When you decide to start a fitness routine to lose weight and improve your health, you’ve got several options available to you. You can join a gym, sign up for various aerobics or dance classes, you can sign on to work with a personal trainer, or you can create a home workout routine. There are drawbacks and benefits for each option, but one of the options that offer the most benefits is working out at home.
First of all, working out at home offers you complete flexibility in working around a busy schedule. If your work hours constantly change, or if you have a large family with lots of activities going on all of the time, working out at home gives you the flexibility to keep changing the time you workout and the exercises you do.
Working out at home also offers privacy, which is definitely helpful if you’re not comfortable working out in front of strangers. Maybe you have a lot of weight to lose, or you just feel self-conscious about joining a unisex gym. No matter the reason, if you want to work out in complete privacy, you can’t do better than your own home.
Still another advantage of working out at home is the cost savings. Many gym memberships can cost hundreds of dollars a year. Add to that the cost of transportation and other expenses, and you can see how working out at home can be a major savings.
You’ll still have to invest in workout clothing and equipment for your home, but there are ways to keep the costs much lower than you would pay for a gym membership or a personal trainer.
Still another advantage to working out at home is that you can choose from a wide variety of exercise routines from day to day. At a gym, you may be limited by the equipment and classes they have available. In your own home, you can use endless types of equipment, a wide variety of DVDs and more. You are limited only by your budget and space restrictions.
If you are looking for ways to get fit at home, the rest of this guide is going to walk you through the different types of exercise you’ll want to focus on, several good moves that will target the key areas of the body, and some tips on staying motivated.
Important: Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any fitness routine. The information in this guide is intended to be used for informational and educational purposes, and should not be construed as medical advice or professional fitness advice.
Two Key Types of Exercise: Cardio and Resistance
When creating your own home workout routine, it’s important to include two types of exercise: cardio exercise (sometimes referred to as aerobic exercise) and resistance exercise (or strength training).
Let’s look at the benefits of both:
What is cardio exercise? Cardio workouts are exercises that elevate the heart rate and keep it elevated for long periods of time. These workouts can be anything from brisk walking to jogging, swimming, cycling, stair-stepping, cross training, and various kinds of aerobic classes.
The many benefits of cardiovascular exercise include stronger heart and lungs, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, increased lung capacity, better cardiovascular endurance, stronger joints (and less joint pain), a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, weight loss and weight maintenance.
Cardio exercise also stimulates the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural “happy pills”. Regular cardio exercise helps reduce the symptoms of depression, lowers stress, boosts confidence and provides an overall sense of well-being. Clearly, cardio exercise is beneficial all the way around!
But what about resistance training?
Resistance training or strength training involves “weight-bearing” exercises for the arms, legs, buttocks, back and abdomen. There are various forms of resistance workouts, including weight lifting or using resistance bands, or simply using the body’s weight against itself, as in doing yoga, Pilates, squats and crunches.
The benefits of resistance training are equally as impressive as the benefits of cardio exercise.
Resistance training will tear down and rebuild your muscle cells, which requires more caloric energy than half an hour of running. Why is this beneficial? Because it forces your body to burn more fat! Resistance training also boosts your metabolism over time because the more lean muscle you have, the more calories you will burn even while you are at rest.
Additional benefits of resistance training include better balance, stronger joints, and stronger bones, reducing the likelihood of developing diseases like osteoporosis.
Your home workout routine should incorporate both types of exercise.
5 Simple Cardio Exercises You Can Do At Home
You probably already know that you can do various forms of cardio workouts in a gym, like running on a treadmill or participating in aerobics classes. But what kinds of cardio workouts can you do at home?
Here are 5 simple routines to get you started:
Stair Climbing
A staircase can be a really useful piece of cardio equipment! If your home has a set of stairs, simply walking up and down them at a brisk pace will get your heart pumping. If you are already in good shape, you can even pick up the pace to a brisk “running” climb up and down. If your home does not have stairs, you can buy single steps in most sporting goods stores, along with step aerobics DVDs that will achieve the same effect. You can even buy mini stair-stepping machines that are similar to the big ones found in gyms.
