Physical activities offer excellent benefits to your body and mind, ranging from better sleep and reduced anxiety. However, even with the awareness of these benefits, not many people get the adequate exercise they need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Most individuals do not have the time nor the budget to go to their local gyms to work out. This is why doing your exercise regimen at home is the next best thing.
Working at home provides you with numerous benefits, from saving money to exercising in your home’s comfort. Doing specific exercises indoors does not require a lot of space or fancy equipment, and there are countless equipment-free activities you can do indoors.
To help you establish a routine, here are some of the best exercises you can do indoors:
Yoga
There are different yoga styles for the specific needs and abilities of each person. This indoor exercise is ideal for the body and mind. You can start by doing gentle stretches and gradually turning it to a full-on power yoga session. You can look for different yoga classes online to help you begin your journey to inner peace and a healthier lifestyle.
Jumping Jacks
It is a classic variation of a cardio exercise that increases your heart rate. It gets your blood flowing and oxygen going. The following are the best ways to incorporate jumping jacks in your exercise regime.
- Add it in a Cardio Circuit – Implement it in a circuit training routine by doing it for 30 to 60 seconds while alternating it with other cardio exercises like jogging in place and burpees.
- Add it to Your Regular Workout – Adding jumping jacks to your regular exercise routine can energize you throughout the session. You can add a minute or more throughout your routine or end it with jumping jacks.
Doing jumping jacks allows you to burn over 100 calories in just 10 minutes. You can do this by repeatedly jumping while keeping your feet apart, your arms and legs spread out, and circling your arms overhead. Finish with them back by your side when you land on the ground again.
Dancing
According to studies, you can burn 250 to 500 calories per hour dancing, depending on how intense your movements are. It is a fun indoor exercise that you can do in any room. Aside from improving your physical and mental health, it helps you sharpen your focus, according to medical experts. You can try any dancing style— from hip hop to contemporary and blast on your favorite songs, helping you burn the calories away in a fun way.
Jog in Place
If jogging is your favorite form of exercise, you will be thrilled to learn that you can do it in your home, even without a treadmill. Here are ways to incorporate jogging in place in your workout routine.
- Start Your Excercise Regime – You can start your workout session with jogging in place. It is a great way to energize your heart and lungs, helping you condition your body for more intense exercises.
- Add it in a Cardio or Strength Circuit – Make your workout more intense by adding jogging in place with strength exercises. You can incorporate it by alternating it every 30 to 60 seconds between lunges, squats, and push-ups.
It is a great way to get cardio done indoors. You can start jogging while maintaining a stationary position. Jogging in place is an excellent way to get your heart rate up and warm you up for more intense exercises.
Planking
It is the most straightforward exercise that anyone can do. However, it can tire you out fast, although it does strengthen your core and upper-body. It is a great way to start your workout sessions and help you improve your current physical strength.
Here are the different ways you can perform the plank.
- If you are trying out the exercise, you can start by bending your knees on the floor and hold the stance for 30 to 60 seconds.
- You can also plank by straightening your legs and placing your hands, mimicking a pre-push up position.
- It is easier to bend your elbows and rest your forearms flat on the floor if you want to last longer than 60 seconds. It puts less strain on your arms and allows you to hold the stance longer.
You can also try different planking positions to strengthen various areas of your core. For instance, you can try performing a side plank. To start, lie on your side on a flat surface with your feet placed on top of one another then push yourself off the surface with one arm propping your body. Hold this position for at least 30 to 60 seconds and switch to your body’s other side.
Burpees
It is a great cardio exercise that lets your burn over 100 calories or more in 10 minutes, similar to jumping jacks. Here are some ways to incorporate burpees into your workout session.
- Add it to a High-Intensity Interval Training Session. If you follow a more strenuous regimen, you can add burpees up to 30 to 60 seconds per rep and continue for ten or more minutes.
- Add it to a Cardio Circuit – You can add burpees every 3 to 4 minutes of a cardio circuit training, including jogging in place, jumping rope, and step touches.
To achieve a perfect rep of burpees, you have to squat correctly, then proceed to jump to a planking position, dropping back to your squatting stance, and finally, stand up straight. However, it is more laborious exercise to perform.
Squat Jumps
It is a plyometric exercise that can increase your heart rate and let you burn more calories while strengthening your legs. Here are the different ways to incorporate squat jumps into your exercise regime.
- Add it to a Lower Body Workout – You can add squat jumps after 3 to 5 lower body exercises like lunges or deadlifts for up to 30 to 60 seconds, helping you increase power and strength.
- Add it to a High-Intensity Interval Training Session – Add the squat jumps for up to 30 to 60 seconds, repeating it for ten minutes or more.
You can start by bending your knees into a squat stance, tuck your arms on your side, then jump off the floor and straighten your legs in the air, while finally landing to a squat position.
Stair Excercise
You can easily do this workout as long as you have stairs in your home. You can achieve a great cardio session just by going up and down flights of stairs. Start by going up and down the stairs of your home or apartment building. Doing this can let you burn over 0.17 calories per stair ascended, and .05 calories per stair descended. This exercise lets you burn over five calories for every 10 steps you take.
Exercising outdoors is always a great way to unwind and take a breath of fresh air. However, when this option is not available, you need to make do with what you have and where you are. Try these indoor exercises so you can still stay in shape at home!