Fitness / Workouts

When you don’t have a ton or time or any exercise equipment at your disposal, consider a bodyweight circuit that combines strength and cardio for a quick-yet-seriously challenging workout. We have a stellar example below that you can do in about 25 minutes or less!Pairing strength and cardio together in a bodyweight circuit format can be effective since you don’t need to do it for too long before your body starts to feel it, certified personal trainer Francine Delgado-Lugo, CPT,  movement and strength coach and cofounder of Form Fitness Brooklyn, tells SELF. This makes it a solid pick for busy exercisers.This type of routine can also be a great choice for folks who don’t have access to a gym or weights, or who simply don’t like going to the gym, but still want to get functional strength work with bonus cardio thrown in.“This is a way that you can challenge your body to move differently, and to work hard against gravity to build strength—but then also do movements that are really getting your heart rate up,” says Delgado-Lugo, who created the below five-move bodyweight routine for SELF.To effectively combine strength and cardio in one circuit workout, you want to select challenging, full-body movements that you can perform with good form. You’ll want to do these moves quickly and for longer bouts of time, rather than focusing on just a handful of repetitions as you would do for normal strength training, explains Delgado-Lugo. That will ensure the routine gets you feeling breathy.The below workout centers on five exercises performed in a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) format where you’ll alternate between 40-second work periods and 20-second rest periods. Get ready to challenge your muscles to the max, because these bodyweight moves are intense! There are three plank variations (inchworm, frogger, and plank up-down), which will seriously engage your core plus a bunch of other muscles throughout your body, as well as two exercises (jumping jack and skater hop to floor tap) that will get you dynamically moving side-to-side in the frontal or lateral plane of motion, which is important if your goal is well-rounded, functional strength.Speaking of functional strength, this routine also incorporates unilateral exercises (moves where just one limb is doing most of the work, such as the skater hop and plank up-down), which help build the kind of strength needed for a lot of daily life activities, like climbing the stairs or holding a child with one side of your body. In short, this workout won’t just tax your muscles and leave you breathless—it will also help prep your body to move safely and effectively in day-to-day life.You can do this circuit two to three times a week, says Delgado-Lugo. Because it’s full-body and pretty intense, be sure to give your muscles the downtime they need to recover between sessions. It’s “probably not something you want to do on back-to-back days,” says Delgado-Lugo, who recommends giving yourself a day or two break after doing this routine before trying it again. However you slot in this routine, make sure to do a warm-up first so that your body is properly primed. Consider this five-move sequence designed to prep you for any workout.The WorkoutWhat you need: Just your bodyweight! You may want an exercise mat for comfort.ExercisesJumping jackInchwormSkater hop to floor tapFroggerPlank up-downDirectionsPerform reps of each move for 40 seconds, then rest 20 seconds before moving onto the next move in the circuit.Repeat the circuit for 3 or 4 total rounds, resting 1 to 2 minutes between each round.Make sure that you don’t compromise your form in order to move fast through the work periods, says Delgado-Lugo. If you find your form slipping, slow down and if needed, modify the movement.Demoing the moves below are Landyn Pan (GIFs 1 and 4),  an online fitness and nutrition coach; Francine Delgado-Lugo (GIF 2), cofounder of FORM Fitness Brooklyn; Heather Boddy (GIF 3), a group fitness instructor and creator of the Geeknasium workout program; and Keri Harvey (GIF 5), a Brooklyn-based NASM-certified personal trainer currently training at Form Fitness Brooklyn.

