Nowadays, there seems to be no limit to your exercise options. While the guide has no desire to turn you away from any of these things, it is important to do any kind of exercise to keep the body strong, its systems working, and the mind sharp. And you can do all this without going to the gym. All you need is a healthy mix of cardio and strength training that uses the body as a lift and load.
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Using your body weight to build muscle not only makes it easier to work out at home and on the road, but it also works a variety of muscle groups. This establishes an advantage to weightlifting, which aims to isolate muscle groups rather than combine them.
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So put on your gym clothes, spread out a soft rug or towel, grab another rag to wick away sweat, and let’s get started with some weightless exercises that will encourage greater strength in body and spirit in the comfort of your own home or hotel room.
Heating
Jumping weightlifting with cold muscles is a great recipe for injury. Be sure to warm up for five to 10 minutes, incorporating at least two to three sets of at least two to three of these activities to prepare your body for the lift.
jumping jacks
We all remember jumping, right? Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands and arms at your sides. Separate the feet by jumping sideways with your hands together at the top of the head and jumping back to your original position.
Repeat 5 to 10 times.
Knee lap
Help to limber legs, knees and hip flexors. From a standing position, lift one leg up and bring it to the chest, pushing it forward. Step forward and repeat with the other leg.
Repeat 5 to 10 times with each leg.
lunges
Continuing to warm the legs and flex the hip, take a large step forward. Keeping your front leg straight and bend over to your back leg, lowering the knee just above the ground. Step forward and either straighten to standing or bring the other leg all the way to lean on the other side.
Repeat 5 to 10 times with each side.
arm circles
Now that your calves and thighs are warmed up, it’s time to engage the top. Arm circles are exactly as they sound: Rotate each arm forward, one after the other, in a wide circle to get blood and muscle flowing into your shoulders and rotator cuffs.
Repeat 5 to 10 times on each side and reverse the movement 5 to 10 times as well.
torso swings;
Again, self-explanatory – raise your elbows toward your shoulders and twist your torso (carefully) to the right and around to the left. This will help prepare the chest, back and spine for work.
Repeat 5 to 10 times on each side.
inch worms
Inch worms will gather your torso and legs backwards, shoulders and hips loose and flabby. Simply position yourself in a plank position, hands on the floor, shoulders shoulder width apart, and feet a little closer. Then slowly lift your butt into the air as you walk your feet toward your hands, keeping elbows and knees as straight as possible. After your feet are close to your hands, return to plank again. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
Getting sweaty
Now that you’re warm, it’s time to get down to it. Again, these exercises tend to engage several muscle groups at once as you’ll be using your body weight to balance and tire your muscles.

push up
Welcome back to basic gym class. Push-ups are always an essential part of weightless workouts because they engage almost all the muscles of the upper body if done correctly.
Step 1: Starting in a high plank position, place your hands shoulder-width apart. Move your middle fingers towards 12 o’clock.
Step 2: Bend your elbows and lower toward the floor, keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle to your body and your back parallel to the floor.
Step 3: As your chest or chin touches the floor, press your body up and off the floor, keeping your core tight and not sagging with your lower back.
The fourth step: When your elbows are fully extended and your body returns to a high plank position, that’s one rep.
Fifth step: Complete 10 to 15 reps of three sets with 30 to 60 seconds of rest in between.
Sixth step: For an added challenge, there is a seemingly endless variety of push-ups to hit different parts of the upper body – Spider-Man, diamond push-ups, inclines and dips, wide grip, close grip, and so on.

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dips
Dips will burn your triceps and shoulders, forcing the arms to lower and raise much of your torso and lower leg.
Step 1: Face away from the chair or bench and place the heels of your hands shoulder-width apart. Extend your legs in front of you, knee locked.
Step 2: Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows until your forearm creates a 90-degree angle at the elbow.
Step 3: Using your triceps, push yourself back to the starting position, arms straight.
The fourth step: Complete 10 to 15 reps of three sets with 30 to 60 seconds of rest in between.
Fifth step: For an added challenge, doing the dips slower and deliberately will challenge the muscles more. You can also add actors. If you can balance it, put weight on your abdominal/pelvic area to push your triceps more.

