Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Well, look no further ladies. The ultimate home training feature is devoted to you right here. Everything you wanted to know about easy-to-do at-home workouts is at your disposal in this article. This could just be the next best thing to happen to you since Brad Pitt in "Fight Club".
Recommendation: Check with your doctor before you begin any type of exercise program. Rest at least one day before doing this workout again.
Whoever said you needed heavy weights to workout was obviously not strapped for cash, time, or a gym membership. Having said that, some people just genuinely like to work out in the comfort of their own home on their own schedule.
Many women work from home, or have to stay home to take care of their children or may not have a gym membership. If you fit this description, then read on young lass, for I have a solution to your problem.
I have laid out a plan that involves working out 3 days a week, with at least one day in between each workout. I have given you two exercises per body part; one with your bodyweight only and one with weights you can find in your home (like soup cans, water bottles, etc.). You can choose to do both exercises in one workout, or just one (and eventually work your way up to both).
The Workout
Warm-up: Warm up with 5 to 10 minutes of light cardio. You can march or jog in place, walk around the periphery of your house a couple of times or, if you own one, skip rope.
Beginners: Start with 1 set of 12-16 reps.
Intermediate/Advanced: Do 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps with enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of repetitions.
Perform 1-2 exercises for each body part for a full-body workout, 3x a week. Make sure to hit your major body parts first (chest, back, legs) before you work the smaller groups (arms, shoulders).
Chest
1. Push-ups
Lie chest-down with your hands at shoulder level, palms flat on the floor and slightly more than shoulder-width apart, your feet together and parallel to each other. Straighten your arms as you push your body up off the floor. Keep your palms fixed at the same position and keep your body straight.
Try not to bend or arch your upper or lower back as you push up. Lower your body slowly towards the floor. Bend your arms and keep your palms in fixed position. Keep body straight and feet together. Straighten your arms for a second push-up.
2. Chest Press On Floor
Lie the floor and hold 2 x 1.5 L water-bottles (or soup cans) straight up over chest with hands a few inches wider than shoulders, elbows slightly bent. Bend elbows and lower the weight until your elbows reach no more than 90 degrees (going below that will involve your shoulders). Press weight back up, making sure not to lock elbows.
Back
1. Hyperextensions/Supermans
Lie in the prone position (face down) on a workout mat. Extend arms. Lift arms and legs simultaneously. Go slow. Keep head down. Return to starting position. Repeat.
2. Barbell Row
Stand in wide stance holding 1.5 L water-bottles (or soup cans) in front of thighs. Bend knees and tilt the torso (back straight/abs in) forward about 45 degrees, straightening the bottles/cans so they are out in front of knees. Keeping this stance, bend the elbows and squeeze the back to bring the bottles/cans in towards the belly button and straighten back out. Release weight again.
Legs
1. Lunges
Stand in split stance, right leg in front, left leg in back. Holding weights (or none), bend both knees and lower into a lunge, keeping front knee BEHIND the toe and knees no lower than 90 degree angles. Squeeze through the heel, not balls of feet, to raise back up.
2. Squat
Stand with feet hip-width apart, abs in. Holding water bottle/soup cans in hands, bend knees and lower body into a squat position as low as you can go, but stopping when knees are at 90 degrees. Pretend like you are sitting back into a chair (stick your butt out) and keep your knees BEHIND your toes. Push through the heels and squeeze the butt to lift back to starting position.
Biceps
1. Isometric Bicep Curl
Start sitting in front of a heavy bench or desk (or any immovable object). Place the palms of your hands facing upwards underneath the bench. Position yourself close enough to the bench that your arms are bent such that your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Push up evenly with both hands as if you were trying to life the bench up. Maintain the effort for 6-8 seconds, then relax. Repeat.
2. Weighted Bicep Curl
Put 1 water bottle/soup can in each palm. Have palms facing the thighs. Bend the elbows and bring the weight towards the shoulders, taking care not to move the elbows. Lower back down (but keep tension by not relaxing all the way) and repeat.
Triceps
1. Dips
Place your hands on the edge of a gym bench or chair. Keep your arms close to your body with your knuckles pointing straight ahead. Bend your knees so your thighs and lower legs form slightly more than a 90-degree angle. Bend your elbows and slowly lower your body. Straighten the elbows to raise the body up.
2. Kick-backs
Stand with left foot on step (or floor) and hold a weight in the right hand. Bend torso forward, keeping back flat and abs in, and rest left elbow on the knee for stabilization. Pull the arm up next to rib cage, elbow bent and straighten the arm out behind you, squeezing the back of your arm without moving elbow. Lower back down and repeat.
Shoulders
1. Isometric Shrugs
Stand with your back against a wall. Raise your arms to shoulder height and bend your elbows so that your hands are at your chest. Push your arms back against the wall. Hold for 10 seconds.
2. Lateral Raise
Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold dumbbells at sides. Keeping elbows slightly bent, lift arms straight up to the sides, stopping at shoulder level and lower back down. Keep elbows bent and don't go above shoulder level.