Cleaning
Get a workout and a clean house at the same time! Cleaning your home at a brisk pace can definitely burn a significant number of calories just like a regular workout would. Put on some fast-paced music and let the beat inspire you as you sweep, vacuum, scrub floors, dust, and organize your home.
Yard Work
The same concept can be applied to yard work like mowing, raking, pruning, weeding, and even shoveling snow. You can even bring the peppy music outdoors with an iPod or other portable music player.
Jumping Rope
This favorite childhood activity is one of the most intensive cardio exercises you can do. All you need is a rope with handles (less than $20 usually), a room with ample space on all four sides around you and above you. You would be surprised by what a great workout you can get from jumping rope. You can even mix it up with some different jumping styles, skipping around the room and jumping in place.
Dancing
Dancing is one of the easiest and FUN home workouts you can do. Just put on some good music and shake your booty!
5 Resistance Workouts You Can Do At Home
Resistance workouts can be done at home (or while traveling) just as easily as cardio workouts can.
Here are 5 easy resistance workouts to get you started:
Weight Lifting
Lifting weights is incredibly easy to do at home; all you need is a set of dumbbells. If you don’t know of any specific weight lifting moves, we’ll be going over some of those shortly. But you can also buy plenty of DVDs with dumbbell workouts that can guide you in working out various areas of the body.
Pilates
Pilates is a popular resistance exercise that can be done at home or in a classroom environment. Pilates involves slow and controlled movements that engage the core of the body and strengthens muscles. There are several different kinds of Pilates DVDs you can buy for home use; choose the one that best suits your goals and current fitness level.
Yoga
Yoga is similar to Pilates, in the sense that it involves a series of movements that help strengthen muscles and improve balance. Once again, there are many great yoga DVDs available and one or more of them is bound to suit your needs.
Calisthenics
Calisthenics require no equipment at all, but they are extremely effective strength training exercises. You are probably already familiar with them: push ups, sit ups, squats, lunges, and jumping jacks. The double benefit of calisthenics is that they burn calories like a cardio workout as well as strengthening muscles like a resistance workout.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are great because they can be taken anywhere and you can do exercises that you would normally do in the gym with them. Exercises using resistance bands help strengthen the muscle, improve muscle tone, as well as increase strength. Many moves you would use dumbbells for can be done with resistance bands too, with very minor modifications.
Toning Exercises for Specific Areas of the Body
There are many toning exercises for specific areas of the body that are easy to do at home. These exercises can be easily incorporated with a cardio routine so you are getting a nice balance of aerobic and resistance workouts each week. Below we’ve shared several that target abs, buttocks, waist, arms, thighs and hips.
Toning Exercises for Abs
When it comes to resistance training, the abdominal muscles are a primary target area since abdomen workouts strengthen the core and help improve total body strength and stability. Toning the abs is also important since flabby and overweight midsections have been linked to higher risks for cardiovascular diseases. Here are three top exercises for abs you can easily do at home.
The Plank
This basic yoga position is one of the best exercises for toning the abs and strengthening the core. The plank is done by balancing facedown on the floor, resting your upper body weight on your forearms and your lower body weight on your toes, so your abdomen and legs do not touch the floor at all.
The torso and spine should be straight and the abdominal muscles should be tight to prevent any sagging in the abdomen and on the lower back. The neck should be kept in alignment with the spine, face looking straight down at the floor. Hold the position for 10 seconds before going back to the resting position.
Single Leg Bridge Exercise
This exercise is not very well-known but it’s incredibly effective. The single leg bridge exercise is done by lying flat on the back with palms flat on the floor and knees bent. Tighten the abs and the butt muscles and raise hips off the floor to create a straight line between the hips and the shoulders. With abs tight, slowly raise and extend the left leg while the pelvis is raised. Hold for 30 seconds and go back to a relaxed position, then repeat with the right leg.
