Doing quick workouts at home is a good way to keep you fit and healthy. But one thing that might discourage you from doing them regularly is the thought of all the equipment you will need. Luckily, there are a lot of exercises that don’t require such equipment. Here are some that you can try at the comforts of your living room.
Full-body workouts at home without equipment
In some cases, you might not have the time to do separate routines for each muscle group. The exercises below are designed to give your entire body an intense workout in one go. These use only your body weight for resistance, letting you do them anywhere.
20-minute full-body workout
This workout consists mostly of floor exercises, so you would want to do this in a large space. You also need to move as fast as you can from one exercise to another. Make sure you do each in the right form to properly work your muscles. The workout consists of:
- 10 pushups
- Jumping jacks until the timer hits one minute
- 10 spider lunges
- Jumping jacks until the timer hits two minutes
- 10 jumping lunges
- Jumping jacks until the timer hits three minutes
- 10 walkouts
Take careful note of the time between the transitions. Use a large digital timer to better pace your exercises. You need to repeat each set five times, with a 45-second rest between sets. If you can’t do the number of reps at the required time, start with a more manageable number. You can also just do regular lunges if you find the jumping lunges hard.
10-minute workout
This is an even shorter workout routine developed by New York-based fitness trainer Erin Bulvanoski. The whole workout combines several common high-intensity exercises for greater caloric burning. It also works best when done along with cardio exercises.
Before heading to the main workout, do a two-minute warmup of jumping jacks. You then proceed with the following movements in succession.
- Standing lunges: Stand with your knees together and step your right leg forward. Bend your knee, making sure it’s lined up with your ankle. Return to a standing position and repeat for the other side. Repeat for 60 seconds.
- Push-ups: When doing your push-ups, keep your elbows close to your torso. Be sure to straighten your arms when pushing your body back up. Do reps for 60 seconds.
- Jumping jacks: When doing jumping jacks, make sure your feet come back together at the same time you swing your arms down. Do this for 90 seconds.
- Plank taps: Start in a high plank position. Lift your right arm and tap your left shoulder. Return your right hand to the ground and repeat the exercise for your left hand. Do reps for 60 seconds.
- Bicycle crunches: Lie down on the floor with your hands behind your head. Lift your torso, arms, and legs off the ground. Bend your left knee and twist your body to bring your right elbow to the left knee. Repeat on the other side. Do for 60 seconds.
- Jumping squats: Start from a standing position and lower your body to a squat. Jump up and straighten your body. Land and immediately position your body for the next jump. Repeat for 90 seconds.
- Twisting mountain climbers: Start from a high plank position. Bring your left knee towards your right elbow and repeat for the other site. Continue for 60 seconds, alternating between each side.
As you get used to the workout, increase the number of reps you can do for the given time. This will keep your body loaded and keep you interested. You can also do additional sets for better results.
Quick workouts at home using a chair
Aside from full-body workouts at home without equipment, you can use different household items to add variety to your routine. A chair, for instance, can be a versatile fitness machine. Here are some of the quick workout at home you can do with it.
Arm circles
This exercise is great for giving your shoulder muscles a workout. To start, sit on the chair with your body straight. Touch your shoulders with your fingers and roll your arms backward in a circle. Make sure that you are not moving other parts of your body. Do 40 repetitions.
Tricep dips
This exercise is designed to target the back of your arms. Sit on the chair and place your hands at the edge of the seat. Slide your body off the chair while keeping your arms straight. Bend your elbows and lower your body as far as you can. Gradually return to your starting position and repeat for 40 times.
Seated jacks
Seated jacks are good alternatives if you find regular jumping jacks hard to do. This exercise will get your heart rate up just enough without causing you to strain too much. To start, sit in a regular sitting position, with your knees together. Point your toes down and raise your heels. Quickly spread your legs out and flex your feet. Land your feet on your heels while extending your arms over your head. Go back to your starting position and do 30 reps.
Keep your body toned with these quick workouts at home
By doing the quick workouts at home described here, you can continuously keep your body active. Make the most out of these exercises by turning them into a routine and expand your repertoire with even more exercises. This way, you can be sure that you won’t be coming back to the couch potato lifestyle.