guide your stretched legs to the side with a large "wipe" movement and then pull them sideways to the upper body (upper body straightens up slightly), then stretched back over the middle sideways to the other side and pull them towards you. The legs stay in the air the whole time! This exercise is particularly effective due to the lateral movement and involves all abdominal muscles.
Tip: 10 repetitions on each side ensure super abdominal and core muscles.
Exercise 10: Full Crunch & Hold
And more abs workouts! After a short break in the supine position, we continue: Lie down on the mat with your arms and legs stretched out over your head. Pull yourself up using the strength of your abdominal muscles and touch the mat with your fingertips at the level of the heels of your now upright legs. The variation of this exercise is more demanding: Here you come up with your legs and arms straight - similar to the classic jackknife movement, but with your arms stretched out in front. Keep short.
Both exercises can also be combined and should be repeated a total of 10 times.
