5 easy ways to workout at home
The health industry these days seems to be obsessed with fancy equipment, machines and gym culture. That’s not the way Rocky Balboa did it. These five simple at-home workouts don’t require dumb bells, sleds, or whatever the lasts torture device on the market is. All you will need is everyday furniture, yourself and a small amount of motivation.
Running
It seems simple enough, but many people these days shy away from real running – exposed to the elements and away from the treadmill. In addition to improving your heart health, it also provides benefits to many other areas in your body as you’ll need to work multiple muscle groups to make it up and down hills and over different terrain.
Stair climbing
You can do this simple exercise anywhere there is a staircase. If the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps seem a little far away, you can still have your own Rocky moment at the local library or maybe a car park.
Push ups
There’s a reason these are one of the oldest and most basic of exercises. It positions all the muscles in your upper body and builds optimal strength in the forearm, shoulders and chest. Here’s a simple formula to go by:
- Do as many push ups as you physically can without taking a break.
- Take the total number of push ups you were able to do and cut that down to half. For example, if you did 20 push ups total that would result in the number 10.
- Next time you do your push ups, do three sets of that number. For example, 10 push ups, with 60-90 seconds breaks in between.
As you get stronger you’ll need to increase the number of push ups you do in each set.
Dips
All you need for this exercise is a sturdy chair or bench. Face away from the chair with the back of your legs touching the front of the seat. Bend down and place your palms on the front edge with your fingers pointing forward. Now, walk your feet out in front of you, until the majority of your body weight is resting on your arms. Inhale, and keeping your elbows tucked in at your sides, slowly bend your arms and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. You should also notice your hips have dropped straight down toward the floor. Hold for a second, then exhale and straighten your arms back up to the starting position
The plank
The plank is a simple but challenging exercise that targets your core muscles. Not only does this exercise improve your balance and posture, but it also works your stomach muscles, increases your flexibility and even reduces back pain.
Simply lie on your stomach with your elbows close to your sides and directly under your shoulders. Engage or tighten your abs and slowly lift your torso off the floor, maintaining a stiff torso and legs. Your body will naturally try to sag, so try to avoid this, as well as hiking up your hips. Make sure you breathe while holding this position for 15 seconds or more. Your aim to should be to hold this for at least 30 seconds, then longer.
Related links:
The best way to exercise outdoors
Expert tips to become a morning person
7 simple ways to improve your posture