Many people have fitness and health goals, however often put them on hold during the cold winter months. They feel as though it’s too cold to leave their homes, whether it be to make it to the gym or go on a run outside. This is no longer a good excuse since there are plenty of fitness routines that can be done within the comfort and warmth of your own home, without investing in expensive workout equipment. Don’t let the winter stop you from achieving your goals!
This home workout should be performed in a circuit. Once you’ve finished a set of including each exercise, take a two-minute rest, drink some water, and then do the entire set again for one to two more times, depending on your fitness level. In fitness theory, however, it is usually recommended to do three sets of every exercise, but sometimes this must be slowly built up. Pushing yourself is always a good idea, but not to an unhealthy level. And if you’d like to do a warmup without leaving your house or purchasing a treadmill or an elliptical trainer, you can always run up and down your staircase to get your heart rate pumping!
The first exercise that can be done at home is a bodyweight squat. No equipment required, just your buttock and legs! Stand with your feet with a space wider than a shoulder-width distance from one another, and place your arms straight directly facing your body at the same level as your shoulders. Make sure your torso is upright, and that your lower back is slightly arched. Hold your abs in, and take your body as low as possible, by pushing your hips back, and bending your knees. Take a pause, and then bring yourself back up to where you began. Repeat this movement 15-20 times, depending on your fitness level and goals.
The second exercise is an incline push-up. Get into push-up position, however, put your hands on a raised surface, for example, a box, a bench, or even a step of your staircase, rather than the standard on the floor push-up. Hold your body completely straight ranging from your ankles to your head. Lower your body until your upper arms reach below your elbows. Take a pause, then bring yourself back up to the starting stance. If it too difficult, you can place your hands on a higher surface. And if it is too easy, you can of course always do a traditional push-up with your hands on the floor. Repeat this 12-15 times.
The third exercise is a hip raise. Lie on the floor, or on a mat if you have one with your back flat. Put your arms on your sides at a 45-degree angle, with your palms facing upwards. Try to suck your stomach in and hold it, while still maintaining normal breaths; this will give you a tight core. While keeping your core tight, squeeze your glutes while raising your hips. Take a pause for five seconds, and squeeze your glutes. Then take your body back to the starting position. Repeat this 10 times.
The fourth exercise of the circuit is a side plank. Lie on your side with your knees straight. Hold your upper body on your elbow and forearm of the same side of the body you are propped up on. Place your opposite hand on the parallel hip. Tuck in your stomach and hold it, while maintaining normal breaths. Then take your hips up until your body is in a straight line. Hold this position for 30 seconds, and do the same thing on the other side.
The next exercise is a combination of three exercises! Talk about efficiency! Each exercise should be repeated 8-12 times, repeatedly without rests between. Do the Floor Y raise 8-12 times, then the Floor T raise 8-12 times, and then finish by 8-12 times of the Floor I raise. Just make sure to do the same number of each raise.
In the Floor Y raise, lie with your stomach facing the floor, with your arms touching the floor as well. Keep your arms straight with a 30 -degree angle, forming a Y shape. For the Floor T raise, it is similar to the Y raise, however, move your arms out to your sides, perpendicular to your body with your thumbs pointing upwards, and then raise them as high as possible without hurting yourself. The final stage, the Floor I raise requires that you move your arms in a way that your body makes a straight line, with your palms facing each other, with the side of thumbs pointing upwards. Raise your arms as high as you can and say ‘I’ did it!
