Try This Effective Workout Routine At Home

Are you tired of paying for expensive gym memberships or struggling to find time to exercise outside of your home? You’re not alone. Particularly since the world was hit with the affects of the pandemic, many people are looking for an effective workout routine at home.  They want to get fit with minimal equipment and still get great results.

Why Is It Good To Have A Workout Routine at Home?

Many people like the idea of doing workouts from the comfort of their homes but without a plan this can fall apart quickly. It can be great to choose what exercises you do and when you do them, but you can quickly lose focus and commitment to your fitness goal. With a proper plan for your workout routine at home, you will be amazed at how much progress you can make with minimal equipment.

A home workout plan is good to have because it provides a consistent and convenient way to exercise without the need for a gym membership or expensive equipment. It also allows for flexibility in scheduling and can save you time and money over the long run.

Additionally, it’s clear that having a workout plan at home can improve overall physical health, increase strength and endurance, and boost mental wellness. It can add a great sense of accomplishment and motivation to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

What Exercises Are Great For Home Workouts?

You don’t want to over complicate your workout routine at home. Of course, some people may embrace the idea fully and create their own home gym, but we prefer to start from the basis that you’ll only require minimal equipment.

Let’s consider some ways to build your own home workout routine without a personal trainer. Just you and your goals.

1. Bodyweight exercises: These exercises use your own body weight for resistance and require no equipment. Examples include push-ups, squats, lunges, burpees, planks, mountain climbers, and jumping jacks. You can create a circuit by performing each exercise for a certain number of reps or time, and then repeating the circuit for multiple rounds.
2. Resistance band exercises: Resistance bands are affordable and versatile. They provide resistance throughout the range of motion and can be used to target various muscle groups. Using resistance bands, you can perform exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions, shoulder presses, lateral raises, squats, and glute bridges.
3. Dumbbell exercises: If you have a pair of dumbbells, you can perform a wide range of exercises to target different muscle groups. These are a great source of strength training exercises to add in your workouts at home. Some examples include dumbbell bench press, dumbbell rows, shoulder presses, bicep curls, tricep extensions, goblet squats, and lunges. Adjustable dumbbells are particularly useful as they allow you to change the weight as needed.
4. Yoga and Pilates: These exercises focus on flexibility, core strength, and body awareness. They require minimal equipment, usually just a yoga mat. You can follow along with online videos or apps that provide guided yoga or Pilates sessions.
5. HIIT workouts: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief rest periods. You can perform exercises like burpees, squat jumps, high knees, mountain climbers, and plank jacks in a HIIT format. This type of workout can be done with minimal equipment or without any equipment.

The Ultimate Beginner-Friendly Workout Routine At Home To Follow

We’ve put together a great framework for an amazing home workout plan you can start using today! This plan combines bodyweight exercises, resistance band training, dumbbell workouts, Pilates exercises, and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) to provide a well-rounded and effective workout routine. This will be a great full-body workout program to follow at home. Let’s get started!

Warm-Up 

Before starting any workout, it’s crucial to warm up your body to prevent injuries. Spend 5-10 minutes performing light cardio exercises such as jogging in place, jumping jacks, or high knees.

Circuit 1: Bodyweight Blast

Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, with a 15-second rest between exercises. Complete the circuit three times, resting for 1-2 minutes between each circuit.

1. Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, lower your hips as if sitting into a chair, then return to the starting position.
2. Push-Ups: Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your body straight as you lower your chest toward the ground, then push back up.
3. Lunges: Step forward with one foot, bending both knees until your back knee almost touches the ground. Alternate legs.
4. Mountain Climbers: Start in a high plank position, then bring one knee towards your chest, alternating quickly between legs.
5. Plank: Get into a push-up position with your elbows on the ground, maintaining a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position.

Circuit 2: Resistance Band Power

Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, with a 15-second rest between exercises. Complete the circuit three times, resting for 1-2 minutes between each circuit.

1. Resistance Band Squats: Place the resistance band under your feet and hold the handles at shoulder height. Perform squats as in Circuit 1, but with the band providing additional resistance.
2. Band Rows: Anchor the band around a sturdy object. Grab the handles and walk back until there is tension in the band. Keep your back straight and pull the handles toward your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
3. Band Chest Press: Attach the band around a stationary object at chest height. Hold the handles, facing away from the anchor point. Push your arms forward, extending them fully, then return to the starting position.
4. Band Lateral Walks: Place the band around your ankles. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and step sideways, maintaining tension on the band. Alternate directions after each step.
5. Band Bicep Curls: Step onto the center of the band, holding the handles by your sides. Keep your elbows close to your torso and curl your hands towards your shoulders.