Forearm planks
Planks are an ideal exercise for toning your abs and obliques. All it takes is to raise your body parallel to the ground.
Step 1: Place your forearms on the floor, with elbows aligned under the shoulders and arms parallel to the torso, shoulder width apart. If your palms chafe your wrists, clasp your hands together.
Step 2: Lift your body up for 30 to 120 seconds.
Step 3: Complete three sets with 30 to 60 seconds of rest in between.
The fourth step: For an added challenge, there are a number of plank modifications that will get your heart pumping and your heart burning. Hold your body with your hands instead of your elbows, jump up and straighten your legs, or raise each arm up to the sky for a number of repetitions.

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squatting
Like push-ups, squats are an excellent classic exercise for engaging your entire lower body while burning the upper lip muscles while maintaining stability.
Step 1: Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, hips apart, and arms bent at the elbow (or directly in front of you).
Step 2: Bend your knees, keeping your back straight, and sit back at your hips.
Step 3: Get down as low as you can (try to get at least to the knees), then push back up to the starting position.
The fourth step: Keep your head up (facing forward), your elbows by your side, and your back straight throughout the movement.
Fifth step: Complete 10 to 15 reps of three sets with 30 to 60 seconds of rest in between.
Sixth step: As your lower body gets stronger, you’ll want to challenge it more. Try holding your arms straight out in front of you like a mummy, and hold weights at your sides or a heavy object in front of you as you squat and stand up. There are a number of different squats you can try as you get more physical exercise. One of them, in fact, is the following.

Squat split
Split squats will burn your core while keeping your torso straight and burning your quads, hamstrings and glutes.
Step 1: Stand facing away from a bench or chair with one foot resting on it, toes down. Place your other foot about a large step in front of you.
Step 2: Squat down on your front leg until the knee of your back leg almost touches the floor. Make sure your front leg can remain relatively straight. Adjust if necessary.
Step 3: Push through with your front foot, and return to the starting position.
The fourth step: Complete 10 to 15 reps with each leg. Do three sets with 30 to 60 seconds of rest in between.
Fifth step: To up the muscular challenge, carry a stack of weights, books, bags, or anything extra heavy at your side as you move up and down. As you can see in the picture, you can also raise your back foot to practice more balance and get more burn.

Step ups
The gradual dips will burn your lower half and engage your core as you balance for stability.
Step 1: Start by standing in front of a stable knee-high chair or bench, feet together.
Step 2: Step up on the chair with your right foot, driving through your heel and driving your left knee toward your chest.
Step 3: Carefully lower your left leg while stepping back in a smooth motion. Repeat with a step up with your left leg.
The fourth step: Complete 10 to 15 reps with each leg, either alternating reps or with the set. Do three sets with 30 to 60 seconds of rest in between.
Fifth step: very easy? Get a set of weights, books, bags, or anything with a bit of weight to hold by your side as you complete the exercise.

wetting
Cooling down is an integral part of your workout, too. Your muscles are now tight, swollen, and more prone to cramps. Repeat some warm-ups or do some dance and/or yoga exercises to stretch the flexed striated tissue until it returns to its normal position.
make a plan
Exercising is great for the body, and getting into a routine is great for the mind.
If you’re just starting out, set a goal of two to three days of weight training, two days of cardio, and two days of rest per week. As you get stronger, you add a weight day and try to separate upper and lower body exercises. Don’t be too crazy, or your body will fall apart without building strength. Make sure to book at least two rest days per week for recovery.
Exercising starts with the first step, whether you’re at home, on the road, or in the gym. The body needs work to release important calming and mood-improving hormones, and the mind needs physical focus, even for the greatest desk warriors among us.
Always remember: Improving your day is just an exercise.
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