There are many easy at home exercises that you can do if you don't have the time to make it to the gym. Depending on what parts of your body you wish to hone, there are easy exercises for your chest, abs, back, legs and arms as well as simple cardio routines. Make use of what you already have in your house and make up what you don't have so you stick with your regimen. And even though the exercise is simple, your workout does not have to be simple too.
The more effort you put into working out, the more your body will get out of it. Depending on the exercise that you chose and the intensity that you do it with, working out at home can be just as effective as a workout in the gym. All these exercises are easy to learn but can be difficult to do depending on your level of conditioning. Pick a combination of these exercises to work your whole body. I'll give you a sample workout at the end that uses some of these moves and will work your whole body.
My Favorite Top Ten Easy At Home Exercises (Not Ranked in Any Order)
These are my favorite ten easy exercises for you to perform at your house. These exercises are easy in the sense that they are easy to learn. Frequently, however, they can be difficult to sustain. If you have trouble doing them, begin with a small number of reps and adjust the exercise until you are able to do it correctly. As a set of basic exercises, these should be within the reach of everyone.
1. Air Squats - The air squat is one of the easiest exercises to learn how to do. Executing it can sometimes be hard though. Keeping your heels on the ground, squat down and try to bring your hips below parallel; keep your weight over your heels to the best of your ability. The further range of motion you can get, the more effective the exercise. Do sets or reps of these squats, or do them for a period of time. No matter which you choose, these squats will give you a new appreciation of how heavy air can be.
2. Push-Ups - A lot of people do push-ups at home. Push ups will help you build up your chest, arms, back and core. It really is a great move. If you find these difficult, modify them by dropping to your knees or by doing them on the stairs at an angle.
3. Sit Ups - Sit ups will help you strengthen your abs, which is essential. Having a strong mid-section is very important. Your core muscles are probably used more every day but are the group that everyone hates to work on. When you sit up, don't pull on your head as this can strain your neck. Place your hands above your head and raise yourself up with your momentum. In addition, you should use a towel or AbMat under your lower back for support.
4. Planks - Balancing on your elbows and your toes, straighten your body and tense it so that you look like a plank of wood. Hold this position for 1 minute then rest 1 minute. Repeat this exercise three times. The instructions are simple but doing the exercise is a challenge. But it will make your core (both the abs and back) stronger fast.
5. Jumping Jacks - Jumping jacks have not changed since you did them in elementary school. Yes, those; remember back to your fifth grade gym class. These are excellent moves for an aerobic workout. Do them for 5 minutes and you'll be sucking wind. Try and clap at the top of each rep.
6. Jumping Rope - Jumping rope is yet another excellent cardio exercise that is easy to do. Spin that rope around your body and see how many times you can jump. Build up your time by doing it for five minutes, then increase to six, then seven, and onwards. Mix up your jumping pattern by jumping on one foot, then both feet, or run in place. Pretend you're a kid and sing a song while you're doing it and it will make the time go by faster.
7. Superman/Banana - Another core exercise, this will work both your lower back and you abs. Lie down on your front and lift your legs and arms up from the floor. Maintain this position for 5 seconds. Roll over to your back and lift your chest and feet up from the floor. Hold that position for 5 seconds then switch back. Do this a dozen times for a full minute of enjoyment. As you get stronger, do this set of reps three times.
8. Pull-Ups - One of the best exercises out there, they work multiple muscle groups at once and are incredibly effective. If you can't do a pull up, do straight arm hangs to improve your grip strength. Once you can hang on for a while, do the same thing with bent arms. Stick with these and you'll see rapid improvement in your strength.
9. Dips - Use the edge of a tub, a sturdy bench or put yourself between two stable chairs for this exercise. These little puppies will build your chest, shoulders and arms up real nice. Attempt to keep your triceps even with the floor and straighten your arms completely when you raise up.
10. Burpees - I know. This exercise is not simple. In fact they are hard. However, they are one of the best ways to get your body completely exercised. It impacts your arms, legs, torso, core, and heart. It covers them all. If possible, try and do a couple of these everyday. Eventually you want be able to as many as 100 in a row but start with a goal of 10. Modify these by not doing the push up at the bottom but still get off of the ground and clap at the top.
