Whether it’s your friends and family breathing down your neck, the doctors ramming it in your skull or you just hearing it for the million, and first time, you know that exercise is good for your health. Even if you set the health benefits aside, working out can be the most productive way you can spend your pass time. That being said, if you think that your days of going to the gym are over, a home workout is something you desperately need to incorporate in your life.
When you read the word “workout,” and the first thing that comes to your mind is a bunch of young athletic individuals going crazy on the weights at the gym, then you need to change your definition. You’d be surprised to know that a simple home workout can give the same burn any gym would, right in the comfort of your living room.
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Benefits of home workouts
We all have a busy schedule that we need to handle without fail, so taking out an entire hour to work out in a day can be a struggle for most people. Well, we have good news, you don’t need to go to the gym to stay in shape. Dr. Brian Secemsky says that working out for just 15 minutes every day can benefit your heart and even increase life expectancy.
Studies show that just 15 minutes of moderate-intensity workout such as brisk walking or cycling can increase your life expectancy to up to three years compared with people that don’t work out at all. So just 15 minutes in 24 hours is all you need, so no more excuses and to all the people that hate me for taking away their excuse, I’m sorry, but you know that it’s good for you.
How to fit a workout into your schedule
There are a lot of ways to incorporate a quick workout into your daily routine. Don’t worry; you won’t need to invest in a home gym, all you need is maybe a couple of chairs, your body weight, and some gravity if you have that lying around. Home workouts work mainly on using your body weight (you can even add extra weight if you’re feeling up to it) to help you burn some calories and keep you fit.
You can do these workouts while doing almost anything, which could mean reading a book, watching TV, or listening to a podcast. Here are a few ways you can incorporate your workout in your daily routine without having to take time out specifically to work out:
- Do a few exercises during the commercial breaks of your favorite TV shows.
- Put reminders on your phones or leave sticky notes around the house to keep you moving every hour or so
- Set goals for yourself, so you stay motivated
- Substitute everyday products for equipment. If you don’t have dumbbells, grab a couple of water bottles, and you are good to go.
Quick moves you can try at home
The most effective way to work your entire body is to focus on the core muscles. The core does not mean the abdominal area but the thighs, glutes, and hamstrings as well. Working on your core can help you improve strength and balance in the body.
Here are some workouts that you can try out that will strengthen your core.
Planks
One of the most common exercises that are performed to improve your core strength.
Get on the ground on your elbows with your back and legs straight. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds and stop. Try increasing the duration as you get the hang of it.
Bridges
Lay on your back and legs bent. Now raise your hips by squeezing your buttocks and at the top of the movement make sure your back and thighs are in a straight line. Slowly lower while still applying a squeeze and repeat as many times as you can. This can be a great addition to any home workout.
Step-downs/Step-ups
Get a small step stool and step up and down the stool in a controlled and slow motion to apply more pressure on the muscles. Make sure to keep your back straight at all times
Sit-ups
Lay on your back and legs bent then sit up to a vertical position. Your arm position can vary to make the sit up even harder. You can swing your arms during the last reps to aid the sit up. Start with sets of ten and then work your way up to three to five sets.
Single-leg Stand
This is as simple as they come, balance on one leg as long as possible, keeping your spine straight and your base stable as to not wobble around too much. As easy as it may sound, this could prove to be a real challenge for some.
You need to do all these exercises for 3 minutes each which will make it a total 15-minute workout.
Quick Sample
If you’re still unsure on how and what to do for your home workout, here’s a quick full body home workout video with SQUATWOLF’s very own, Vladi Korac.
Now that you have all the benefits, all the exercises and none of the excuses, you are ready to put fitness up there with some of your top priorities.
If you are looking for more exercises that you can do at home, click here and get all the workouts and how to do them.