Let’s start by stating the obvious: Being a diva is a state of mind. Sure, you might think of a diva as a globe-trotting pop star or iconic celebrity (and yes, that technically might be the definition), but when you’ve got the confidence, the strut, and the attitude, who’s to say you can’t embrace your very own version of diva-hood every single day? That’s the energy we’re bringing to this week’s workout playlist, which features some of the top musical divas of our time. On this list, you’ll find absolute classics from OG chanteuses like Aretha Franklin and Gloria Gaynor, then move through the decades with tunes from Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and get a sampling of the vocal powerhouses that dominate our playlists today: Lizzo, Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, and more. The song styles might differ, but all of these prima donnas have what matters most: Incredible range and dynamic voices that make us want to dance, cheer, and move to the music. If you’re working out to this playlist, we hope you let their bold and upbeat tracks drive you to push a little harder—whether that means one extra rep with a heavier weight or a few more minutes on the treadmill. And, no shame at all if you decide to belt out a few of these songs yourself. Full playlist:“Fantasy” by Mariah Carey“CUFF IT” by Beyoncé“I’m Every Woman” by Whitney Houston, SG Lewis“Born This Way” by Lady Gaga“Good as Hell” by Lizzo feat. Ariana Grande“Heart to Break” by Kim Petras“Dirrty” by Christina Aguilera feat. Redman“Get Right” by Jennifer Lopez“Tambourine” by Eve“Scandalous” by Mis-Teeq“Aphrodite” by Kylie Minogue“Tik Tok” by Kesha“Conceited (There’s Something About Remy)” by Remy Ma“Respect” by Aretha Franklin“Oops!… I Did It Again” by Britney Spears“Swish Swish” by Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj“Not Tonight – Remix” by Lil’ Kim, Angie Martinez, Da Brat, Left Eye, Missy Elliott“Poker Face” by Lady Gaga“Clouds” by Chaka Khan, Lew Hahn“Spice Up Your Life” by Spice Girls“Domino” by Jessie J“Sissy That Walk” by RuPaul“I Will Survive – Eric Kupper Mix Edit” by Gloria Gaynor“Bang Bang” by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj“Strong Enough” by Cher“Bitch Better Have My Money” by Rihanna“I’m Coming Out/Upside Down – Chris Cox Remix Radio Edit” by Diana Ross“R U Ready” by Salt-N-Pepa, Rufus Moore“Express Yourself” by Madonna“Strut” by The Cheetah Girls“Don’t Cha” by The Pussycat Dolls, Busta Rhymes“Can’t Get You Out of My Head” by Kylie Minogue“…Baby, One More Time – Boy Wunder Radio Mix” by Britney Spears“Go to Town” by Doja Cat“Positions” by Ariana GrandeRelated:

Most mornings when I hit the gym, I end up putting on an eclectic mix of pop, dance, and high-energy remixes. It’s kind of funny, because in my day to day life, I’m mostly listening to something completely different: rock music. From a young age I was raised on a steady diet of classic rock. (Much to my mother’s chagrin, my dad snuck the contraband audio into my life while driving me to ballet class. If we timed it right, we could listen to “Get the Led Out” on the radio—a full 30 minutes devoted solely to Led Zeppelin’s greatest hits.) And eventually I graduated to grunge, punk, indie rock, and beyond. So if you, like me, often find yourself immersed in a sea of synth and heavy bass while you work out, this week I invite you to get back to the basics—because there’s nothing quite like the powerful vocals and screaming guitar solos of a rock song to get you psyched and energized for the day ahead. That’s the idea behind this week’s playlist, which highlights a smattering of rock favorites. As a serious rock fan, I could have easily made this playlist three times as long (and I can almost hear you now: “Why’d you leave off [fill in amazing rock songs here]???”), but I tried to include a solid mix of classic, indie, grunge, and garage tunes. My hope is that you’ll know plenty of these songs—even if you haven’t heard them in a while—and that there are still some tracks that will be brand new.That means you’ll find the era-defining “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana on this list, alongside classics like “Baba O’Riley” by the Who and “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin. There’s a little punk on this list—”I Fought the Law” by the Clash and “Do You Wanna Dance?” by Ramones—plus new songs from Wet Leg, All Time Low, and Phoenix.So turn up the volume, pull on a ripped T-shirt if you’ve got it, and get ready to rock out.Full playlist:“Fell In Love With a Girl” by The White Stripes“Hate to Say I Told You So” by The Hives“I Fought the Law” by The Clash“Call Me” by Blondie“Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin“Do You Wanna Dance?” by Ramones“She’s a Genius” by Jet“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana“Barracuda” by Heart“Miracle Mile” by Cold War Kids“Baba O’Riley” by The Who“Tonight” by Phoenix feat. Ezra Koenig“Hash Pipe” by Weezer“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads“Just What I Needed” by The Cars“No One Knows” by Queens of the Stone Age“Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz“Angelica” by Wet Leg“Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses“Ice Cold” by Highly Suspect“Supernatural” by Barns Courtney“Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon“Fallin’ With Me” by The Struts“Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival“Steady, As She Goes” by The Raconteurs“Sleepwalking” by All time LowRelated:

SOS Stretches are designed to be done in the moment—when you need them most. These super quick routines will relieve tension and tightness, and ease sore muscles from whatever activity you’re taking part in. In today’s break from a long car ride routine, you’ll beStretching your: Back, chest, neck, shoulders, hip flexors, and hamstrings.You can do this: Wearing whatever clothes and shoes you’re traveling in, and at any location along your route—think a rest stop or a gas station parking lot. You’ll be standing for all of these stretches, so you don’t need a ton of room.Taking a long car trip may help you avoid the chaos and stress of an airport, but it does come with a potential downside: Extended car rides can certainly take a toll on your body.Specifically, your hip flexors and hamstrings can tighten up from being locked in the same position for so long, and your chest, back, neck, and shoulders may ache due to poor posture, Candace Harding, DPT, an integrative physical therapist and registered yoga teacher in Arlington, tells SELF.Moreover, “whenever we just sit in the car for a long period of time, we’re just not getting as much lubrication to the muscles and the joints,” Harding says. And that lack of lubrication can cause a feeling of overall stiffness in our bodies, since “dry things don’t move well,” Harding explains. She gives the example of a creaky door with rusty hinges. “You oil it and it moves better,” she says. The same is true for your muscles—and that lubrication comes from movement.The good news is, taking a few minutes to hop out of your car and stretch dynamically can help you feel better.  With stretching, Harding explains,“you’re just giving the muscle a chance to lengthen back out and remember that it’s possible to be in a different position.” And by focusing on mobility-based stretches—basically, stretches where you’re moving in and out of a pose instead of just holding one position—you can help hydrate tissues and boost blood flow, she adds.With that in mind, Harding created the following four-move stretch routine that you can do to break up a long car ride and provide some sweet relief. Trust us, you’ll want to bookmark this quick yet effective sequence for your next extended car ride.DirectionsDo each move for the prescribed number of reps listed below. Harding designed the sequence to work your body from top to bottom, but you can do these moves in any order. Also, if some stretches feel better than others, feel free to pick and choose—you don’t have to do all four. You’ll reap benefits from doing the sequence just one time, but if it feels good and you’d like to repeat it, then go for it, says Harding.

