Workouts You Can Do At HOME

The Ultimate Home Workout for Women

Written by By Jeff Behar, MS, MBA

The following are a few simple exercises that you can do at home that require no specialized other than basic equipment that you may find around your home that you can do to tone up and look great! The object of the workout should be intensity, so rest no more than two minutes at the end of each circuit before starting the next one. Other tips: Perform 8-12 repetitions of each exercise (resulting in failure at the last rep), and work up to four to six complete circuits. Now before you start, you should warm up properly and stretch. Warm-up exercises and stretching are essential to any workout. Both help prepare your muscles and joints for more intense activity. This helps prevent injury, as well as promoting circulation. Warm-up exercises should be done before stretching. Warm-up exercises increase the temperature of the body, making the muscles more flexible and receptive to strenuous activity. Warming up should slightly increase the heart rate but not to the level experienced during your workout. The warm-up should be intense enough to increase your body temperature but not strenuous enough to cause fatigue. A rule of thumb might be to work hard enough to break a mild sweat. The following home exercises represent a full range of workout activities. The arm, chest, and shoulder exercises emphasize biceps and triceps, among other muscle groups. The abdominal exercises strengthen the core muscles of the body, trimming your waist and improving posture. Leg exercises strengthen the muscles that allow you to run, jump, and climb stairs; these include the thighs, hip flexors, and quadriceps. Push-ups Start by lying face down on the floor with your hands approximately shoulder width apart. You may need to have your knees touch the ground until you can build up enough strength to perform the movement with your legs straight. Push-up until your arms are straight, keeping you back and legs straight. This is the starting position. Lower your body until your chest touches the floor at the bottom, and then return to the starting position. Chair Dips Position yourself between the chairs, supporting your weight on your hands and with your feet out in front of you. Slowly lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the seat of the chairs Hold in lower position before pushing back up until your arms are fully extended again. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions Close Grip Push-ups Start by lying face down on the floor with your hands approximately four to six inches apart. You may need to have your knees touch the ground until you can build up enough strength to perform the movement with your legs straight. Push-up until your arms are straight, keeping you back and legs straight. This is the starting position. Slowly bend elbows and lower body to floor with the chest almost touching the hands. Remain in proper alignment with abdominals held in tight. Exhale on exertion. Return to starting position. Repeat for 8 - 12 times and then return to the starting position. Lunges Wide Stance Begin by standing straight, then step forward with one foot, leaving the other back. Both feet should be directed straight with the toes facing forward. Take a large step. Lower your back knee almost to the floor, and rise up again, concentrating on squeezing your buttocks to push yourself up. Maintain your body in an upright position and avoid leaning forward. Repeat this action to perform several repetitions, then again with the opposite foot forward. Lunges Narrow Stance Begin by standing straight, then step forward with one foot, leaving the other back. Both feet should be directed straight with the toes facing forward, heels no more than 4 inches apart. Take a half step. Lower your back knee almost to the floor, and rise up again, concentrating on squeezing your buttocks to push yourself up. Maintain your body in an upright position and avoid leaning forward. Repeat this action to perform several repetitions, then again with the opposite foot forward. Make sure there is not too great a distance between your feet. Do not allow your front knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, and stop where your feel comfortable. Step Ups Stand just in front of the step, with your feet about shoulder-width apart. You can place your arms down by your sides or on your hips, whichever is more comfortable. Step up onto the step with one leg in a steady and controlled motion, pulling you up onto the step. Pause momentarily with both feet up on the step. Step down off the step with your opposite foot and then follow with the other foot, returning to the starting position. Repeat this action, alternating the leading leg each time. Repeat for a total of 10 to 20 times per leg. Calf Raise Stand with your toes of one leg on the edge of a step (your other leg should be up, feet back against buttocks. Push up with your toes and get a full extension in a controlled motion. Pause momentarily. Lower back to the stating position. Repeat this action for a total of 10 to 20 times per leg. Squats Position your feet flat on the floor, about shoulder width apart (toes slightly turned out) Keep the abdominals tight and the lower back straight and your head up.If you wish you can hold onto something to give you some support, i.e. a desk. Slowly descend until the thighs are parallel to the floor, hold for a second, then push back up to the starting position Maintain the body in an upright position and avoid leaning forward. Always inhale your breath on the way down, and exhale as you stand up.  