Home offices, closed gyms and sports centers, non-stop snacking and increasing stress. Sound familiar? Well, this is a challenging time for all of us, but there are a few things we can do to make it a little easier. Like home workouts, for which there are thousands of variations online for all levels, interests, pace and length of free time.
We’ve now collected 15 of the most popular.
1. Full-Body Cardio Challenge
There are numerous options ranging from 10 minutes to an hour and a half workout, choose the most suitable one according to your fitness level and how much free time you have. If you’re a beginner, it’s worth joining a month-long challenge and starting at the basic level, the daily workouts will be a little longer and more difficult. A cardio challenge will increase your heart rate, get your body used to being fast, and set the stage for more future gains.
2. Resistant bands
Resistance bands are probably the best inexpensive workout tool you can get. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced exerciser, resistance band exercises will give your muscles a good challenge. One of the benefits of bands is that you can get a massive muscle workout without putting pressure on your joints. Resistance bands come in several levels as light, medium or heavy. You can adjust the level of resistance during your workout by simply switching bands or combining multiple resistance bands to increase the challenge. Most resistance band kits come with suggested exercises for each major muscle group in your body, but you can also find plenty of workout inspiration online.
3. HIIT Workout
Interval training (HIIT) uses high-intensity exercise combined with short rest periods to maximize calorie burn and cardiorespiratory fitness.
A HIIT circuit for beginners and advanced exercisers.
For beginner: start with 30 seconds of workout followed by 30 seconds of rest
Advanced: 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest.
2 to 3 days per week is a solid amount of HIIT, combined with 24 hours of rest and recovery between sessions.
4. Boxing Workout
Boxing workouts not only offer a great way to get some extra stress, but it may be the most intense exercise you can do for your body at home. The good news is that you can complete an entire session without any additional equipment, here’s how:
- jump rope: is a great way to get your heart pumping at the beginning of a workout, and you don’t need a rope to do it. Take a few minutes to jump in place, and move your arms in a small circular motion while actually holding a jump rope.
- Squat jumps: spread your feet above hip distance, bend into a squat and place your arms forward. Then jump as high as you would during a burpee. Do 3 reps of 10.
- complex circuit: Rotate for 3 minutes between these three exercises: high knees (running in place and lifting your knees, keeping your arms in front of you), mountain climbers and burpees.
- variety of sit-ups
Try 4 different types of sit-ups and do 25 of each.
5. Working out with your kids
If you have children, it is very important that they also exercise every day. If you don’t have a yard or garden, then indoors. Why not make daily exercise a fun family activity? Exercise for kids should be taken lightly, of course. Instead of exercising, call it exercise play.
Here are some examples:
Jump rope: if you don’t have downstairs neighbors who would complain.
Headstands: Very activity for your core muscles and to get blood to your brain.
Animal Breeds: Hop like a frog or rabbit; squat and waddle like a duck, etc.
Clean-up races: Set a timer and put on a good song and see who can make the room the fastest.
Pillow fight: no further explanation needed.
Crab, wheelbarrow and bear walk: If you hold these tough positions, you all get a real workout.
6. Pilates
Pilates is a total body fitness that can be adapted to many fitness levels and needs, develops core strength, increases flexibility, improves posture and increases energy levels. Unlike some types of exercise, Pilates will not overdevelop some parts of the body and neglect others. Its main training focuses on core strength while training the body as an integrated whole. Give it a try, there is nothing you can lose. All you need is a mat and some free time.
7. Tabata
Tabata is recommended if you want to get the most out of your body but have limited time. Tabata was first used in Japan as a new way of training athletes. It’s pretty simple, basically it’s an equation: 20/10 x 8 = 4. The 20 means the seconds of work, the 10 represents seconds of rest and the eight represents the number of rounds that should be performed. The equation is equivalent to four minutes of intense training.
8. Full body dumbell workout
Strength training alternated with cardio exercises helps us to keep our body very well balanced. Just like any other workout, variety is very important, not to overdevelop one muscle group or body part and neglect others. Fortunately, there are many materials online for a varied dumbbell workout, and you can even join an online live personal training session. Remember to warm up very well before you start, and then stretch at the end of your workout.
9. Zumba
The main benefits of Zumba are that it is great for weight loss, tones the entire body, increases heart health, helps you relieve stress, improves coordination and makes you smile. Many may find Zumba a little too fast-paced and others not intense enough for their muscles. The good news is that there are many varieties available today, so everyone can find the right one for their level. If you have kids, get them involved too, or do it with your friends on a video call. Turn up the volume, let the Zumba party begin!
10. Yoga
Yoga involves breathing techniques, meditation, and various poses designed to promote relaxation and relieve stress. Practicing yoga brings many mental and physical health benefits. It helps reduce anxiety, combat depression, and improve sleep quality. You don’t have to worry if you don’t do the poses at first or if you can’t concentrate and meditate for long periods of time. Find a beginner workout and practice regularly, step by step. You will feel the positive effects of yoga after the first few times.
11. TRX
TRX is a type of suspension training that uses bodyweight exercises to develop stability strength, flexibility and balance at the same time. It requires the use of the TRX performance training tool, but it is easy to get it online and set it up at home. Working out with the TRX tool is really home-friendly because it doesn’t take up much space, isn’t noisy, and can be used in countless ways to work out your entire body. On the Internet you can find numerous TRX tutorial videos that can help you achieve visible results in a short time.
12. Crossfit
When we think of CrossFit, the gym probably comes to mind along with many tools. At home and without these tools, CrossFit is a bit more challenging, but not impossible. Let me give you an example of a good core workout:
Complete 5 rounds of:
Ten sit-ups
Five push-ups
45-second plank
Ten push-ups
60-second plank
Fifteen sit-ups
Rest 60 seconds between rounds
13. Pregnancy/Postpartum workouts
Exercise is very important during pregnancy and after birth, but of course in a completely different way. It is important that you consult your doctor before you start any sport activity or workout. Based on his or her professional opinion, you can proceed. It is best to enlist the help of a personal trainer who will create an exercise plan for you based on your own needs and your doctor’s advice. You can also work online with your coach from home.
14. Calisthenics
Calisthenics is a form of exercise that includes a variety of movements that work large muscle groups with our own weight. Calisthenics is probably the best way to start home workouts because it requires no equipment. It is a full body workout, calisthenics exercises engage numerous muscles. Compared to any type of machine in the gyms, you target 2-3 times as many muscles with calisthenics training. It does have one drawback that we need to mention: Progress is hard to measure. Unlikely in the gym, where you can measure the improvement of your muscles simply less weight. Calisthenics can be a bit more challenging from this point of view, and therefore it is more difficult to persevere in it.
15. Classic aerobic
Who wouldn’t remember the most popular workout of the 90s: classic aerobic fitness. Aerobic exercise is a type of cardio workout that is affordable and accessible for its numerous benefits such as weight management, mood elevation, fat burning, chronic pain reduction. It is easy and not too hard exercises can be done with smaller children or with older family members who are not limited in their mobility.
