Are you ready to step out of your regular routine? Are you ready to take steps towards a better YOU? Perhaps you made working out one of your New Year's resolutions and didn't quite accomplish your goal. No more putting it off! Try these 5 exercises in your Camden apartment or Camden gym. 

1. Weighted Dumbbell Squat. (Glutes and Core exercise)

Place feet a little more than shoulder width apart and slightly point your toes outward. Without weight, place arms and hands by side. When squatting, move arms towards your front to stay in balance. In the pictures shown, I have two dumbbells placed on my shoulders to add weight. Tips: 1) Keep eyes and chest straight forward to keep balance. 2) Knees should not go over your toes, widen your stance if you notice this happening. Keep back in neutral position to refrain from back injury.

Photo courtesy of Photo taken by: Colette LaPorte

2. Walking Lunges with Dumbbells (Glutes and Quadriceps exercise)

Place one foot directly behind and the other foot forward, hold the dumbbells to your side. Step down and keep your knee at a 45 degree angle. When coming up from the lunge, you should come back up in neutral position. Step out with opposite foot and repeat. Tips: 1) Keep chest and eyes forward. 2) Shift hips/glutes back if your knees go over toes. 

Photo courtesy of Photo Taken By: Colette LaPorte

3. Triceps Dips (Triceps Workout)

Use a bench of a chair for this next one. Legs can either be straight or bent, place your arms behind you on the bench. Lower yourself into a dip, utilize your triceps muscles to lower and raise your body back to starting position. Tips: 1) Do not shrug your shoulders when you begin to lower yourself, keep your chest forward and risen when doing this exercise.

Photo courtesy of Photo Taken By Colette LaPorte

4. Alternating Bicep Curls (Bicep Workout)

Feet at shoulder width apart, alternate each arm into a bicep curl. Tips: 1) Do not swing arm/shoulders into a bicep curl. Lower weight if needed. 2) Once in curling motion, direct pinky towards shoulder. This will optimize the entire bicep muscle when in motion.

Photo courtesy of Photo Taken by Colette LaPorte

5. Sit ups (Core exercise)

In this workout, I started out lying flat on the floor with my hands behind my head and knees bent. Keeping my hands behind my head, I come up and crunch towards my knees. I lower myself back to starting position, and continue on with the exercise. Tips: 1) Remember to breathe! Breathe in when lowering yourself, and breathe out when coming up. 2) Place feet under an object to keep them flat on the floor, or have a workout buddy hold feet down.

Photo courtesy of Photo Taken By Colette LaPorte

These are 5 simple workouts that can create such great results. Please note, I am not a personal trainer, but have been teaching myself for 4 years. To further your knowledge of weight lifting and fitness, I recommend visiting Bodybuilding.com for great (and free) workouts. Happy Lifting!