Sometimes the transitionals months of the year are the toughest when it comes to morning workouts. You know the times I’m talking about: It’s not freezing outside…but not exactly warm and inviting either. It’s not so dark that it feels like you’re waking up in the middle of the night…but it’s still not light enough to feel like you should be getting up. It’s that in-between time where, honestly, you’d probably prefer to sleep in. Regardless of whether Punxsutawney Phil (or my personal favorite, Staten Island Chuck) may have seen a shadow, spring still feels a ways off for much of the country. It’s during this “When will it warm up already?!” time that I am a huge proponent of keeping workouts short and effective. Go in with a plan, get moving, and finish feeling accomplished and badass.If you’re looking for extra motivation this week to lure you away from the softness of your pillow and sheets, this playlist is for you. These songs are all extra upbeat and super motivating to help power you through those sluggish mornings when you just need that little bit of encouragement. The list kicks off with hits from Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, and Childish Gambino, and you’ll also find plenty of remixes on here from the likes of Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes, and John Legend. In short, think of this as a musical version of someone chanting, “You’ve got this!” until you’re finished with your workout. Check out the playlist on Spotify, or keep scrolling for all the tracks. Rise and shine, team!Full playlist:“What a Man Gotta Do” by Jonas Brothers“Anti-Hero – Kungs Remix” by Taylor Swift“All You Need to Know” by Gryffin, SLANDER, feat. Calle Lehmann“Bonfire” by Childish Gambino“Gold on the Ceiling” by The Black Keys“Met Him Last Night – Dave Audé Remix” by Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande“High Horse – Kue Remix” by Kacey Musgraves“Levels – Original Version” by Avicii“What Do I Do? – Benny Benassi Remix” by Georgia Ku“The Drop” by Dimitri Vegas, David Guetta, Nicole Scherzinger, Azteck“‘TRUSTFALL” by P!nk“Dancing With the DJ” by The Knocks“Lucky Me” by The Knocks, feat. Great Good Fine OK“Let Me Move You” by Sabrina Carpenter“You’re Free” by Icona Pop, Ultra Naté“Wonder – Surf Mesa Remix” by Shawn Mendes“Wild – MEDUZA Remix” by John Legend“Swing – Roosevelt Remix” by José González“Forgive Me” by Odesza, feat. Izzy Bizu“Save Your Tears” by The Weekend, Ariana Grande“Sleepyhead” by Passion PitRelated:

Your glutes power lots of everyday movements, from climbing the stairs to squatting down to pick up a child. With a kettlebell glute workout, you can fire up these mighty backside muscles and ensure they are working as optimally as possible.“Our glutes do so much,” certified personal trainer Alicia Jamison, MA, a coach at Bodyspace Fitness and lecturer of exercise physiology at Brooklyn College, tells SELF. Whether you realize it or not, your glutes lend a hand in tons of different scenarios—think walking, running, hiking, squatting, and deadlifting—so the stronger they are, the better you’ll be able to perform a myriad of tasks. Additionally, when your glutes are functioning well, your pelvis and spine are aligned and you’re less likely to have pain in your hips and low back, Jamison says. Moreover, if your glutes are firing, they’re doing the work they should be doing for certain moves and not putting it off on other muscles, like those in your lower back, and overstressing them. Problem is, all the sitting many of us do on a daily basis causes the glutes to turn off, meaning they don’t activate as much as they should to help power certain movements. “And the longer your glutes are turned off, the more comfortable they are with being off and the harder it is to get them to fire up—even when you start moving,” Jamison says.With that in mind, Jamison created the below five-move kettlebell butt workout that will seriously activate the all-important glute muscles. The workout she created is only 10 minutes long, but because it’s made up of all compound exercises—moves that recruit big muscle groups—it’s an intense routine that’ll really challenge your lower body.In this routine, you’ll fire up your glutes with two deadlift variations (a single-leg deadlift and a Romanian deadlift), a goblet squat, an alternating reverse lunge, and a kettlebell swing. All these exercises work your glutes, yes, but they engage other muscles too, including your hamstrings and quads. That means, in addition to great glute activation, you’ll get other lower-body strength work as well. Additionally, the order of the movements—you alternate between squat-dominant moves that especially hit your quads and glutes and hinge-dominant moves that really work your hamstrings and glutes—allows one muscle group to rest while the other works and vice-versa, Jamison says. Compared to a routine that stacks exercises that target the same muscle groups back-to-back, this alternating format is less exhausting on your muscles.  You can do this 10-minute butt workout as a finisher after any type of routine, Jamison says. Pair it with a full-body workout to get an added lower-body oomph, or slot it at the end of leg day for an extra intense burnout. (If you use this as a finisher to a leg workout, you may want to go a bit lighter on the weight). Alternatively, try it as a stand-alone routine as a way to ignite your butt muscles after a long period of sitting.

