Updated: June 22, 2020
Without intentionally trying, we often find ourselves completing the same cross training workouts week after week. However, mixing up our training and workout routine is key to staying motivated for the long term. This alphabet workout is a great way to keep things fun and interesting!
Try a spell your name workout.
With a different exercise for each letter of the alphabet, you can simply spell your name for a complete workout. Try just your first name for a short, quick workout, or work your way through your full name.
This alphabet workout can be as long or short as you’d like it to be. You can sort through the A – Z exercises for your favorites, or try spelling different words to keep things interesting and surprising.
If you’re short on time, try just 3-4 letters; if you’re looking for a longer cross training workout, work your way through all the letters.
This alphabet workout makes it easy to mix up your training. Use the exercises for each letter of the alphabet to create a different workout each week. You can spell your name, your favorite food, your city, the day of the week, or anything else you can come up with.
Alphabet workouts require no equipment.
All of the A-Z exercises utilize your bodyweight to create resistance, increase your heart rate, and burn calories. No equipment is needed to feel the burn, no matter what you choose to spell.
You can choose to spell your name, or work your way through the entire alphabet for the ultimate alphabet workout challenge.
Spell it out any way you’d like – right at home.
This alphabet workout breaks down 26 different exercises by letter. Each letter of the alphabet corresponds to a bodyweight exercise and the number of repetitions required.
Keep these ABC exercises on hand to create a cross training workout in no time. Use them for those days when you are stuck at home, can’t access any equipment, or need to fit in a quality workout without spending time at the gym.
With an alphabet workout, the possibilities are literally endless. Spell your name, work your way through all 26 A – Z exercises, or get creative with any combination.
Save it, print it out, and come back to it throughout your training. You’ll love the simplicity of this fun workout.
Check out the alphabet workout challenge.
Spell Your Name Alphabet Workout
This alphabet workout is simple: spell your name, another word, or work your way through the alphabet by completing the corresponding exercises for each letter.
You’ll have a new cross training workout with each different word you spell! Use the alphabet to create an epic at home workout that is quick, long, or anything in between.
A – Z Exercises
- A – Burpees x 15
- B – Crunches x 30
- C – Jump Squats x 20
- D – Bridge x 60 seconds
- E – Squats x 25
- F – Plank x 60 seconds
- G – Lunges x 30
- H – Legs Down x 25
- I – Side Lunges x 30
- J – Bicycles x 50
- K – Jump Lunges x 25
- L – Toe Touch Situps x 30
- M – Single Leg Squats x 20
- N – Bent Leg Jack Knifes x 20
- O – Jumping Jacks x 50
- P – Straight Leg Jack Knifes x 20
- Q – Cross Country Skiers x 50
- R – Scissor Kicks x 50
- S – High Knees x 50
- T – Mountain Climbers x 50
- U – Clamshells x 40
- V – Leg Lifts (side) x 40
- W – Leg Lifts (on back) x 40
- X – Leg Lifts (on stomach) x 40
- Y – Supermans x 30
- Z – Donkey Kicks x 30
Alphabet Letter Exercises in Pictures
Below is a description of each letter exercise. Every exercise requires no equipment and is completed using your own bodyweight. Work your way through this alphabet exercises for a combination of cardio and strength.
A – Burpees x 15
Begin standing with your feet about hip width distance apart. Reach both hands down to the floor, and bend at the knees. Jump both feet out behind you, landing in a straight arm plank position.
Complete a push up, and then jump both feet back in underneath your hips. Return to standing position and repeat.
B – Crunches x 30
Lie flat on your back with your knees bend and feet flat on the floor. Bring your hands in behind your head, and use your core (not your neck muscles) to lift your upper back and shoulders a few inches off the floor. Lower back down and repeat.
C – Jump Squats x 20
Stand with your feet about hip width distance apart. Bend at the knees and send your hips back, lowering your body as if you were about to sit in a chair.Extend both arms directly out in front of you as you squat.
Next, bring both arms down towards your side while simultaneously straightening your legs and pushing off the floor to jump into the air. Land in a standing position and repeat.
D – Bridge x 60 seconds
Begin by lying flat on your back. Bend your knees and keep your feet planted on the floor. Lift your hips off the floor, creating a 45 degree angle between the floor and your chest. Hold this position for 60 seconds.
E – Squats x 25
Stand with your feet about hip width distance apart. Bend at the knees and send your hips back, lowering your body as if you were about to sit in a chair. Extend both arms directly out in front of you as you squat, and then bring them down at your sides as you return to standing.
F – Plank x 60 seconds
Begin on your hands and knees, and then lower down to your elbows. Walk your feet out behind you, continuing until your legs are fully extended and your body forms a straight line. Hold this plank position for 60 seconds.
G – Lunges x 30
Stand with both feet spread slightly apart. Take a step forward with one foot, and then bend at the knees to lower towards the floor. Continue to lower until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
Straighten back up to standing, and step your back foot up next to your front foot. Repeat on the opposite side.
H – Bridge Lifts x 25
Begin by lying flat on your back. Bend your knees and keep your feet planted on the floor. Lift your hips off the floor, creating a 45 degree angle between the floor and your chest.
Lower your hips back to the floor and continue to repeat.
I – Side Lunges x 30
Stand with your feet spread slightly apart. Step one foot out wide to the side, and bend your opposite leg to lunge in the opposite direction. Lower down towards the floor, keeping your upper body in an upright position. Step you feet back together and repeat on the opposite side.
J – Bicycles x 50
Lie on your back with your legs extended straight out. Bring your hands in behind your head, bending at the elbows to do so. Bend your knees and lift your feet into the air.