Mountain Climber
This exercise requires you to position yourself on the mat in the “downward dog” yoga position, with the left leg a few inches in front of the right. Do a small jump, exchanging the position of the feet so that the left foot goes back and the right foot goes forward. This exercise works the thighs as well as the abdomen.
Toning Exercises for Arms
Flabby arms are a common complaint among men and women, but arm toning exercises are easy to do at home. Here are a few to get you started:
Push Ups
Push ups are very effective toning and strengthening exercises for arms and shoulders. Push ups are done by lying facedown on the floor, placing palms against the floor shoulder-width apart, and position your toes so they are pointing down against the floor.
Then push your body weight up off the floor, keeping your spine straight, until your arms are fully extended and you are balanced on the tips of your toes. Then lower back down almost all the way to the floor, push up again, and keep repeating the same move.
Standard push ups can be challenging if you don’t have a lot of upper body strength. If that’s the case, you may want to do modified push ups by balancing on your knees instead of your toes, or do standing push ups against a wall.
Arm Curls
Arm curls can be done with hand weights or water bottles. Start in a standing position with feet slightly apart, knees loose and slightly bent. Gently bend your arms and bring the hand weights up toward your shoulders. Hold for a second, then lower arms back to the original position.
Arm Circles
A widely overlooked toning exercise is arm circles. Arm circles are excellent exercises for toning and strengthening the arms and shoulders. Here’s how to do them: stand straight with arms outstretched at your sides at shoulder height.
Gently begin wide circular movements, first moving your arms forward, then reversing direction. In addition to wide circles, you can do numerous small circles too, both forward and backward.
All of these arm toning exercises can be alternated on different days of the week, or you can do a combination of all of them a few days a week.
A special note about arm exercises: Shoulders and elbows are especially susceptible to injury, so it’s important to do arm exercises slowly and fluidly, without jerky or fast movements.
Toning Exercises for Buttocks
The buttocks are an easy area to tone, but they often don’t get the same attention as other areas of the body. Below are a few easy buttocks toning exercises you can do at home:
Lunges
Lunges are great for buttocks and thighs, and they’re easy to do. Start in a standing position with feet about shoulder width apart and arms straight down at your sides.
Lift your right foot off the floor and move it forward approximately 2 to 3 feet from where it started, bending both knees and leaning slightly forward into the lunge.
To avoid injury, be sure not to extend your front knee beyond your toes.
Hold for a few seconds, then reverse the move and come back to a standing position. Then repeat with the other leg. After doing just a few lunges, you’ll feel your thigh and buttocks muscles working hard.
Squats
Squats are also very effective for toning legs and buttocks. Again, start in a standing position, then bend knees and “squat” down so your legs are bent in almost a 90-degree angle, and your upper body is leaning slightly forward with spine in a straight line (avoid hunching forward or arching your back). Hold for a few seconds, then return to a standing position.
Butt Lifts
Buttocks lifts are easier on your knees than lunges and squats. Start by lying on your back, arms at your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your knees hip-distance apart.
Keep your shoulders and upper back pressed to the floor while you raise your hips off the floor. At the top of the lifting motion squeeze your buttocks, then relax and lower back to the floor.
Clenches
Clenches can be done virtually anywhere, while sitting, standing, or lying down. Simply squeeze and tighten your buttocks muscles, hold for a few seconds, then relax. Repeat as many times as you like.
Slimming Exercises for the Waist
The waist is one of the more challenging areas to target, but there are several good exercises that work well on the waist:
Torso Twist
This exercise can be done either lying down or standing up. Standing up, start with legs slightly apart and slightly bent. Take a small jump while rotating your knees to the right, before making another jump and turning to the left and keeping your upper body facing forward the entire time.
To do this exercise lying down, lie flat on your back and draw your knees up so they are pointing up toward the ceiling. Move your arms out to your sides to provide balance, and then gently lower your bent legs to the right side (again, keeping your upper body facing straight up), then slowly bringing them back to center, then lowering to the left side, and so on.