Circuit 3: Dumbbell Strength

Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, with a 15-second rest between exercises. Complete the circuit three times, resting for 1-2 minutes between each circuit.

1. Goblet Squats: Hold a dumbbell with both hands against your chest. Perform squats, keeping your chest up and your knees tracking over your toes.
2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Push the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended, then lower them back down.
3. Dumbbell Lunges: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, step forward with one foot, and lower your body into a lunge position. Alternate legs.
4. Renegade Rows: Start in a high plank position with a dumbbell in each hand. Row one dumbbell up towards your ribcage while stabilizing with the other hand. Alternate sides.
5. Dumbbell Russian Twists: Sit on the floor, holding a dumbbell with both hands. Lean back slightly and twist your torso from side to side, tapping the dumbbell on the ground.

Circuit 4: Pilates Core

Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, with a 15-second rest between exercises. Complete the circuit three times, resting for 1-2 minutes between each circuit.

1. Pilates Hundreds: Lie on your back with your legs extended. Lift your head, shoulders, and legs off the ground, pump your arms up and down, inhaling for five counts and exhaling for five counts.
2. Pilates Single-Leg Stretch: Lie on your back, bring one knee into your chest, and extend the other leg straight. Switch legs, keeping your head and shoulders lifted off the ground.
3. Pilates Roll-Up: Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead. Roll up, reaching for your toes, then roll back down to the starting position.
4. Pilates Leg Circles: Lie on your back with your legs extended vertically. Circle your legs in one direction for 30 seconds, then switch directions for the remaining time.
5. Pilates Plank: Get into a forearm plank position, with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Hold this position, engaging your core muscles. Alternatively, if you don’t want to get onto the floor, use a ball for leverage and hold yourself steady.

HIIT Finisher:

Perform each exercise for 20 seconds, with a 10-second rest between exercises. Complete four rounds.

1. Burpees: Start standing, then squat down, kick your feet back, perform a push-up, return to a squat, and jump up explosively.
2. High Knees: Run in place, lifting your knees as high as possible.
3. Mountain Climbers: Same as Circuit 1.
4. Jumping Jacks: Start with your feet together and hands by your sides. Jump your feet out wide while raising your arms overhead, then return to the starting position.

Cool-Down

Finish your workout with a 5-10 minute cool-down. Perform static stretches for each major muscle group, focusing on your legs, arms, chest, back, and core.

Here are some additional ideas to create an effective workout routine at home:

1. Create a workout plan: Creating a workout plan can help you stay on track and ensure that you are targeting all the muscle groups you want to work on. You can use online resources to create a plan or work with a personal trainer to create a customized plan.
2. Use household items for equipment: You don’t need to spend a lot of money on equipment to get a good workout. You can use household items like water bottles, cans, and towels to add resistance to your exercises.
3. Incorporate cardio and strength training: A good workout routine should include both cardio and strength training exercises. Cardio exercises like jumping jacks, high knees, and burpees can get your heart rate up, while strength training exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups can help build muscle.
4. Join an online workout community: Joining an online workout community can help you stay motivated and accountable. You can find online communities on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram or join a fitness app that offers community features.
5. Try new exercises: Trying new exercises can help keep your workout routine interesting and challenging. You can find new exercises online or work with a personal trainer to learn new exercises.

Follow This Plan And Reap The Rewards

If you are just starting you can start by doing one or two circuits at a time to allow your body to adjust to the intensity. Once you have done it a few times you should aim to do all the exercises in a single home session. After you get comfortable with this you can look to change weights, exercises, and the timing for each exercise in order to freshen things up and add some difficulty.

Of course, if you do have gym equipment such as the fabulous NordicTrack treadmill then incorporate using it into your plan.

Remember to listen to your body and modify exercises as needed, you don’t want to injure yourself by pushing too hard. Stay hydrated throughout your workout and have fun! Make sure you warm up before any workout and cool down/stretch afterward to prevent injuries.

Consistency is key, so aim to complete this workout plan 3-4 times a week. Enjoy your home workout journey!