Want to get fit and strong without stepping foot in the gym? You definitely can. Home workouts are a fantastic and convenient way to stay active, achieve your fitness goals, and build strength without breaking the bank. And with the right home workout essentials, you’ll be on your way to achieving your goals. As a beginner to home workouts, I’ll tell you this, you don’t necessarily need too much to start. With just 2 things, as a part of your home workout essentials, you can have a great home workout routine.
- Internet connection
- Consistency
Although you might need more home workout essentials, to be real with you, these 2 things should get you started.
That said, this article will guide you through the basics of equipment-free exercises and give you easy-to-follow routines for beginners. Additionally, it’ll shed light on the primary to secondary home workout essentials you’ll need as a newbie.
Why Choose Equipment-Free Workouts?
1 . Accessibility: You don’t need any fancy equipment or gym membership.
2 . Convenience: Work out whenever you want, wearing what you want, and on your schedule.
3 . Versatility: You can adapt exercises to suit your fitness level and space.
Benefits of Home Workouts
1 . Cost-effective: When you work at home you get to save money on equipment, and gym membership.
2 . Great for shy people: You can exercise within the comfort of your own home, without feeling self-conscious.
3 . Time efficient: Just fit in a workout whenever your schedule allows.
4 . You can still do things at home: You could cook and workout at the same time, or watch the kids yourself without worrying too much.
5 . It’s convenient: No need to worry about gym memberships or commuting to a fitness studio.
Warm-Up Exercises (5 to 10 minutes)
Before you start your exercise routine, you got to warm up those muscles, as it’s very important. So, here are some equipment-free warm-up exercises to try:
1 . 30 seconds Jumping jacks
2 . Do a 30-second Dynamic arm circle (hold your arms straight out to the sides and make small circles.
3 . 30-second leg swings. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and swing one leg forward and backward, then switch.
4 . Stand with your feet together and twist your torso from side to side (for 30 seconds).
5 . Do a light jogging in place for 30 seconds.
Or you can walk briskly for 10 minutes and swing your arms to get a full body warm-up.
Essential Bodyweight Exercises
- Squats: A fundamental exercise that targets your glutes, legs, and core.
- Lunges: This exercise works your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core.
- Plank: It engages your core, back, and shoulders.
- Pushups: They build upper strength, and target your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
- Crunches: Targets your abdominal muscles.
- Mountain climbers: A great cardio exercise that works your core and legs.
- Jumping jacks: A classic cardio exercise that gets your heart rate up.
- Skipping without a rope: A type of cardio exercise that helps tone your legs, gets your heart rate up and improves stamina.
- Bird dog: It improves core stability and balance.
- Running in place: Cardio exercise that works your entire body.
- Squat jumps: This exercise is highly effective for bodyweight training and burns a lot of calories. Additionally, it is usually a part of HIIT training or Tabata training.
Mind you, all exercises tend to build stamina eventually, however, some type of exercise or training can get you there faster.
Home Workout Essentials: Beginner’s Workout Routine.
Upper Body Exercises
This training is 30 minutes, however, you can go at your own pace.
1 . Push-Ups: 3 sets of 10 reps
Here’s how to do it:
1 . You will stand in a plank position, on both hands, and shoulder-width apart, and engage your core.
2 . Lower your body until your chest almost touches the ground. Then you push back up and return to your starting position.
Push-ups aren’t very easy to do for a beginner, but this is not to discourage you from trying to do them. It’s just to let you know that even if you only manage to do one push-up, and not 3 sets, it’s applaudable.
So, just resume again tomorrow, and build your strength as each day goes by!
2 . Arm circles: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Here’s how to do them:
1 . Hold your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder length, or imagine there’s one person on each of your sides straightening your hands.
2 . Make small circles with your hands for as long as your reps determine.
3 . Triceps dips 2 sets of 15 reps (use a chair or bench for this)
How to do them:
1 . Now you will sit on the edge of a chair or bench with your hands grasping the edge.
2 . Lower your body by bending your elbows until your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle.
3 . Then you straighten your arms to return to the starting position.
4 . Plank hold: 4 sets of 10 seconds hold
How to do it:
1 . First start in a plank position with your hands, and make sure your shoulders are wide apart and are resting on the floor.
2 . Hold this position for the amount of time you want, and ensure that you focus on engaging your core and keeping your body straight.
Lower Body Exercises ( 15 to 30 mins)
Now, we are not going to skip leg day, would we? Training your upper body is just as important as training your lower body. Because you want to build strength and muscle in your legs, to keep things balanced.
1 . Squats: 3 sets of 20 reps
How to squat:
1 . Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your toes slightly pointed out.
2 . Lower your hips as if you’re about to sit in a chair, and keep your back straight and core engaged.
3 . Make sure your knees don’t go past your toes push through your heels and stand back up.
Why don’t you try it right now and see how it feels?
2 . Lunges 2 sets of 12 reps
How to do them:
1 . Step forward with one leg, then lower your body until your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle.
2 . Then push off with your front foot and return to the starting position.
3 . Calf raises: 2 sets of 20 reps
How to do them:
1 . Stand with your feet, with your shoulders spaced out a little.
2 . Rise up onto your toes, hold for a moment, and then lower back down.
4 . Glute bridges: 4 sets of 7 reps
How to do them:
1 . Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
2 . Lift your hips off the ground, and squeeze your glutes in the process, until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
3 . Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower back down.
Core Exercises ( 10 to 15 minutes)
Your core strength needs to be focused on and improved as well. Core exercises work the muscles in your abdomen, back, and hips. Also, working on your core strength can help you achieve a flatter tummy since it works on the abdominal muscles.
1 . Russin twists: 3 sets of 10 reps
How to do them:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Lean back slightly and lift your feet off the ground
- Twist your torso from side to side, and touch your hands to the ground each time you do.
2 . Leg raises: 3 sets of 12 reps
How to do leg raises:
- Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs straight, with emphasis on the straight legs.
- Then you lift your legs towards the ceiling while keeping them straight.
- Lower your legs back down to your starting position.
3 . Sit-ups: 3 sets of 8 reps
How to do them:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head, then slowly curl your upper body towards your knees.
- Hold this position for 3 seconds, then slowly lower your back.
4 . Bicycle crunches: 3 sets of 12 reps
How to do them:
- Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and legs lifted and bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Then you alternate by bringing your knees towards your chest as if you’re pedaling a bicycle.
Guidance For Your Home Workout Essentials
Starting a fitness journey can be daunting, especially if you’re new to exercise. But with the right approach, you can achieve great results without some fancy equipment. Even if you only have a small space in your bedroom or living, you can transform your body and make it stronger and healthier.
Everyone starts from somewhere right? No one just woke up one morning and became a fitness expert, you learn, you practice, you make mistakes and you grow. Fitness is, and should be a lifelong journey for everyone to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, remember consistency is key, start with short workouts, and as time goes by you can tweak the above workout routine to suit your fitness level. If it means doing smaller reps, that’s fine, soon enough you’ll be doing longer workouts. Also, listen to your body, take breaks when needed, and just enjoy the process of getting fitter and healthier.
If your goal is to lose weight, that’s also fine, you can do it at home too. So, long you’re in a calorie deficit, and watching your portion sizes, you’ll shed those pounds in no time.
