Welcome to week four of my five-week workout plan! The taps and curtseys in this week’s lineup might sound cute, but rest assured this routine is tough enough to hit nearly every muscle in your body. (Here’s Workout #1, Workout #2, and Workout #3 in case you missed them.)

Just like my other workouts, you don’t have to do this in a gym. Your bodyweight will offer plenty of resistance. But if you’d like to modify anything, please do so. And if you want an even bigger challenge, feel free to add objects, like chairs, stairs, dumbbells, or benches.

Workout #4

Warm Up (5 to 10 minutes)

Take up to 10 minutes to warm up your body any way that you would like. Biking, walking, dynamic stretching (moving through a stretch, rather than statically holding a stretch for more than 5 seconds) are all great. Pick anything that gets your body moving and ready to go!

Circuit (8 minutes)

Curtsey Lunge with Sidekick  Take your right leg and bring it behind your left leg, going into a curtsey. As you come out of the curtsey perform a sidekick by extending your leg straight out to your side. Do as many reps as you can in 15 seconds then switch to the other side and repeat. (0:00-0:30)

Jump Squats  Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart. While keeping core engaged, go down into a squat, jump and explode up, and land back into a squat. Continue to do as many reps as possible in 30 seconds. (0:30-1:00)

Balance with 3-point Tap  Balance on your right leg with a slight bend at the knee. Take your left leg, reach out and tap your toe forward, to the side, and then behind. Do this continuously for 15 seconds, then switch legs. (1:00-1:30)

Hip Swings  While standing, take your right leg and swing it up forward and then backward repeatedly for 15 seconds. Repeat same motion on your left leg for 15 seconds. It’s ok to hold on to something for balance if you’re feeling wobbly. (1:30-2:00)

Push-Ups  While keeping your core engaged, your elbows tucked at your side, neck relaxed and looking forward, perform as many pushups as you can in 30 seconds. If you need to, you can modify these by dropping down to your knees. (2:00-2:30)

Lizard Hops  Get into a full plank position. With your core engaged bring, your right foot up to your right elbow. Then, in a fluid motion, swing your right leg back to the start position, and bring your left foot up towards your left elbow. Keep going continuously for 30 seconds. (2:30-3:00)

Ab Scissors  Lie flat on your back and extend your arms along your sides, with your palms pressing into the floor. Engage your abs, press your lower back into the ground, and lift both legs straight up towards the ceiling. Keeping your core tight, slowly lower your right leg down until it is a few inches above the ground. Then slowly switch legs by lifting your right leg back up as your left leg goes down. (3:00-3:30)

Runners Plank  Get into a side plank on your right side with your knees off the ground. (If this is too difficult, you can keep your right knee or foot on the ground, with your knee bent, for more support.) Extend your left arm straight up and bring your left knee up towards the left side of your chest with your ankle flexed towards you. Hold for 15 seconds, and then switch sides. (3:30-4:00)

Repeat!  Do the series of eight exercises again for a total of 4 minutes. If you need to take 30 seconds to 1 minute to catch your breath, do so before repeating the circuit. (4:00-8:00)

Conditioning Segment—Figure 8 Drill (2 minutes)

Set up 3 cones in a line with about 1 to 2 yards of space in between. (You can also use plastic cups or other objects.) You will be side-shuffling, making a Figure 8 around the cones.

Rest for 30 seconds to catch your breath after the circuit before starting the conditioning segment. (0:00-0:30)

Figure 8 Shuffles (Right)  Side shuffle to the right around the cones, making a Figure 8 shape, as quickly as you can for 30 seconds. (0:30-1:00)

Rest for 30 seconds (1:00-1:30)

Figure 8 Shuffles (Left)  Side shuffle in opposite direction as quickly as you can for 30 seconds (1:30-2:00)

Cool Down (5 to 10 minutes)

It is vital that you cool down after each workout to reduce inflammation and prevent injury. Use this time any way you would like. Walk and stretch—holding each stretch about 15 seconds, or try foam rolling. If you don’t have a foam roller you can use a softball or soccer ball, or just sit and stretch out well.

 

Come back next week for another #soccerfit workout from Lauren Sesselmann!

 

Lauren Sesselmann is a professional soccer player for the Houston Dash in the NWSL and a member of the Canadian national team. She won a gold medal in the 2011 Pan American Games, a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics, and recently competed in the 2015 World Cup. Lauren is also the host and co-owner of the Fit as A Pro brand and owner of Success Through Soccer, which holds soccer clinics for kids all around the U.S. and Canada. Look for her in Dark Awakening, her first feature length film role, and in an upcoming movie in 2016.