Overview
Working out at home is an inexpensive and convenient way to exercise. When exercising at home you may not have access to fancy equipment like you do at a gym, but that doesn't mean you can't get in a great strength-training workout. Using your own body weight and items such as a stair or chair, you can perform exercises that will strengthen and tone your whole body.
Upper Body and Abdominals
Step 1
Perform pushups for your upper body. Lie face down on the floor with your hands shoulder distance apart. Press up until your arms are almost fully extended and lower back down just until your chin almost touches the floor and repeat. You can perform standard pushups on your toes or modified pushups on your knees.
Step 2
Do dips on the edge of a chair for your triceps. Sit at the edge of a sturdy chair and grasp the edge of the seat in each had. Slide your bottom off the chair, but keep it close to the edge. Slowly lower the body down until the seat of the chair is about at shoulder-blade level. Push back up using your arms and repeat.
Step 3
Use canned goods from your pantry for bicep curls. Hold cans of the same weight in each hand with your arms at your sides and palms facing forward. Curl the forearm up to your shoulder, keeping your elbow and upper arm close to your side. Lower and repeat.
Step 4
Lie on your back on the floor and place your hands lightly behind your head. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Curl the upper body up toward the ceiling and the bent knees engaging the upper abdominals, performing a crunch for the upper abdominals. Lower and repeat.
Step 5
Perform reverse curls in the same position as the crunches. Lift your knees into the air at a 90-degree angle. Pull the knees in toward the chest as you slightly lift the buttocks off the floor and engage the lower abdominals. Hold for three seconds, lower and repeat.
Step 6
Exercise your oblique muscles assuming the same position for the reverse curls. Twist your torso bringing your right shoulder to meet your left knee as you extend the right leg along the floor. Twist to the other side bringing your right knee in and extending your left leg. Alternate back and forth, working the waistline.
Lower Body
Step 1
Lie on your stomach on the floor to work the lower back. Extend your arms and legs, reaching them toward the front and back of the room. Slowly raise the right arm into the air as you raise the left leg off the floor. Hold for four seconds, switch sides and repeat. Keep the head looking down toward the floor and slightly out in front.
Step 2
Perform squats to work the legs and bottom. Stand with your feet hips-width apart and knees slightly bent. Sit back as if you were sitting back in a chair until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor. Use your legs to push back up to a standing position and repeat.
Step 3
Stand with your right foot in front of your left to perform a lunge. Slowly lower the body, bending the front knee and dropping the back knee to the floor. Lower until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Use your legs to push yourself up to the starting position. Repeat and then switch legs and perform the exercise again.
Step 4
Use a stair inside or outside the house for calf raises. Stand facing the stair with your toes on the stair and your heels hanging off the back. Lower your heels down and then push yourself up, rising up on your toes. Lower and repeat.
Step 5
Add some yoga moves such as Warrior II into your routine for toning your lower body. Stand with your feet about 4 feet apart. Raise your arms out to each side at shoulder level. Shift your body to the right, turning your right foot to the right and shifting your left foot so that it is facing front. Shift your body weight to the right as you bend your right knee until it is parallel to the floor and left leg is straightened. Keep the chest lifted, shoulders back and head turned facing the right. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Working out at home is an inexpensive and convenient way to exercise. When exercising at home you may not have access to fancy equipment like you do at a gym, but that doesn't mean you can't get in a great strength-training workout. Using your own body weight and items such as a stair or chair, you can perform exercises that will strengthen and tone your whole body.
Upper Body and Abdominals
Step 1
Perform pushups for your upper body. Lie face down on the floor with your hands shoulder distance apart. Press up until your arms are almost fully extended and lower back down just until your chin almost touches the floor and repeat. You can perform standard pushups on your toes or modified pushups on your knees.
Step 2
Do dips on the edge of a chair for your triceps. Sit at the edge of a sturdy chair and grasp the edge of the seat in each had. Slide your bottom off the chair, but keep it close to the edge. Slowly lower the body down until the seat of the chair is about at shoulder-blade level. Push back up using your arms and repeat.
Step 3
Use canned goods from your pantry for bicep curls. Hold cans of the same weight in each hand with your arms at your sides and palms facing forward. Curl the forearm up to your shoulder, keeping your elbow and upper arm close to your side. Lower and repeat.
Step 4
Lie on your back on the floor and place your hands lightly behind your head. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Curl the upper body up toward the ceiling and the bent knees engaging the upper abdominals, performing a crunch for the upper abdominals. Lower and repeat.
Step 5
Perform reverse curls in the same position as the crunches. Lift your knees into the air at a 90-degree angle. Pull the knees in toward the chest as you slightly lift the buttocks off the floor and engage the lower abdominals. Hold for three seconds, lower and repeat.
Step 6
Exercise your oblique muscles assuming the same position for the reverse curls. Twist your torso bringing your right shoulder to meet your left knee as you extend the right leg along the floor. Twist to the other side bringing your right knee in and extending your left leg. Alternate back and forth, working the waistline.
Lower Body
Step 1
Lie on your stomach on the floor to work the lower back. Extend your arms and legs, reaching them toward the front and back of the room. Slowly raise the right arm into the air as you raise the left leg off the floor. Hold for four seconds, switch sides and repeat. Keep the head looking down toward the floor and slightly out in front.
Step 2
Perform squats to work the legs and bottom. Stand with your feet hips-width apart and knees slightly bent. Sit back as if you were sitting back in a chair until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor. Use your legs to push back up to a standing position and repeat.
Step 3
Stand with your right foot in front of your left to perform a lunge. Slowly lower the body, bending the front knee and dropping the back knee to the floor. Lower until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Use your legs to push yourself up to the starting position. Repeat and then switch legs and perform the exercise again.
Step 4
Use a stair inside or outside the house for calf raises. Stand facing the stair with your toes on the stair and your heels hanging off the back. Lower your heels down and then push yourself up, rising up on your toes. Lower and repeat.
Step 5
Add some yoga moves such as Warrior II into your routine for toning your lower body. Stand with your feet about 4 feet apart. Raise your arms out to each side at shoulder level. Shift your body to the right, turning your right foot to the right and shifting your left foot so that it is facing front. Shift your body weight to the right as you bend your right knee until it is parallel to the floor and left leg is straightened. Keep the chest lifted, shoulders back and head turned facing the right. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
