Gyms can be expensive, out of the way, and too crowded for a workout. Perhaps your free time is extra scarce, or maybe you’re juggling too much on your plate as it is to make time for the gym. Whatever you reason, hitting the gym can be a chore. Regardless, you still want that nice body you’ve always dreamed about, but not sure if you can make that gym commitment. Enter at-home workouts.
Heath Fitness Revolution compiled a list of the top 10 most effective workouts you can do right in the comfort of your own home. So get on some workout gear, push back your computer chair and get ready to do some workouts as you read along.
Squats
Body-weight squats are a great way to tone your lower body without any equipment. To do them, spread your legs about shoulder-width apart (perhaps even a little wider), finding your center of balance. Keep your weight on heels during the entire exercise and bend your knees, squatting down. How deep you squat depends on your current level of physical fitness, whether it’s a slight bend of the knees or a right angle I-could-be-sitting-in-a-chair squat or a deep “grass” squats, themselves you can almost never do wrong as long as your initial form is right. Squat during commercials of your favorite show, while you’re waiting for a healthy dish in front of the over, or even just after waking up in the morning! This is a very versatile workout than can be done almost anywhere in your home.
The core is the center of your entire body so building a strong core is essential not just for physical fitness, but for overall health and daily movement. The great thing about working out the core is you can do it easily in the comfort of your home own home, on the floor, the couch, your bed – pretty much any flat surface. Alternate between crunches, sit-up, planks, bicycles, heel touches, leg lifts, and flutter kicks to workout out the central core as well as your obliques.
Push-Ups
Push ups are a great upper body workout which engages bicep, tricep, chest, shoulder and back muscles in a single go. Like many ab exercises, all you need is a flat surface long enough to capture the length of your body. Get down in a full plank position, keeping your back straight and your hips low, spreading your arms so your elbows can bend comfortable, and bend your elbows, lowering yourself slowly to the floor. Push yourself back up to bring yourself back to the starting position. As a tip, avoid facing the floor and look forward instead (as pictured above), which seems to boost confidence and athletic ability, especially if you’re visually focused on an object.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks is a great way to get your heart pumping quickly! All you need is space to jump around! Jumping jacks are a great exercise for burning calories and fat quickly, promoting weight loss. It also requires you to engage your core, strengthening your abdominals.
Step-Ups
Step-ups are a great cardio and muscle workout, primarily working out your glutes and quads. Step-ups can prepare you for outdoor adventures such as biking, hiking and running on hilly terrain as it boosts the strength in your lower body. Any stable, elevated surface at least 2 ½ feet off the ground or at knee height or higher will work for this exercise. The taller the surface the more you engage your glutes.
Burpees
Burpees are an intense full body workout and can burns tons of calories while engaging many of your muscles. With every rep you complete, you work out your arms, chest, core, glutes, hamstrings and quads. Burpees are embraced by almost all types of training because they are great for endurance and conditioning, and the best part is they can be done anywhere. All you need is a good amount of room around you and a stable surface.
High Knees
High knees are another great cardio workout for you to try at home. You can start by doing high knee marches if you are a beginner and add the hop in to really get your heart rate up! You can add this workout to any routine and don’t need very much space to do so.
Glute Bridge
Glute bridges are the ultimate rear toning exercise. Hinge workouts are better for targeting the glutes and are posterior chain focused. Glute bridges also engage the hamstrings, lower back and core. There are a number of different variations of this exercise including a single leg glute bridge.
Mountain Climbers
Mountains climbers are a great cardio and ab workout. You get your cardio in by quickly bringing your knees in and out and you activate your abs by holding yourself in the plank position. Remember to make sure your head doesn’t hang once you start to reach fatigue as form, as always, is fundamental to success. This workout is another way to get your heart rate up quickly.
Dancing
Every workout doesn’t have to feel like one! Put on your favorite tunes and have some fun! Dancing is not only a great workout but it can also help lift your spirits. Even if you’re feeling tired from your workout, keep moving, pump you feet and your arms to those upbeat jams. Feel free to go all out to your favorite song in your room.
