Guest Blog - Get A Great Workout At Home!
Are you too busy to get to the gym? Do you have little munchkins running around that make it impossible to leave the house? Are you trying to save money by getting rid of your gym membership that you never use? There are many reasons why the gym is not always the most convenient option, and workouts are often skipped because going to the gym feels like too much of a hassle.
Thankfully, there is a great solution to this problem – at-home workouts. There are a lot of benefits to working out at home, from not having to wait for chatty people on their phones to get off of the machine you want to use, to not having to make small talk with people in your fitness classes. With an at-home workout, you don’t have to think twice about hiring a babysitter, making a commute, or going during off-peak hours – you work out when it is most convenient for you and your schedule.
Well, guess what? You can do all of that, and still get a killer workout in! Today, we are sharing 10 at-home workout moves that help you break a sweat, burn fat and build muscle with nothing more than bodyweight and a little hard work. Perform each move for one minute with a 30-second rest, and repeat the circuit 3-5 times.
1) Burpees
Begin in a standing position with your feet together. Get down on your hands, and kick your feet back so that you are in push-up position. Do one push-up, then jump up into the air, keeping your back and legs as straight as possible.
2) Knee-Highs
This movement is similar to running in place. In order to burn even more calories, bring your knees up even higher than if you were running.
3) Jumping Jacks
Start from a standing position with legs together and arms at the sides, then jump to a position with your legs spread apart and your arms brought together over your head, and then jump back into the starting position.
4) Squats
Start by standing up tall, with your shoulders back, feet about shoulder-width apart, and toes pointed forward. With all of your weight on your heels, inhale as you squat back by bending at the knee and sticking your butt back as you lower. Keep your head and chest up, and your eyes looking forward.
For added balance, bring your arms out in front of you as you lower. Be sure not to let your knees go past your toes, and try to get your thighs parallel to the ground. Exhale as you press up through your heels, and squeeze your glute muscles to stand back up straight.
5) Push-Ups
Most people have tried a traditional push-up at some point. Simply put your hands directly under you, holding your bodyweight up. Slowly bring your body down to the floor, and then push directly back up.
6) Planks
Lie face down on the mat. Place your forearms on the mat, with your elbows under your shoulders. Place your legs together with your forefeet on the floor.
7) Wall-Sits
Lean against the wall with your feet planted firmly on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Your feet should also be about two feet away from the wall. Slowly slide down the wall with your back pressed against it until your legs bend at a right angle. This angle is very crucial, because if your thighs are not parallel to the ground, your muscles will not get a good workout. Your knees should also be directly above your ankles, and your back should be touching the wall at all times.
8) Lateral Hops
The name of the exercise tells you exactly what you are going to do in the exercise! You will simply jump laterally back and forth.
9) Wall Jumps
Stand with both feet shoulder-width apart while facing a wall. Bend your knees and jump, touching the highest point on the wall.
10) Lunges
Slowly step forward, allowing both of your knees to bend so that the thigh of the forward leg is parallel to the floor, and the knee of the rear leg touches the floor. Then, slowly push off with the forward leg to return to the starting position. If this movement is too difficult to perform, do not perform the full movement until you feel strong enough to do so – don’t worry, you’ll get there!
You can mix and match not only these workouts, but also their intensity, the reps you perform, and how hard you push yourself! Working out at home can be a great option for getting a killer workout, and can be done no matter where you are or what your schedule is like.
Guest Blog Author - Julie Morris
www.Juliemorris.org | jmorris@juliemorris.org4023 Kennett PikeWilmington, DE 19807