If you felt like you couldn’t go on Instagram this week without encountering dozens of bouquets of long-stemmed roses or enter a store without being bombarded by oversized red hearts, you’ve come to the right place. Because let’s be honest: Love is great, but so is moving the eff on, especially when you know it’s absolutely time. Of course, getting over a breakup looks different for everyone. But one thing that can definitely help cheer you up and burn off some lingering aggression is a great workout. If that’s your style, we’ve got the perfect playlist to pump some energy into your newly mended heart. This tracklist is stacked with hits that will remind you of your worth and your hotness and will reignite the fire that comes from being fabulously, entirely solo. You’ll find anthems like “Good as Hell” by Lizzo and “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande, alongside “Undrunk” by Fletcher and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift. The playlist winds down just a tad at the end with the bedroom pop track “Evergreen” by Ryan Beatty and finishes with “Sorry” by Beyoncé. It’s not quite a rage workout (although we have a playlist for that too!); instead, we hope it’s just straight-up empowering and leaves you with a sense of vindication and badass-ness.Full playlist:“Good as Hell” by Lizzo“thank u, next” by Ariana Grande“Yo Perreo Sola” by Bad Bunny“IDGAF”  by Dua Lipa“abcdefu” by GAYLE“good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo“Undrunk” by Fletcher“Truth Hurts” by Lizzo“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift“Smile” by Lily Allen“Shout Out to My Ex” by Little Mix“Vete” by Bad Bunny“Care” by beabadoobee“Don’t Call Me Up – R3HAB Remix” by Mabel“Woman” by Kesha, feat. The Dap-King Horns“Heartbreak Anthem” by Galantis, David Guetta, Little Mix“Miss Movin’ On” by Fifth Harmony“Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson“Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa“S.L.U.T” by Bea Miller“Fuck You” by Lily Allen“Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake“Evergreen” by Ryan Beatty“Sorry” by BeyoncéRelated:

This article is part of SELF’s Keep It Hot package, a collection of content that celebrates love and lust. Throughout February, we’ll be dishing out advice and inspiration for feeling hot, getting horny, and nurturing romantic relationships.Yoga can calm your mind and body in the moment, but if you pick the right postures, it also has the potential to work some bedroom magic later.Any kind of movement that maximizes your mobility and gets you comfortable holding your bodyweight—both of which yoga does super well—can set the stage for some pretty awesome sex. “[It’s] just gonna give you more options during sex,” Haylin Belay, trauma-informed yoga instructor and trauma-informed sex educator, tells SELF. For instance, you may be able to more comfortably get into, and hold, an all-fours position.When it comes to cultivating a better relationship with pleasure, “Yoga stands apart from other kinds of exercise,” Belay says. That’s because yoga doesn’t just condition your body—it can also help you build awareness of what you’re feeling as you engage certain muscles and what thoughts, feelings, and emotions arise in the process.Both yoga and sex are tools for exploring how you feel in your body, Belay explains. With that ethos, she created a yoga sequence for SELF that can help enhance your sex life by boosting mobility, strength, flexibility, and blood flow in key areas; helping you find new and playful ways to move; and encouraging mindfulness as you experience different poses. This flow is developed from a trauma-informed perspective, Belay says, which means it focuses on restoration and inward reflection instead of super challenging poses, which can sometimes push you past your comfort levels as you try to do them “correctly.” It also means the routine is less prescriptive, and is driven by what feels good to your body.Improving your sex life “should be a fun and joyous exploration—not a grueling slog that you’re dragging yourself though,” Belay says. So when you’re going through this routine, keep joy, playfulness, and mindfulness at the forefront as you move your body in ways that feel good to you.Here’s what you can expect: Moves like cat-cow and garland pose work on mobility and flexibility, particularly in your spine, hips, feet, and knees. Being able to move more smoothly and with a greater range of motion can help you get into new positions that can provide different sensations. For instance, more flexibility could make it possible for partners’ bodies to be really close during sex, or for partners to use and share toys in new ways. Then, moves like half-boat pose and reclined goddess can help build strength, particularly in areas like your pelvic floor. And that’s important, since increased strength, especially in the pelvic floor area, can heighten the sensation of an orgasm. Additionally, boosting strength in general can help you more comfortably hold poses for a longer period of time, which, put simply, gives you a wider variety of things you can do during sex.

