HEALTHLINE

7 Simple At-Home Exercises

Requires next-to-zero equipment

Cypriano Onyeka Mokobia
ILLUMINATION

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Photo by kamaji-ogino from Pexels

Working exercise is extremely beneficial to both your physical and emotional wellbeing, as you may have heard. You’re undoubtedly aware of what I’m referring to. You just feel terrific after a nice sweat session.

But what if you just can’t seem to get motivated to do anything? What if getting out of your house is nearly impossible (or the gym is closed due to yet another lockdown)?
‘The difficult days are what make you stronger,’ American gymnast Aly Raismen is quoted as saying.

So, let’s take a look at those tough days and see how we can make them a little easier with some simple workouts you can perform at home. Remember, even a small amount of movement matters and may make a big impact in how you feel psychologically and physically!

What type of exercises am I able to perform at home?

The good news is that practically any exercise can be performed at home if you have the correct equipment.

You don’t have any equipment? No trouble at all!

You can also do a variety of bodyweight workouts, stretching, yoga, and other activities. In actuality, all you need is a body to work out.

Exercises to Perform at Home

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Here are a couple more suggestions to get you started:

Workouts with resistance bands

YouTube videos for at-home strength training

Yoga classes are available.

Cardio workouts you can do at home

At-home workout using only your bodyweight

There are so many possibilities! Push-ups, planks, squats, lunges, burpees, crunches, high knees, mountain climbers, and other exercises may all be done with just your body weight. The possibilities are literally endless. It’s all about finding something that corresponds to your current mood, motivation, and energy levels.

Related Article: The Major Impact Of Exercise On Happiness

7 Workouts You Should Do Every Day

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However, it’s possible that you simply need to move around a little more, but you don’t want to consider it or even want to make an effort.

So, here’s a list of 7 workouts particularly for you!

You may do these exercises on a daily basis to keep your body moving and feeling healthy. You could also combine these exercises for a beginner-friendly at-home workout or a quick and easy 15-minute workout.

1. Plank

The plank works practically every muscle in your body. You’ve pumped up your glutes, pulled in your core, and activated the key muscles in your shoulders, arms, and legs. This is an excellent one for people who are just starting to acquire strength, as well as those who have limited equipment.

You can also do this exercise on your toes or knees, which is great news. It’s entirely up to you!

Here’s how you do it with that in mind:

  • Begin with crawling on all fours.
  • If you’re doing this from your knees, just move them back slightly so that your body makes a straight line from your hips to your head.
  • Extend your legs straight back and come up onto your toes, producing a straight line with your body from your head to your toes, if you’re doing this action from your toes.
  • Hold for 15 seconds at first, then try for a minute or more.
  • If you want a more challenging workout, elevate one arm or leg and move it away from your body’s midline.

2. Child Pose

This stretch is both calming and rejuvenating. Your thighs, back, hips, and ankles are all stretched. Plus, it’s quite simple!

This is how you do it:

  • Start on all fours.
  • Bring your buttocks all the way back to your heels, slowly.
  • Bring your forehead to the floor or your mat and soften and relax your arms in front of you.
  • Hold this position for 5–10 breaths.

3. Leg Lifts

Leg lifts work the quadriceps muscles, which are located on the front of your thigh. These muscles allow you to run, walk, jump and do other activities by bringing your thigh up toward your hip.

This is how you do it:

  • Lie down on your back.
  • Bend one knee and place your foot on the bed’s ground.
  • Lift your straight leg slowly off the ground while keeping your opposing leg straight.
  • Slowly decrease after a little pause at the peak.
  • Rep for a total of 10–15 times. Also, remember to switch legs!

4. Straight Arm Holds

This is an isometric hold workout that focuses on your shoulders in particular. If you don’t have any weights at home, this is a terrific exercise to do because it may be just as tough.

This is how you do it:

  • Standing or sitting tall is a good idea.
  • Extend both arms straight out in front of you at shoulder level.
  • Ensure that your thumbs are pointed upwards (as if you were going to give someone a thumbs up).
  • Keep your hands in this position for at least 30 seconds.
  • Hold this position for longer or do 5 repeats of 30-second holds for a greater challenge.

5. Squats

Squats are the most functional workout you can do! This signifies that the movement has spilled over into your daily life, assisting you in doing daily chores.

How do you go about doing it?

  • Place your feet hip-width apart and stand tall.
  • Slowly lower your body down by bending your knees and sticking your butt out behind you.
  • Check to see if your knees are tracking over the front of your feet.
  • Pause till your thighs are parallel to the ground, then slowly rise to your feet.
  • Rep for a total of 10–15 times.
  • If this is too difficult for you, start by performing this movement with your back against a wall to establish some fundamental strength.
  • If this is too easy, extend your squat at the bottom or pulse at the bottom.

6. Step Ups

Another excellent functional workout is step-ups. You can also make this movement a habit by doing it every time you go up the stairs. For example, as you prepare to begin climbing the stairs, you could do 5 repetitions of this exercise.

This is how you do it:

  • With your right foot, ascend the stairwell.
  • Lift your left foot off the stairwell or the ground below by bending your knee slowly.
  • Pause here, with your left foot off the ground and your knee bent on the stair.
  • Slowly lower yourself back down and repeat the process.
  • To avoid imbalances, make sure you perform this exercise on the opposing side.

7. Chest Stretch

The chest stretch is a must-do for any easy workouts at home, especially if you spend a lot of time in the office or sitting for work.

We have a tendency to slouch forward while sitting, which causes your entire body and posture to be out of alignment. The chest stretch, on the other hand, can help to counteract this.

This is how you do it:

  • Look for an open doorway.
  • Place your forearms on the doorframe at shoulder height, with your elbows bent to 90 degrees.
  • Step one foot into the doorway and slowly lean your body through the frame, maintaining your forearms on the frame.
  • Hold this position for 20–30 seconds.
  • You can do this for a total of 2–3 times.

A Simple Weight-Loss Exercise

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So, how about some weight loss?

While we often promote exercise as a way to make you feel better, it is also frequently employed as a lifestyle habit to help people achieve a healthy weight. If that’s your objective, walking is a great at-home workout to do!

Every day, try to walk for 20–30 minutes. You can put on a podcast or an audiobook and walk out the door, or simply walk about your house for a few minutes. Whatever it takes to get you moving!

Walking has the advantage of being a low-impact, fat-burning aerobic activity. It’s also something that virtually everyone can perform, and it doesn’t require any special equipment!

Simply said, your goal is to get moving!

Every little bit makes a difference.

Use these simple at-home routines to inspire you to get some exercise every day. It doesn’t have to be a large sum of money, In fact, you should never overuse it. So, do what feels nice in the time and will make you feel well both emotionally and physically.

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