2. Push-Ups - A lot of people do push-ups at home. Push ups will help you build up your chest, arms, back and core. It really is a great move. If you find these difficult, modify them by dropping to your knees or by doing them on the stairs at an angle.
3. Sit Ups - Sit ups will help you strengthen your abs, which is essential. Having a strong mid-section is very important. Your core muscles are probably used more every day but are the group that everyone hates to work on. When you sit up, don't pull on your head as this can strain your neck. Place your hands above your head and raise yourself up with your momentum. In addition, you should use a towel or AbMat under your lower back for support.
4. Planks - Balancing on your elbows and your toes, straighten your body and tense it so that you look like a plank of wood. Hold this position for 1 minute then rest 1 minute. Repeat this exercise three times. The instructions are simple but doing the exercise is a challenge. But it will make your core (both the abs and back) stronger fast.
5. Jumping Jacks - Jumping jacks have not changed since you did them in elementary school. Yes, those; remember back to your fifth grade gym class. These are excellent moves for an aerobic workout. Do them for 5 minutes and you'll be sucking wind. Try and clap at the top of each rep.
6. Jumping Rope - Jumping rope is yet another excellent cardio exercise that is easy to do. Spin that rope around your body and see how many times you can jump. Build up your time by doing it for five minutes, then increase to six, then seven, and onwards. Mix up your jumping pattern by jumping on one foot, then both feet, or run in place. Pretend you're a kid and sing a song while you're doing it and it will make the time go by faster.
7. Superman/Banana - Another core exercise, this will work both your lower back and you abs. Lie down on your front and lift your legs and arms up from the floor. Maintain this position for 5 seconds. Roll over to your back and lift your chest and feet up from the floor. Hold that position for 5 seconds then switch back. Do this a dozen times for a full minute of enjoyment. As you get stronger, do this set of reps three times.
8. Pull-Ups - One of the best exercises out there, they work multiple muscle groups at once and are incredibly effective. If you can't do a pull up, do straight arm hangs to improve your grip strength. Once you can hang on for a while, do the same thing with bent arms. Stick with these and you'll see rapid improvement in your strength.
9. Dips - Use the edge of a tub, a sturdy bench or put yourself between two stable chairs for this exercise. These little puppies will build your chest, shoulders and arms up real nice. Attempt to keep your triceps even with the floor and straighten your arms completely when you raise up.
10. Burpees - I know. This exercise is not simple. In fact they are hard. However, they are one of the best ways to get your body completely exercised. It impacts your arms, legs, torso, core, and heart. It covers them all. If possible, try and do a couple of these everyday. Eventually you want be able to as many as 100 in a row but start with a goal of 10. Modify these by not doing the push up at the bottom but still get off of the ground and clap at the top.
An Easy At Home Exercise Sample Workout
After doing a proper warm up, here's a quick 20 minute workout that you can do at home. You won't need any equipment and can do this in the living room. If you need to, modify the moves as necessary or decrease the time until your conditioning improves.
Air Squats: Maximum Effort Reps for 30 Seconds, Then Rest for 30 Seconds - Repeat 2 Times
Push Ups: Max Reps for 30 Seconds, Rest 30 Seconds - Repeat 2 Times
Sit Ups: Max Reps for 30 Seconds, Rest 30 Seconds - Repeat 2 Times
Jumping Jacks: Max Reps in 1 Minute - Do 1 Time
Dips: Max Reps for 30 Seconds, Rest 30 Seconds - Do 1 Time
Planks: Hold the Plank Position for Thirty Seconds, then Rest for 30 Seconds - Repeat 2 times
REPEAT THIS SEQUENCE 2 TIMES
This is a twenty minute work out, but it will probably feel a lot longer. If you're looking for bonus points after that, perform ten Burpees. That ought to finish off your workout nicely. Use this regimen 3 times every week to keep your body well conditioned and fit. You may find that some of these easy at home exercises are a challenge to begin with, but hang in there. You will notice fast improvement and your body is going to benefit from the exercise. Now get to it!
David Grim is a personal and group trainer who works with men and women to help them get fit and lean. For useful tips, techniques, ideas and commentary on fitness and exercise visit him at http://www.GetFitGetLean.com
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