Next, move one knee in towards your chest, while reaching towards it with the opposite elbow. Repeat this movement on the opposite sides, and continue to alternate quickly, as if your legs were pedaling on a bicycle.
K – Jump Lunges x 25
Stand with both feet spread slightly apart. Take a step forward with one foot, and then bend at the knees to lower towards the floor. Continue to lower until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
From the lunge position, straighten your legs to jump into the air. While airborne, switch legs so the opposite foot lands in front. Once you land on the floor, lower into a lunge on the opposite side.
L – Toe Touch Situps x 30
Begin by lying flat on your back, with your arms at your sides. Bring your feet into the air, straightening your legs to create a 90 degree angle at the waist.
Reach towards your feet with both hands, using your core muscles to lift your upper back and head off the floor. Lower back down to the floor and continue to repeat.
M – Standing Single Leg Toe Touch x 20
Stand with both feet next to each other, and lift one foot into the air, keeping your leg straight as you do so. Bend at the knee of your grounded leg to lower your body into a squat position, while keeping your opposite foot elevated.
Reach forward with one hand to touch the toe of your elevated foot. Extend the opposite hand straight out to the side to help maintain balance by off-setting the weight. Return to a standing position with both feet on the floor, and repeat on the opposite leg.
N – Bent Leg Jack Knifes x 20
Begin by lying flat on your back with your legs extended straight and hands lying straight above your head. In one motion, lift your legs and arms from the floor, bringing your knees and elbows in towards each other.
Tap your elbows and knees together, and then lower back down to the floor with control.
O – Jumping Jacks x 50
Stand with your feet together and arms down at your sides. In one motion, jump your feet out further apart, while bringing your arms up above your head to form an “X” shape with your body.
Next, jump your feet back together and bring your arms back down to your sides. Continue to repeat with no break in between.
P – Straight Leg Jack Knifes x 20
Begin by lying flat on your back with your legs extended straight and hands lying straight above your head. In one motion, lift your legs and arms from the floor, keeping them straight as you bring them into the air.
Reach your hands and feet towards one another, attempting to touch your toes with your hands. Slowly lower back to the floor and continue to repeat.
Q – Cross Country Skiers x 50
Begin by standing with one foot in front of the other, and your front knee slightly bent. Bring the opposite hand into the air, and then switch leg positions by jumping into the air.
Land with the opposite foot in front, and switch arms while doing so. Continue to alternate back and forth, with no break in between jumps.
R – Scissor Kicks x 50
Lie flat on your back with your legs extended straight out and arms down at your sides, and then both feet slightly into the air. Bring one foot up slightly higher than the other, and then quickly raise and lower each foot, alternating back and forth as if your legs were scissors.
S – High Knees x 50
Begin standing with your feet spread hip width distance apart. Bring your arms up to your sides, as if you were about to run. Next, lift one knee up to your chest.
Alternate knees and arms by running in place, bringing your knee up as high as possible with each step. Continue to repeat quickly, switching sides with each step.
T – Mountain Climbers x 50
Start on your hands and knees, with palms planted on the floor about shoulder width distance apart. Walk your feet back to extend your legs straight back behind you into a plank position.
Bring one knee in towards your chest, keeping your foot flexed and entire leg elevated above the floor. Quickly switch legs, jumping to do so in order to keep the front foot off the floor.
Rapidly alternate back and forth, keeping your upper body steady and moving your legs as if you were climbing a mountain.
U – Clamshells x 40
Lie on your side with both legs stacked, resting your head in your hand. Bend your knees and slide your feet in towards your body, keeping your knees stacked.
Next, lift the top knee into the air, keeping both feet together. Lower your knee back down to rest on the opposite knee and repeat.
V – Leg Lifts (side) x 40
Begin by lying on your side with both feet stacked and your lower arm extended straight above your head.
Keep your top leg straight while lifting your foot into the air. Lift your foot until your leg forms a 45 degree angle with the floor, and then lower back down. Continue to repeat.
W – Leg Lifts (on back) x 40
Lie flat on your back with legs extended straight and arms down at your sides. Lift one foot into the air, keeping your leg straight as you do so. Lower your foot back to the floor and repeat on the opposite side.
X – Leg Lifts (on stomach) x 40
Lie face down on your stomach, with legs extended and hands resting underneath your face. Keeping your leg straight, lift one foot into the air. Lower back to the floor and repeat on the opposite side.
Y – Supermans x 30
Begin by lying face down on the floor, with legs straight and arms extended above your head. Use your back muscles to lift both legs and both hands into the air, rising into a superman position. Lower back to the floor and repeat.
Z – Donkey Kicks x 30
Start on your hands and knees, with palms planted on the floor about shoulder width distance apart. Lift one foot into the air, keeping it flexed as you do so – as if you were about to make a footprint on the ceiling. Lower your leg back to the floor and repeat on the opposite side.
Incorporating cross training workouts is so important for athletes of any kind. Whether you run, swim, dance, play tennis, basketball, soccer or any other sport – the improvements you can make are so much greater with well rounded exercises that keep your muscles strong.
This alphabet workout makes cross training easy and fun.
These simple, bodyweight A – Z exercises target the muscles that often get neglected during training. Give those weak spots some love and your body will thank you! Enjoy this alphabet workout and spell your name, the alphabet or anything else you can think of.
More at home workout ideas:
- 12 Fun Cross Training Workouts for Runners
- 20 At Home Workout Ideas – No Equipment Needed
- 30 Minute Cross Training Workout Challenge
Looking to really increase your strength? Download this 30 Day Strength Training Challenge for free!
