So you’re looking to get into better shape from the comfort of your home, but how? There are so many different exercises and routines out there, it can be a bit overwhelming when you’re just starting out.
Luckily, you’ve found the right place to gather some helpful exercises that will improve your strength and overall physical fitness.
Read through these 8 handy exercises and add them into your day. You’re sure to find that you’re feeling stronger and healthier in no time. Now, get your fitness tracker ready and let’s jump in!
Table of Contents
The Plank
The plank is an incredible exercise that provides full-body results, and without any movement!
To do this exercise, you’ll need to get into the push-up position. The only difference is instead of lifting yourself up and down, the plank only requires you to rest on your forearms.
The longer you remain in that position, the more difficult it gets to stay there.
As you get better at this exercise, the goal will be to hold the position for longer periods of time. Many may start at only 30 seconds but build up to 2 minutes or more.
Dumbbell Rows
This is one exercise you’ll need a couple of extra weights. If you don’t want to purchase actual weights, then you can also use something like milk jugs to add some weight.
Keep in mind that you won’t want to overload yourself. A moderate amount of weight can help you to build strength in your arms and back.
Essentially, you’ll be holding a weight in each hand. As you’re bent over forward, pull both arms up and squeeze the weight source as you do.
You can choose to lift both arms at once, or engage them one at a time. It’s completely up to you.
For each workout, 30 reps for each arm will be enough to see some quality improvement.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are another simple exercise that will get your blood flowing.
While this may not be a muscle-building exercise in the conventional sense, it is one that will work the most important muscle of all — your heart.
During this exercise, you simply alternate between standing straight with your arms down, and jumping into a position where you are standing with your legs spread and your arms in the air.
Many opt to clap their hands when they jump, but you can just raise them if you wish. You can either choose to do a certain number of jumping jacks or just keep it going for a specific length of time.
Bicycling
Riding a bicycle can be a great way to get some exercise, but it’s not always a feasible option.
Luckily, you can get similar results from an exercise you can perform right in your home. You don’t even need a bicycle to do it!
- Start by laying down on your back.
- From here, you’ll want to get into a position similar to riding a bike. That means your knees need to be bent.
- Additionally, your hands will need to be supporting your head.
- While in that position, move your legs as if you’re pedaling a bicycle. You can do this for about a minute, or break that up into smaller segments of time if needed.
Dips
Dips are another great exercise for getting your upper body into great shape. This includes the triceps, which can be tough muscles to work out in other ways.
You will need a sturdy household item for this exercise — something like a chair or bench will work just fine.
All you have to do is sit on your chosen surface, then lift yourself off of it. Move out in front of the object and lower yourself down, then raise yourself up again.
Do 20 of this per session and your muscles will be stronger in no time.
Burpees
If you’re looking for an exercise that is beneficial for your cardiovascular system as well as your muscles, burpees should be a key part of your workout.
Keep in mind that this exercise requires you to move quickly, so you may want to stretch beforehand and set a limit for yourself that you can handle.
The good news is, this exercise is fantastic for your whole body.
To do this exercise, you’ll have to alternate between a plank position and jumping into the air.
- You can begin from a standing position.
- You’ll move from that into a squat, and then pull yourself forward into a plank.
- After that, you’ll need to move quickly back into a squat, stand, and jump upward.
- You can repeat this 30 times, or do as many as you can.
Push-Ups
There’s a reason this exercise has become such a classic. It works!
Push-ups make use of your own weight to improve your overall strength. They’re great for your arms, shoulders and upper body as a whole.
The position needed to complete a push-up is similar to that of a plank. However, in a push-up you have to press against the ground to lift your body, and then lower yourself again.
If standard push-ups are too difficult, then there are also ways to adjust the push up so that you can build up your strength. One such example includes allowing yourself to rest on your knees rather than holding up your entire body.
Lunges
Lunges are a fantastic way to build up strength in the lower part of your body.
Adding them to your routine can help to build more strength in your legs, especially in the thigh region. On top of that, the glutes get a good amount of work from this exercise as well.
For this exercise, all you have to do is step forward with one foot and lower yourself to the opposite knee. Then, slowly move upward into a standing position again.
The idea is to go slowly and switch legs often enough that both legs can get the full workout. Typically, many people do a total of 30 lunges at a time, broken up into reps of 10.
