You probably know that exercising is very good for you, not just for weight loss, but your
health and wellness. With regular workouts, you can improve your cardiovascular
health, protect and support your joints, keep your blood flowing, and even reduce
anxiety and depression.
Unfortunately, even knowing that, it can be hard to motivate yourself to exercise every
day. This blog post is for you! The girl who might not be super pumped to workout, but
still wants to for all those amazing health benefits.
Bodyweight Workouts You Can Do from Home
Just because you want to add bodyweight exercises to your fitness routine, doesnít
mean you canít do your normal workout as well. There are actually many popular at-
home workouts that incorporate bodyweight moves. Here are some of the top ones to
consider.
Yoga
The first type of workout that often incorporates bodyweight moves is yoga. There are
different forms of yoga, so you probably want to go for the moderate or advanced
varieties to really do a lot of bodyweight moves. For example, the downward dog is
done in yoga, which can be considered bodyweight. It is similar to a plank, except
instead of being flat, your buttocks is up in the air. Many times, downward dogs go down
to a full plank, along with many other bodyweight movements.
Pilates
Pilates is another good workout that doesnít use weights or equipment, but can be done
at home and incorporate a lot of floor moves. This is similar to yoga, but really
incorporates more of the core movements. You will learn plenty of difficult bodyweight
moves to strengthen your core, improve your flexibility, and work on those abdominal
muscles. Mixing it in with other bodyweight moves is a great way to add more to your
workout routine.
HIIT
Also known as HIIT, High-Intensity Interval Training is an excellent way to get started
with bodyweight exercises. This is really going to increase your cardio, endurance, and
strength all at the same time. This will use more jumping and high intensity moves of
bodyweight, like your jumping jacks, jumps, and burpees, along with many other moves.
Another great thing about HIIT is that it is done in less time, so even the busiest person
can get a good workout.
Tips for Working Out at Home
If you feel that you are on the lazier end of the spectrum and want your free time to be
watching TV or listening to music at home, that doesnít mean you have to be completely
sedentary. You can do bodyweight workouts while doing these other things, without
walking into a gym, and still gain benefits from it.
Make Modifications as Needed
It is always good to learn the different bodyweight moves first before you decide how to
add them to your routine. There are some you are probably familiar with, like squats and
lunges, but others you may not know how to do correctly. Choose moves that are good
for your current fitness level. You want to challenge yourself, but not overdo it. If you are
a beginner and you choose expert-level moves, you will burnout quickly and lose your
motivation.
Decide How Many to do
Once you know what bodyweight moves you want to try out, you will then choose
increments. This is when you decide if you want to do a certain move when listening to
one song, or if you want to do them during each commercial break while watching TV. If
you are streaming video online, you can try them during advertisement breaks, or a
slightly longer routine after each episode. You can also choose minute increments, like
if you are watching a movie, pause it after every 15-20 minutes to do 10 or 20 reps of
one type of bodyweight exercise.
Multi-Task
Even a lazy girl (or boy) can find moves to do while doing other activities at home as
well. You can stand up on your tip-toes or squat while brushing your teeth or washing
dishes, do lunges every time you walk down the hall to the bathroom, or commit to a
wall sit for 30 seconds before every meal you eat. There are many different options for
fitting in these exercises in your normal day, whether you are at home, in the office, or
spending the day at the park.
Make it Fun!
There is no reason your workout has to be a bore! Make it fun by turning up your
favorite fast-paced song and do some burpees and planks, or try jumping jacks for an
entire song. Have fun with it, involve your family or roommates, and donít treat it like
exercise. This is what will keep you motivated.
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