SOS Stretches are designed to be done in the moment—when you need them most. These super quick routines will relieve tension and tightness, and ease sore muscles from whatever activity you’re taking part in. In today’s break from gaming routine, you’ll be:Stretching your: Wrists, forearms, shoulders, neck, back, legs, and hipsYou can do this: Wearing whatever clothes you have on, in any location, as long as you have room to stand up.When you’re in a gaming marathon, minutes can bleed into hours, and the hours can rack up fast too. Though you may not notice it when you’re engrossed in your screen, sitting for that long can cause your muscles to tighten up, leading to a sore, achy feeling that can suck the joy out of your latest endeavor.According to a 2022 review published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, video gaming can commonly lead to muscle pain or discomfort, particularly in the neck, back, shoulders, and hands. There are likely a couple reasons at play, the scientists believe—a combination of time spent continuously sitting and the repetitive movements of the upper limbs. But there are things you can do to feel better without having to unplug for the day.“Stretching and movement can help counteract this by increasing blood flow, reducing tension in the muscles, and giving the eyes a break from screen time,” Nikki Pebbles, MS, CPT, founder of Rock Your Body Online, tells SELF. That’s why Pebbles created the four-move gaming stretch routine below that video gamers can use to loosen up tightness in their upper body, lower body, and hands. Though you could do the first three stretches sitting or standing, Pebbles recommends taking this time to stand up, move around, and get the blood flowing before you get into the stretch.In fact, taking a few minutes every hour to stretch your body—this routine takes nine minutes, but one round takes just three—can make a day of gaming feel that much more pleasant, Pebbles says. “This can prevent any discomfort from setting in.”One more thing: While you’re doing this routine, make sure to give your eyes a break too. Try to focus on something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds to let your eye-focusing muscles relax.DirectionsComplete each move for 30 seconds. After all 4 moves are done, repeat the circuit for 3 rounds total. This will take about 9 minutes.Demoing the moves below is Nikki Pebbles, a special populations personal trainer in New York City.

This article is part of SELF’s Keep It Hot package, a collection of content that celebrates love and lust. Throughout February, we’ll be dishing out advice and inspiration for feeling hot, getting horny, and nurturing romantic relationships.Sex can be a good workout, sure, but it also works the other way around: A workout can make for some pretty good sex too. All you need to do is keep a few things in mind when planning your routine to really bring on the bedroom benefits.Most important? Mobility, strength, and endurance, all of which can help you go the distance—and enjoy the process that much more, Lizzy Bristow, CSCS, owner of Body by Daddy who specializes in fitness for the LGBTQ+ community, tells SELF. She created the following strength workout for SELF that works on all of those factors and is sure to get you all fired up.You’ll begin with a warm-up, which is focused on getting your body nice and mobile so you feel comfortable moving through your full range of motion in the work that follows. Warming up your hips is particularly key, since your glutes play a clutch role in this routine and in the bedroom. You’ll also spend some time loosening up your back, shoulders, core, and spine for good measure.Your first set of work is a glutes-heavy superset, where you’ll stack a weighted hip thrust with a bodyweight glute bridge march. “In the bedroom, there’s a lot of thrusting motions, so that’s where strength comes in,” Bristow says. You’ll also be playing with tempos and pauses here, which gives your glutes that muscle memory of what more time under tension feels like—for when you need to hold that peak position just a bit longer.Katie ThompsonIt’s not all about thrusting, though: Your fingers, hands, and forearms need to be in just as tip-top shape. That’s why Bristow included four specific moves designed to build the muscular endurance you need for that delicate finger work—which, she says, can strain the small muscles in your digits as they move in and hold different positions.