Single-Leg Lunge This exercise targets the Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, and Core. Stand in a lunge with left foot in front, knees bent and left thigh parallel to floor. Lean forward from hip, then straighten left leg, extending right leg behind you 45 degrees. Return to start. Complete 10 - 20 reps on each leg. Pigeon Squats Position your feet flat on the floor, about 6 inches apart (toes slightly turned in). Keep the abdominals tight and the lower back straight and your head up.  If you wish you can hold onto something to give you some support, i.e. a desk. Slowly descend until the thighs are parallel to the floor, hold for a second, then push back up to the starting position. Maintain the body in an upright position and avoid leaning forward. Always inhale your breath on the way down, and exhale as you stand up. Calf Raise Stand with your toes of one leg on the edge of a step (your other leg should be up, feet back against buttocks. Push up with your toes and get a full extension in a controlled motion. Pause momentarily. Lower back to the stating position. Repeat this action for a total of 10 to 20 times per leg. Chin-ups Note: For this exercise you require suitable overhead support, such as ceiling rafters in a garage or the molding of your doorframe. (There are also commercially available pull up bars that fit within a doorframe available). Stand on a chair or ump up to grasp the bar, with your hands positioned shoulder-width apart and with an underhand grip. Start in the hang position below the bar. Slowly raise your body until your chin reaches the bar level. Pause a moment before slowly lowering yourself back to the starting position. Bent Over Row Stand next to a sturdy bed or another flat surface that will provide a good support. Place your left hand and left knee onto the flat surface Hold onto the weight in your right hand. A bag of potatoes or other weighted option can work if weights are not available. Slowly bring the object up to the side of your chest, keeping your back straight. Lower the weight back down to straighten the arm. Repeat this procedure, concentrating on utilizing your back muscles. Switch over and do the exercise with your left arm. Side Laterals Straddle a flat bench and grasp a weight in each hand allowing the dumbbells to hang down at your sides with your palm facing in toward your body. Next, simultaneously raise the dumbbells by bringing the backs of your hands to the ceiling, keeping your arms as straight as possible throughout the movement. Bring your arms to a point that is parallel to the floor, hold for a one-count and return to the start position and repeat for 8 to 12 repetitions. Shoulder Press (use a bag of potatoes or rice for weight if you do not have dumbbells available). Position yourself on a chair to support your back set firmly against the pad. Press the barbells up over your head and return to the start position allowing the barbell to come down in front of you just below your chin. Repeat this movement for 8 to 10 repetitions. Bicep Curls Position two dumbbells to sides, palms facing in, and arms straight. With elbows to the sides, raise one dumbbell and rotate forearm until forearm is vertical and palm faces shoulder. Lower to original position and repeat with opposite arm. Repeat this movement for 8 to 10 repetitions. Continue to alternate between sides. Leg Raises Leg raises place primary stress on the lower half of the rectus abdominis although the muscle fibers of the upper rectus abdominia are recruited as well. Secondary stress is also placed on the intercostal muscles. Because this movement works the hard to work lower abs you want to do this exercise before crunches.  Lie on your back on an inclined ab board with your head toward the raised end. Grasp the end of upper bench with your hands to stabilize your body. Bend your leg 15-20 degrees or until you feel your back relax. Use your abdominal muscles to raise your feet in an arc to a position directly above your head. Drop your feet in a return arc until they clear the bench. Repeat until failure (get 15-25 reps). Reverse Crunches Reverse Crunches are a great exercise for working the lower abs. Lie flat on your back with legs extended. Raise your legs into an L position with your abs. You can flex your knees a bit. Lower them to almost floor level and raise again. Keep going until failure. Roll up Crunch Targets: Rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscle). 30 percent more effective than the standard crunch because the move challenges your abs through a fuller range of motion, recruiting more muscle fibers. Lie back with legs straight and arms extended above head next to ears. Bring arms forward, tilt chin down, and slowly curl upper body up, reaching hands to toes. Repeat 15- 25 times. Bicycle Crunch Targets: Upper Abdominals, Obliques, And Hip Flexors. Lie back with legs straight and arms extended above head next to ears. Bring arms forward, tilt chin down, and slowly curl upper body up, reaching hands to toes. Repeat to failure.  Follow this workout two or three times a week, with at least a day between workouts for recovery and you will look great in no time!