If your home is now your gym, sticking to a healthy fitness routine can
be challenging. The good news is you don’t need equipment to get
a workout in, and these 10 moves are effective for just about everyone.
As always, talk to your doctor before starting a new fitness routine,
especially if you are pregnant, have an existing chronic illness or previous injury.
Push-ups or Press-ups
This move uses multiple muscle groups for maximum growth and strengthens
your shoulder joints. Easily done as an exercise at home, this prepares
you for progression to the more demanding shoulder exercises you'll
face in a gym. Remember, you can always modify an exercise to be right
for your body and fitness level—for instance, doing a modified push-up
by placing your knees on the floor.
Standing Shoulder Press
This is a safer shoulder-sculptor than lifting from behind your neck. If
you’re a beginner, aim to keep strain off your joints to protect
against injury by keeping your back straight and your elbows close to
your sides, lifting directly up. If you don’t have dumbbells at
home, try it with a different weighted object, such as a book or heavy-duty
water bottle.
Jumping Rope or Jumping Jacks
The ultimate no-nonsense workout, jumping rope is an efficient form of
cardio. Studies have shown that just 10 minutes a day with the rope was
similar to 30 minutes of jogging. Don’t have a jump rope? Jumping
jacks have a similar effect and require no equipment.
Squats, With or Without Weight
Squats are an excellent all-round exercise and one of the best moves for
building overall strength. Adding in dumbbells or another weighted object
lets you up the challenge while concentrating on technique and range of movement.
Burpees
When it comes to burning fat at home, few moves are better than the burpee.
Requiring zero equipment and delivering a full-body workout, add these
to your home workout routine to ramp up your heart rate or set daily challenges.
Lunges
Lunges work the entire lower body and can be done around the house or yard
with ease. If you’re looking for a greater challenge, try jumping
lunges—they’re ideal for getting your heartrate up and improving
endurance.
Bicep Curl
A good beginner exercise and great way to build visible muscle, make sure
you keep your upper arm stationary with elbows tight to your side. Be
sure to squeeze when fully curled so you hit the whole bicep for maximum
growth. No dumbbells? Any weighted object that fits securely in your hand will do.
Step-Ups, With or Without Weight
This simple move activates all your upper leg muscles: glutes, quads and
hamstrings. Plus, it's low impact, which means you avoid the knee
injuries associated with more explosive exercises. Use a bench, the stairs
in your home or any other elevated and stable surface. Try holding weighted
objects at your sides to up the challenge.
Planking
Endless crunches can put pressure on your spine, but planks are perfect
for working your core in a way that keeps you injury-free while building
a flat, toned stomach. Try timing your planks and watch how quickly you’re
able to add a little more time each day.
Tricep Bench Press
These are easy to do on a chair, bench or coffee table. It works the arms,
chest and shoulders and is great for building tricep strength and muscle
tone fast.
For more helpful information in staying safe and healthy during the COVID-19
crisis—such as managing stress or properly disinfecting your home—visit
caromonthealth.org/COVID-19.