Side Bends
Side bends are effective for the sides of the wait, and they even work the front abdomen muscles a little bit. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hands down at your sides. Tuck your pelvis forward to stabilize the lower back and then slowly lean your upper body to the right, bending at the waist.
Then slowly rise back up to a straight standing position, then slowly bend sideways to the left, then come back to a standing position.
Twist-Crunches
You probably already know how to do traditional crunches: lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Raise your shoulders slightly up while tightening abdomen muscles, then lower back down.
Twist crunches are similar, except you twist your upper body to the right or left when you come up the height of the crunch. This works both the front and sides of the abdomen muscles, giving a nice sleek, slim look to the waist.
A special note about waist slimming exercises:
You may have noticed that these exercises require some twisting or bending, which increases the risk of lower back injuries. It’s very important to stabilize your lower back as much as possible, and keep your movements slow and fluid. Never twist or bend rapidly or carelessly.
Toning Exercises for Thighs and Hips
Thighs and hips are common “problem areas” especially for women. The following exercises are great for toning and strengthening thighs and hips:
Front Leg Raises
Front leg raises can be done while standing straight, legs slightly apart to get a good balance. With hands resting on your waist, bring your left leg straight up, and stand on your right foot for 3-5 seconds.
Then bring your left foot back down to the floor and repeat with your right foot. You can also intensify this move by wearing ankle weights or using resistance bands.
Hip Extensions
Get down on a mat, balancing on your forearms and knees. Keeping your knees bent, raise your left leg up toward the ceiling, keeping the bottom of the feet flat, not pointed. Push toward the ceiling and lower.
Repeat 10-12 times before switching to the other leg. Again, this exercise can be intensified by wearing ankle weights.
Side Leg Raises
Lying on your side with your body in a straight line (head, spine, and legs aligned), raise your upper leg straight up toward the ceiling, then lower. Repeat 10-12 times and you’ll really feel it in your hip and thigh. Then turn to the other side to do the other leg.
A variation of this exercise is to bend your upper leg so it’s at a 90-degree angle in front of you, then straighten it out again, and keep repeating, working the hip muscles.
Scissors
Scissors are done by lying flat on your back, legs out straight. Raise your feet about 6 inches off the floor and steadily move each leg up and down in opposition to each other. So, when your right foot is up, your left foot is down, and vice versa.
Then do the same thing from side to side, crossing your feet over each other, back and forth. This works the inner and outer thighs, as well as the abdominal muscles.
Putting it All Together in a Home Workout Routine
Now that you know some effective cardio and resistance exercises, you may be wondering how to put it all together into a home workout routine.
Experts recommend doing cardio exercises 5 to 6 days a week, and resistance training 2-3 days a week. How you fit that into your schedule will depend on which times you have available.
If you work a typical 9-5 job, you will probably want to work out either in the morning, or in the evening when you get home.
A typical workout schedule might be something like this:
Monday through Friday:
30 minutes cardio
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday:
30 minutes resistance training
Obviously, you may need to adjust your workout schedule from time to time, but it’s a good idea to stick to a set schedule as much as you can.
If you keep switching it around too much, there’s a good chance you might forget or simply keep putting it off because it seems inconvenient.
Probably one of the biggest challenges you’ll face with a home workout routine is staying motivated.
When you work out at a gym, you are often motivated by the money you’ve spent on a membership, or even by the atmosphere itself.
At home, you don’t have that motivation so you may find yourself procrastinating, getting distracted, or feeling uninspired.
The best way to overcome a lack of motivation is to identify the reason(s) why you are struggling. Are you feeling a lack of commitment? Do you keep putting off your workouts until you are less busy? Do you keep getting distracted by your family members or roommates? Do you feel overwhelmed by an overly demanding workout routine? Once you identify the reason you’re struggling to stay motivated, it’s a lot easier to remedy the situation by taking different actions.
Remember, motivation is an inside job, no matter the outer conditions that might influence you. Take responsibility for your motivation, follow through with positive actions, and you’ll get the most benefit from your home workout routine.