Working out at home has grown in popularity over the past nine months. With gyms closed for the foreseeable future, finding a way to push yourself and better your physical fitness can be a real challenge, to say the least. Not everyone is keen to run, hike, jog, or do other physical activity outside — plus, cold weather, inclement conditions, and fewer daylight hours combine to force workouts indoors.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, working from home, or simply looking for work — there are plenty of ways to get in better shape. It’s important to note your workout does not have to suck hours and hours out of your day. Working out 1-2 times per week at first, for 30-40 minutes, is a great way to get the ball rolling and improve your confidence and comfortability with the work. Increase the frequency and intensity as you see fit!
You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or gym rat to utilize these exercises. Plus you hardly need any equipment to do them! Start slow, begin with just a few reps of each exercise, and build your way up.
If fat burning is your goal, focus on switching quickly from one exercise to another, to ensure you keep your heart rate up. Doing so will also increase your cardiovascular capacity!
Core Work
For the novice exercisers of the world, strengthening your core is a great way to improve your overall fitness. A strong core enables your body to function properly, giving you greater stability and balance, while training the muscles in your lower back, hips, pelvis, and abdomen.
Sit-Ups
Start slow, aim to complete 20 sit-ups, and avoid tucking your feet under a chair to maximize the efficacy.
Crunches
The goal with crunches is to raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This engages your abdomen specifically, isolating the exercise for your ab muscles. Begin with three sets of 10, and work up from there.
Planks
Anyone who has performed a plank quickly realizes how long a minute feels when holding this position. This is hands down (pun intended) the best overall toning you can do for your body. Lay flat on your stomach, raise up to your elbows and toes while keeping your back and legs straight. Begin with a 30-second plank, and increase as you are able.
Leg Lifts
Swimmers know this land exercise well, as it will engage your leg muscles and your core simultaneously. There are multiple variations of this exercise, and all begin by laying on your back. You can choose to lift your legs together in front of you (hold for 15 seconds), spread them wide, and even shoot them straight up into the air as a different way to do crunches.
Lower Body
Some of the biggest muscles you have are in your lower body, and working them regularly will help boost your metabolism.
Lunges
Your quads will thank you. Stand with your feet together, take a big step forward with your right leg, landing with a bent knee at a 90-degree angle over your toes. Bring your left knee to the ground and push off your front foot to return to standing. Perform two sets of 10 with each leg.
Squats
Keeping your back straight, drop your seat to knee height. Begin with two sets of 10. You should feel the stretch in your glute muscles.
Squat Jumps
(Note: if you have downstairs neighbors, this might not be the best indoor exercise!) Bend your knees like a squat, tucking your arms in before springing off the floor. You want to straighten your legs in the air and land in a squat again.
High Knees
(Note: just like squat jumps, this exercise can be too loud if you have a downstairs neighbor) Jog in place for 30 seconds, lift each knee as high as you can. Increase the time to 1 minute as your stamina improves.
Cardio
If you love to walk, jog, or hike, great! For everybody else, here are some wonderful cardio workouts you can do from the comfort of your family room.
Jumping Jacks
Yes, you are in middle school again. But don’t let the association with your childhood fool you, this simple exercise is a great way to get your heart pumping. Reach one minute and then push yourself at intervals of 15 seconds as you get stronger!
Burpees
This is a killer workout that will test even the fittest of people. Begin by laying on your stomach, and push up to a standing position before quickly transitioning into a jump. Work on doing 10 while focusing on maintaining great form before pushing for more.
Upper Body
Gym aficionados will be surprised by the upper body work you can do at home with no weights or equipment. Introduce these moves into your regimen and you are sure to feel your body change for the better!
Dips
Find a sturdy chair or your couch and sit with your legs stretched out in front of you. You can choose to bend your knees or keep your legs straight — both will work your tricep muscles. Simply dip down to the ground (as far as you can without strain) while bending your elbows. Two sets of 10 dips should do the trick!
Push-ups
Proper form is very important with push-ups. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart, and bend your elbows to the side at a 45-degree angle to your body (not flush to your body and not straight out from your shoulders either). Put your pet or child on your back to really feel the burn.
Contributor, designer & admin for JohnHart Gazette.
