12 Days of Fitness - Day 4

On the fourth day of fitness, challenge yourself with FOUR wall squats! Squats exercise the quads, glutes and hamstrings – targeting a large group of muscles in one movement. If you’re pressed for time (and who isn’t during the holidays) squats can give you a full leg workout with just a couple sets. A bonus, hitting all of those muscles will also boost your calorie burn throughout the day, great for those upcoming holiday parties.

To do wall squats:

• Place an exercise ball between your lower back and the wall with your feet about 12 inches in front of you.
• Slowly lower your butt until your thighs are parallel to the floor. If your knees go in front of your feet, move your feet away from the wall a bit more.
• At the bottom of the movement, hold the squat for 20+ seconds. If 20 seconds becomes easy, add more time or hold dumbbells during the exercise.
• Slowly return to the starting position and repeat four times.