You don’t need a gym, or even any fancy equipment, to get and stay in tip-top shape. And since Americans are spending more time than ever inside their homes, it’s handy to have a few at-home exercises up your sleeve. Keep reading for everything you need to know to execute a great at-home workout.
Start with a warm-up.
Always give yourself at least five minutes to warm up your muscles before a workout – this will not only help prevent injury, but also improve your performance. Other benefits include more flexibility, a better range of motion, and increased blood flow to your muscles. Here are a few dynamic warm-ups that will prepare your body for physical activity:
– Marching in place
– Shoulder rolls
– Arm swings
– Leg swings
– Knee lifts
– Hip rotations
– Side-to-side hops
– Alternating front kicks
Keep in mind that a proper warm-up might make you sweaty, but it shouldn’t leave you feeling fatigued!
Choose your workout.
There are so many exercise videos and fitness apps out there that make at-home workouts a breeze, but if you want to try a DIY approach, you first need to choose your workout: cardio, strength training, or a combination of the two. Next, select anywhere from five to 10 exercises and the duration of each exercise (for example, 30 or 90 seconds). If you’re short on time, complete one circuit, or, if you’re up for a more intense session, complete the circuit two to five times.
For a cardio workout, try to include a mix of high-intensity and lower-intensity moves such as:
– Jogging in place
– High knees
– Skaters
– Mountain climbers
– Jumping jacks
– Jump rope
– Burpees
– Bear crawls
For strength training using only your body weight, try:
– Squats
– Lunges
– Reverse lunges
– Push-ups
– Planks
– Dips
– Glute bridges
End with a cool-down.
Cooling down is a lot like warming up; you want to continue to move your body, but at a slower pace and reduced intensity. This will help you bring your heart rate back down to a normal level before you start another activity. You should also incorporate some static stretching into your cool-down routine. Make sure to focus on taking deep breaths, which will deliver oxygen to your muscles and promote relaxation. Here are a few sample cool-down exercises:
– Brisk walking in place
– Arm circles
– Toe touches
– Knee-to-chest pose
– Child’s pose
– Hamstring stretch
– Overhead triceps stretch
When it comes to exercise, the most important thing is making physical activity a regular part of your daily life. Whether you have 10 minutes or 45, use this guide to make the most of your time and get moving!
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