As a high school gymnast and cheerleader, Grace Albin fell in love with choreography and group training. These days, she’s able to share that passion with her fitness clients and over 330,000 Instagram followers. Albin shows that to blast your whole body, you can pull off an intense session with just a bit of space and a wall for good measure. Try it for yourself with this exclusive floor workout.
“Participation in physical activity is the best predictor of client compliance, which is the best predictor of outcomes,” says Albin. “In other words, if you choose an activity you don’t like, you’ll soon give up. It happens because people sign up for some type of class or buy some piece of equipment, based on a friend’s recommendation, or because they’ve fallen in love with some fancy advertisement with big promises. I always say to newcomers: “don’t spend a penny”. Take advantage of the free trials and experience at least five formats such as a running group, boot camp, yoga class, CrossFit, whatever. Eventually, you’ll land on the one that motivates you to keep going. Each instructor is so different, and you may find that you enjoy indoor exercises more than outdoors, or people in a particular group may feel closer. You never know until you try different formats which one will resonate with you.
Grace Albin does not hit the wall; She uses it for gains
In Grace Albin’s floor drive, supplied exclusively to M&F Hers readers, Albin shares a great session for building strength and muscle tone. You will work upper body, lower body and core. All you need is enough room to stretch out and a pair of socks to help you slide down the wall. Albin’s advice: For more softness, you can put on two pairs of socks!
In terms of modifications to make sure this workout is accessible to all levels, the first method is to simply increase or decrease the number of reps depending on your ability.
“The second way is to increase the intensity through the progression of the technique,” says Albin. “For the lower body, keeping your hips further away from the wall will feel harder and will force your hamstrings and glutes to work harder. For the upper body, keeping your hands and core lower on the wall will force your shoulders and core to fight gravity harder. Technique and form are always a priority for Albin. “The main reason for this is that it prevents injury,” she says. “Strong form prevents both acute injuries that occur suddenly during exercise, as well as repetitive stress injuries that gradually worsen over time.”
If you like the idea of finding ways to move that don’t require a gym, Albin is all about finding opportunities. “Not just around the house, but everywhere else you go,” she says. “Get more movement by taking the stairs instead of the elevator when shopping or commuting to the office. Walk around the playground while your kids are playing, rather than sitting on a park bench. There are opportunities for movement throughout the day. Use a desk that adjusts so you can stand for part of the day or sit on a stability ball instead of a chair. Do calf raises while watching TV. Walk around while you’re on the phone. These can add up to burn as many calories as taking a 45 minute class!
Grace Albin’s 10 Minute Floor Workout
Warm up:
- Knees bent 90 degrees, raise hips up and down 20 reps.
Lower body (8 reps for each movement)
- Straight Leg Extensions
- Windscreen wipers
- Knees crossed to the right
- Knees crossed left
- twist under
- Right crossed ankles
- Ankles crossed left
- Glutes stretch (15 to 30 seconds each side)
Upper body (15 reps each movement)
- Plank Floor Faucets
- Knees bent in plank
- Right leg pulse
- Left leg pulse
- Stretch with arm circles (2 forward and 2 backward)
For more FREE workouts, follow Grace Albin on Instagram.
