The Top 10 Ways to Exercise at Home
As nice as it would be to have gym equipment in your home, for most of us, this just isn’t an option, and sometimes getting to the gym to do a full workout isn’t always possible. Incorporating exercises you can do at home into your workout routine is a great solution!
These are the types of exercises you can fit in when you have ten minutes spare, which are convenient for you and beneficial for your body. Research shows that short bursts of exercise several times a day can really improve fitness levels and weight loss potential.
1. Stair Aerobics
Step aerobics is a great way to tone up your bottom and thighs while burning calories, so why not use your stairs to achieve these benefits?
You could just simply walk up and down them, step up and down the bottom stairs trying to build up a faster speed or design your own moves with a step routine to force yourself to concentrate so you don’t get bored.
If you don’t have any stairs in your house, you could try a step routine on a flat surface. Exaggerate each leg lift so that you get a similar benefit for your bottom and thighs.
2. Dancing
Dancing is a great heart-healthy workout and also boosts your mood. Just put a music channel on your TV and dance like crazy, or try to learn the routines of your favorite songs. No one will be watching you, so you can just have fun and enjoy the music at your own pace.
3. Light Weight Lifting
Rather than forking out money for equipment or your own weights, just use whatever you can find in the house, such as cans of soup or bottles of water for weights.
To tone your triceps, stand with your feet hip-width apart, hold your weight in your right hand, and extend it straight up to the sky.
Support your elbow with your left hand to prevent it from flaring out and weakening the move. Bend your right elbow and lower the weight behind your head, then press back up to the start position. Do all your reps on this side, then repeat on the opposite side.
For your biceps, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms at your sides, a weight in each hand, palms facing in. Bend your left arm to 90 degrees, dumbbell vertical.
Hold that position as you bend your right arm and curl the weight to your shoulder, keeping your elbow at your side. Complete all the reps, then lower both arms and swap so that the right arm is stationary at 90 degrees, and do the reps with the left hand.
4. Jumping Jacks
These are a great, fun way to get your heart beating and also serve as part of a good warm-up routine to stretch out your arms and legs. Just do as many as you can and then try to aim for more each time.
5. Squats
Squats are great for your legs and bottom. To do them correctly, stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower your hips. As you bend your knees, your thighs will be parallel to the floor.
Ensure your knees don’t go beyond your toes, keep your chest up, and look straight ahead. Stand back up to start position and repeat. If these are too difficult, just try sitting and standing up slowly from a regular chair and repeat this move as many times as you can.
6. Leg Lifts
These are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs and are even something you can do while you’re watching TV. If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.
7. Planking
The plank is a key move from Pilates, designed to strengthen your core and back and tone your abs. Lie face down on your forearms, palms flat on the floor, push off the floor, raising up onto your toes and resting on the elbows.
Keep your back flat in a straight line from head to heels, and remember to tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your bottom from sticking up or sagging in the middle. Start by holding this for 20, lower, and repeat for 3-5 reps, and gradually build up to 60 seconds as you improve.
8. Lunges
Lunges are great for working your bottom and thighs. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. Step forward with your right leg as far as you can, then lower yourself so that your thigh is parallel to the ground and your left knee moves closer to the floor.
Hold for a second, then step back to the standing pose. Alternate between legs and do this 20 times in total.
9. All Fours Lift
This exercise challenges you to balance, strengthening your core and toning your bottom at the same time. Get on all fours, kneeling down and with your hands on the floor directly under your shoulders.
Lift your right leg so that it is in line with your back, then lift your left arm forward so that it is also in line with your back.
Balance here for a few seconds, then slowly move your arm and leg out so that they are at a 45-degree angle from the body. Slowly move them back and get back to all fours. Repeat on this side for 10 seconds, then switch to lifting the left leg and right arm.
10. Push-ups
While push-ups can be difficult, you can find easier ways to do them. For example, you can do them on your knees instead of keeping your legs straight or standing up against a wall. You will build up arm strength and work out muscles in your chest area.
