If you work from home, have a hard time, or just don’t enjoy the gym, exercising at home will allow you to work off a sweat effectively. Find workouts that challenge you based on your fitness level and incorporate them into your workout routine. A physical therapist at Baylor College of Medicine offers different exercises to do at home with little or no equipment.
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“If you’re just starting out, the most important thing to do is start with the fitness level that’s right for you and do something that will challenge you and give you a good workout,” said Melanie McNeil, director of physical and occupational therapy at Joseph Barnhart Orthopedics at Baylor.
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Whether you have a large space or a small one, you can still build strength and endurance at home without equipment. Body weight exercises are as effective as using weights. McNeil suggests a total-body workout that consists of three exercises you can do at home to repeat four times:
• 25 squats
• 10 push-ups (if you can’t do push-ups regularly, do them on your knees)
• Plank for 60 seconds
Other basic bodyweight exercises include plank progressions: side plank progression to side plank or side plank leg lifts; Sit and sit. If you’re a beginner, lie on your side and make circles with your top leg, lifting your leg up and down. Then do 20 squats and do the other side and repeat three times. If you’re someone with a high level of fitness, you can add push-ups, sit-ups, jump squats, and plank holds for up to three minutes.
“You can always make your bodyweight exercises more challenging by increasing the number of repetitions, number of sets, or length of time the exercise lasts. Incorporate lunges, side lunges, chair steps, getting into a pushup position, jumping jacks and butt kicks,” McNeil said. You don’t need equipment.”
Sitting is the worst position for the spine, so if you work remotely and sit a lot, McNeal suggests getting a standing desk so the back is extended while you load your joints and burn calories throughout the day.
Heart / beating
Walk or ride your bike to get your body moving during the day. If you have access to a pool, swimming is a great form of cardio and is also good for strengthening your muscles.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) raises your heart rate with short rest periods. For 20 minutes max, you can incorporate cardio into various HIIT exercises, such as:
• 25 jumping jacks
Run in place (30 seconds)
• 10 walking lunges on each leg
• 10 burpees
• 20 air squats
• Plank for 60 seconds
Take a short rest and repeat each exercise for 20 minutes.
To incorporate cardio, strength, and core exercises into your HIIT workout, McNeal suggests choosing one cardio exercise (such as jumping jacks, jogging in place, or burpees), followed immediately by one strength exercise (such as lunges or squats), followed immediately by one core exercise ( like a plank), then rest for 30 seconds. Do as many rounds as you can for 20 minutes.
strength training
“As we age, our chance of developing osteoporosis, or osteoporosis, increases, especially in females. Strength training and joint loading will help prevent this,” McNeil said. “Putting pressure on the bones while lifting weights or weights will stretch the bones so they become more powerful.”
You can get adjustable dumbbells from 25-50 lbs, or smaller weights if you prefer.
A powerful dumbbell workout at home can include:
• Squat with dumbbells: 15 reps
• Biceps curls: 15 reps
• Steps: 10 repetitions on each leg
• Push-ups: 10 reps
• Overhead skull crushers: 10 reps
McNeal suggests doing this three times in a row before taking a break.
If you prefer to play sports with equipment, you can use different items that will not take up much space at home. The resistance bands that go around the legs can be used for squats, side step, and leg raises. The resistance kits with handles allow you to stick them on the door or wall for mounting, providing different types of workouts. There are different exercises you can do with a Swiss ball to work your upper body, lower body, and core. A small medicine ball can be effective for lifting.
McNeil also stresses the importance of balance exercises. As you get older, you start to lose your balance. Balance on one leg with the knee slightly bent and try to do this for one minute. Do this on a flat surface and challenge yourself to close your eyes while trying to balance.
Memberships
Memberships to online platforms give you access to a database of different exercises based on time as well as body-specific workouts. If you choose not to pay for a membership, many online memberships have a free cancellation policy, so you can try different memberships per month to find the routine you like best. You can also work with a personal trainer in person or via Zoom.
The American Heart Association says you should get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. You don’t need a lot of equipment or space to do a good workout at home, so do what’s best for your fitness level,” McNeil said.