Extra time and motivation to work out feel like a luxury, especially if you juggle multiple jobs. If you've ever thought about joining a gym but you never take action, or if you already have a gym membership but struggle to go frequently, we have good news for you.
As you read through this guide, you'll learn more on how to tackle the most common barriers and how to choose best workouts at home without equipment.
Best Home Workouts for Healthy Living
With the following simple exercises you can do in the convenience of your home, you'll achieve your fitness goals in no time.
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Time-Saving Workouts
Not having enough time is a valid reason if you have a busy daily schedule. However, people who give this reason believe they need to spend hours every day for a workout, but this is far from the truth.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT), a workout that lasts at least 15 minutes, is one of the most effective kinds of best workouts at home to try out. It involves intense exercises, followed by short breaks for recovery.
If you have past experience working out or if you're trying to lose weight, HIIT is a brilliant, time-saving choice. Many HIIT exercises are also full-body workouts that target a range of specific muscle groups.
A sample HIIT workout should look like this.
- 3 minutes of jogging warm up
- Burpees (30 seconds)
- rest
- Squat jumps (30 seconds)
- rest
- Push-ups (30 seconds)
- rest
- Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
- Rest
All the above are high-intensity exercises that improve metabolism and help improve cardiovascular health. Increase the reps as you get better at it. Always rest between each rep and end your workout with stretching exercises to reduce after-workout soreness.
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Space-Saving Workouts
If you live in a cramped apartment, you can try exercises that are contained, that way you don't need a lot of space. To go the extra mile, incorporate resistance bands for lower body workouts like lunges for a better mind-muscle connection. Example of such workouts include;
- Push-ups: These exercises work on the upper body muscles, including the chest, and shoulders.
- Squats: If you'd like to tone the muscles in the thighs (quads, hamstrings) or you want shapely glutes, try squats.
- Plank: Plank can be challenging if you're not used to it, but with time, your endurance increases. This exercise targets your core, improving stability, helping you stay centered and grounded.
Other examples of bodyweight exercises include lunges, bicycle crunches and lunges.
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Workouts Without Equipment
You don't need to break the bank to purchase workout equipment when you can use your own bodyweight as a form of resistance to achieve similar results. For targeting the upper body, try push-ups. To target your legs, bodyweight squats and single-leg deadlifts are highly effective and targeted. To improve core strength and balance, try different variations of plank. To target and tone your butt muscles, try glute bridges.
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Fun Workouts
Many believe workouts have to be stressful and repetitive, however, this is not always the case. For instance, there are varieties of full-body dance exercises to do everyday that are highly effective for your fitness needs. You get to have fun as a bonus benefit.
If you don't want to engage in strength exercises, you can try stretching exercises like yoga, which help you stay centered, focused, and relaxed. Other low-intensity exercises like going for a walk or jogging regularly are great ways to stay fit and connect to nature. Your workouts do not have to be monotonous; you can mix and match exercises depending on your mood and convenience.
Solving the Problem of Consistency
If you struggle to work out consistently, you have a problem with staying motivated. You may need some structure in your routine that allows you to work out without fail. It is important to make realistic fitness goals that also allow for rest days. If you struggle with daily workouts, you could try the following:
- Journaling,
- Having a fitness buddy
- Fitness apps with reminders, or
- A reward system after achieving your set milestones.
Final Notes
Living a sedentary lifestyle can affect your health negatively. No matter your excuses for not working out, this guide gives you the best tips on how to tackle those challenges and workout at home without equipment.
Knowing your fitness dreams, you can create a consistent and realistic workout routine that fits into your schedule perfectly. If you struggle with lack of motivation, get an accountability partner. Also, incorporate a variety of exercises in your routine for a more fun, well-rounded workout session.