There is a fitness secret that everyone needs to know about especially if you return home from work tired and are low in energy. There’s no need to go to the gym, you can exercise easily at home just by converting furniture into gym equipment. This saves you a lot of time and effort so instead, you can invest all your energy into your own practical fitness pursuits in the comfort of your own four walls. It just takes a little creativity and know-how. Spend time dancing to music for a warm-up or have a skipping session on your patio for cardiovascular fitness. Stretch out your muscles and tone the body with yoga or isolate key muscle groups by planning an exercise program for an all-over workout.
There are many options available for home workouts, but it is just a case of understanding how to exercise the whole body and being sure you include an array of exercises. It is easier than you think. Here’s your starting point:
Armchair single-leg stand up
Stand with your armchair behind you and focus on your balance, bring your right knee up to your chest, and clasp with both hands. Try to sit down on the chair while still holding that leg tightly and then, stand up. Try to keep your posture good and focus on the muscles you are working. Do this for ten repetitions then, alternate with the other leg.
Three-part roll down
Sit on the floor and have your legs bent while inserting toes under the edge of your bed so that this keeps your legs in place. With hands now behind your head, roll down little by little engaging your abdominal muscles as you do so. This is all about your core so isolate those muscles. Sit back up and then, repeat, rolling back down and do this for approximately fifteen repetitions.
Triceps Dip
Sit on the floor with the armchair or sofa behind you. Reach back and place your hands on the edge of the seat with arms shoulder-width apart. Straighten your legs out directly in front of you. Push down through your hands so to straighten your arms and lift your torso from the floor. The aim is to have your body as a straight line. Hold that extended pose and then, lower to the floor. You should feel the triceps working. Repeat ten times.
Run up and downstairs
If you have stairs at home, take advantage of them and time yourself running up and down the stairs over a 60-second period. Try this each day for a week, trying to increase the number of repetitions. You should improve steadily. For the next week, extend the session to two minutes.
Calf raises
Stand next to a chair placing one hand on the back of the chair to ensure good balance. Consider your posture at this point, straighten up through the legs and torso, but do not lock the knees. Imagine yourself as being graceful so to execute this movement. Push through the balls of the feet as you raise the heels. Try to extend the heels as far as is possible. Pause in this position and then, lower. Repeat ten times.
Lunges
With feet hip-width apart, stand next to a chair, placing one hand upon the top. Pull in the abdomen and stand tall. With shoulders back and chest up, take a big step forward with one leg and bend both knees. The thigh of the front leg needs to be parallel with the floor. Pause in this position and then, pressing through the heel, move back to the starting point. Instead of moving so to change legs, simply step back so that the other leg is now in front. Repeat the lunge.
Chair forward bend
Sit on a chair, have feet flat on the floor. Exhale and come forward in a bend over the knees extending from the lower back. By extending rather than curving, you protect the lower back. Rest the hands on the floor if possible but let your head just hang so that it releases tension from the neck and shoulders. Inhale, raise your arms up over your head, stretching the torso but do not arch the back. Lower the hands and sit tall. Repeat.
These are fun, easy to do exercises and show how you can easily incorporate fitness into time spent at home, it is all about adapting the movement and working with what you have. You can listen to music to inspire you and don’t have to worry about what you are wearing or how you look. Your focus can be on having fun with fitness and making your personal space work for you. Do this daily, alternating your exercises and this will keep motivation strong.
