Want to get in shape? Whether you’re looking to lose weight, tone up, or just get back in shape after a long hiatus from exercise, the good news is that you don’t need a gym membership to get in shape. In fact, with the right workout routines and exercises, you can get great results at home for just about any goal.
And, if you’re a beginner, there are plenty of beginner home workouts to choose from, so you don’t have to worry about starting from scratch. Check out the ones below:
- Squats
One of the most important exercises you can do is a squat and, if you’re starting out, this is the best exercise to do. Squats are a core muscle strengthening exercise that will help improve your balance and coordination, and it also tones your legs. If you want to build more muscle, you can add weight to the exercise, but make sure you don’t use too much too soon, or you will overtrain, and lose strength, and most likely put yourself at risk of injury.
For a beginner, the basic squat is the most valuable movement to learn. It’s simple, but not easy. It’s just five steps: Step 1: Stand tall with your feet apart (about shoulder-width). Step 2: Keeping your feet apart, start bending your knees, lowering your hips until your thighs and floor are parallel. Your knees should track over your toes. Step 3: Push through your heels and straighten your knees while keeping your back straight. Step 4: Pull your knees up and back as you push through your heels. Step 5: Push through your heels and stand back up.
- Reverse lunge
The lunge is a classic home exercise to strengthen the lower body due to its ability to work both the legs and the core muscles. It is simple to perform but still effective and can be done from both the front and the back position. Whether you are looking to tone your thighs, build your glutes or increase the strength of your legs, the lunge is a well-rounded exercise that can do it all.
Doing this a pretty simple; Just stand up straight with your hands on your hips. Take one step back with your right foot, bend your knee, and THEN come back to the starting position. Repeat.
- Push up
Push-ups are one of the most popular exercises for beginners, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make them more challenging. When you complete a push-up, your chest should be about 2-3 inches from the floor, and your arms should be completely straight like you’re trying to touch them to the floor. That’s a tough push-up!
Push-ups are a must for beginners, and while they can be performed anywhere and at any time—even in your living room while watching TV—there are some rules you must follow to get the most from them. The most obvious is to make sure you are doing them correctly. For a beginner, this means bending your elbows and keeping them completely straight. Some people make the mistake of bending the elbows too much, which can lead to an unstable position. To be safe, bend your elbows to a 45-degree angle and keep your hands in close to your body.
- Plank
Planking is an exercise move named after its ability to help train the core muscles and get those arms, shoulders, abs, and back that much stronger.
The key to a successful plank is to keep your body in a straight line from head to toe. Beginners who lack flexibility can also benefit from using a wall or door frame to prop their feet against. A more advanced technique is also possible by placing the feet together and placing the forearms on top of the head. The lower body is in a straight line in this more advanced variation, but the upper body is angled back.
- Burpees
Burpees are one of the best exercises for beginners, and they are often a staple in fitness routines for people looking to get fit. Burpees are a knee-to-chest exercise that you can do at home. There are many ways to perform burpees, but the most basic way is to get on all fours, with your hands directly below your shoulders, and then jump your feet back into a push-up position.
If you’re looking to work out but don’t know where to start, give any of these 5 exercises a try. Each one takes about 30 minutes and is easy to perform at home.