Don\’t have time to go to the gym? Don\’t worry, these home workouts with a powerful diet can give you the results in no time!
THE 10 BEST HOME WORKOUT ROUTINES
Fitness is a huge part of lifestyle for a great many people. Yet, life does not always let a person stick to a proper gym routine. Those who are diligent in following their gym training sessions – well and good, continue doing so. Things like cardio, resistance and strength training does put forth a positive change in one’s health.
Often, the rush of day-to-day life does not let us go spend productive time at the gym, focussing on workouts. However, that does not mean giving up on the fitness regime. The best thing to do in such a situation is keep some time apart for workouts, right at home. There are different workouts that you can do at home to stay in shape. Most of these are at-home workout plans designed for beginners. They let you keep the body trip, toned and supple. Moreover, the best thing is that there is no gym equipment required!
Here is a description of the very best at home workout routines that many successfully follow:
- Push Ups: The most reliable and common way to keep in shape is by doing push ups. For this, kneel on the mat and brace your feet behind. Bend forward by placing arms flat onto the mat. Keep the palms shoulder-width apart and your body stiff, but not strained. The toes should point towards the shin, so place the feet together that way. In this position, begin lowering the body till the chest or chin touches the mat. Keep the spine rigid and don’t let shoulders sag. Now push upwards, still staying rigid until the arms are fully extended. Repeat as many times as needed.
- Bent Knee Push Ups: This is an easier way of doing push ups especially for beginners who find doing push ups the regular way hard. In this exercise, follow the same procedure as you would for a normal push up, but take note to place your knees on the mat, so that you are kneeling. This gives more support and makes the exercise easy to do. This way, only the upper body is going downward and upward.
- Downward facing Dog: To do this exercise, kneel on the floor or mat and bring the legs behind you. Place your palms flat on the mat So that they are shoulder-width apart. Extend the body fully. Maintain a rigid torso and shift your weight backwards while exhaling. You can do this by pushing your hips back and upwards. Continue until the body forms an inverted V-like shape. Inhale and return to the initial position, and repeat the exercise.
- Contralateral Limb Raises: For this exercise, lie on your stomach, with the body fully extended. Toes must point away from the shins, and hands extended upwards. Relax your head to align it with the spine. Exhale and raise your arms from the floor but maintain the body in the previous position itself, not sagging. There must not be any rotation of the arms and it should extend properly. Hold the position briefly and then lower the arm, while inhaling. Repeat the exercise. You can do the same exercise using one of your legs, or a leg and arm simultaneously.
- Front Plank: An easy form of abdominal exercise but efficient nonetheless. For doing the plank, you need to rise from the floor. While doing so, support yourself on forearms and balls of your feet. Keep in mind to stay as steady as possible while clenching the ab muscles. Hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds and relax. This is a great alternative to a simple crunch because it works up both the abdominal and back muscles.
- Reverse crunch: This is a variation of a regular crunch aimed at engaging the abdominal muscles. Lie on your back with hands held behind. Bend your knees upward. Now pull up your legs until they are pointing straight up. Now bring your knees into the chest so that the abdominal muscles are clenching nicely. Repeat the rep for 15-20 times. This will also work the obliques very well.
- Squat jumps: This is one exercise that helps shape thighs, hips and legs. To do this beginner level exercise, stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your arms by your sides. Pull your shoulders back and stand with a straight spine. Shift your hips backwards and move down so that it looks like you are squatting. There must be a hinge-like movement at the knees. Make sure to keep the spine straight throughout. Then, jump up while extending your body to the maximum limit. When landing back down, take care to do it softly, mid-foot So that there is no extreme stress. Repeat the exercise.
- Glute activation lunges: This is an exercise to help keep the abs in shape. Stand straight with your feet together, and arms raised forward at shoulder height. Brace your body to stand stiff. From this initial position, step sideways with the right foot to your 3 o\’clock position. Now, bend at the hips moving them backwards, so that you are pressing on the other foot to bend down. At the end of the movement, your left leg should be almost fully extended and right one should be placed flat on the floor. This makes up the lunge. While doing so, twist your upper torso in the opposite direction. Then return to the initial position by pushing off with the front leg.
- Side Plank: This is a variation on the regular plank exercise. It is great for the abdominal muscles and obliques. It also helps to tone the hamstrings, quads, thighs and upper body. So for doing a side plank, lie on your side on the floor. Keep your forearm perpendicular to the body. One leg should be above the other leg, like in a stack. Now pull up the body by the hip and hold the position for a minute Keep your body as straight as possible.
- Bicycle Crunch: This ab exercise is one of the best to strengthen the obliques. This is a little complex so make sure you are doing it the proper way to get the most benefit. Lay on your back with knees up to make a right angle. Place your hands by your temple. Then do a normal crunch but perform a bicycle motion with your legs as well. While doing the crunch, twist sideways too. So, when you are twisting to the right side, bring in the right knee and do the same for the left side. Alternate between the two positions.
These are just some of the beginner level at-home workouts that both men and women can easily perform. They do not require any sort of special equipment. Construct a workout routine made of a mix of all these exercises to work out every important muscle group. Once you have mastered those, you may then move on to intermediate and expert level exercises, some of them using barbells, if available. All these workouts done at home can enable you to keep in shape and stay fit.