Keeping fit can be difficult. It shouldn’t be – but we are bombarded with so many adverts, so many ‘systems’ and diets from experts with aggressive and contradictory opinions it really is difficult to get know how to get started.
One great way to get going, and get fitter, is training at home with no exercise equipment. This way, you have nothing to lose and nothing to wait for before you get started. Set yourself some goals, (for example, what size waist do you want to have in 2 months time?) then get started. Here are some example workouts that can be done without any equipment:
Workout 1
Perform the following exercise in a circuit – i.e complete one exercise, and then without any rest, start the following exercise:
Rest for 1 minute, and then repeat the circuit again.
*Tabata Intervals take 4 minutes to complete. They can be performed using nearly any exercise. With squats, perform as many squats as possible for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Perform another 20 seconds of squats, then rest again for 10 seconds. This pattern continues until the 4 minutes is complete. You can download tabata interval apps for your phone, or you can search for ‘tabata interval timer’ on youtube.com. Perform the squat in a slow and controlled manner to begin with, so that one squat takes around 3 or 4 seconds to complete.
Workout 2
Again, perform this as a circuit, rest one minute at the end, and repeat:
GRAVITY FITNESS PULL UP BAR
Portable, versatile, home fitness
- Highly versatile- suitable for a full range of exercises including pull ups, dips, leg raises, incline press ups and front and back levers
- Extended height: 192cm
- Compact position height: 120cm
- 3-year warranty against manufacturer defects
- Carry bag included
ONLY £139.95 £109.95
- 30 seconds static Plank
- 20 Crunches
- 20 Dorsal Raises
- 1 minute static Downward dog yoga pose
- 10 Burpees
Workout 3
This workout can be perform as a circuit and repeated once. Alternatively, rest 1 minute in between exercises, and repeat each exercise a total of 3 times.
- 10 Shoulder Tap Plank
- 10 Side Lunges
- 15 Glute Bridges
- 10 Leg raises
- 10 Press ups
- 30 seconds – sprinting on the spot
Workout 4 – Advanced
- 1 Tabata interval with squats
- Rest 30 seconds between each of these exercises, rest after the last exercise, and repeat
- 10 Handstand Presses
- 6 plyometrics press ups
- 1 minute hold of Downward Dog with 1 hand
- 10 Jumping Lunges
- 10 Spiderman Press ups – bring 1 knee to the arm on the same side, as you extend your arms
Nearly all of these exercises can be modified to make them easier or harder. When the workout becomes easy, add some extra reps to each set of exercise and move onto workout 4 when you are comfortable with the other workouts.
Making a habit of it…
The important thing, is to form a habit of exercising at home, every day if you can. Even if you just exercise for 5 minutes, after 3 weeks of continuing to exercise everyday, this should become a habit that you are comfortable with, and is part of your routine. Once that habit is formed, you can look to add additional exercises to your routine.
There is a lot of research however, suggesting that high intensity exercise, like circuit training or tabata intervals, produces significant health benefits, even if the exercise is performed for just 3 minutes, several times a week. This helps to reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes.
In order to produce an athletic physique however, you will probably have to exercise for a bit longer than just 3 minutes, and you will have to perform resistance-based exercises for each body part. The one area of the body that is difficult to exercise without any equipment, are the muscles in the back and the biceps. Pull Up Mate is an ideal addition to a home gym, allowing you to perform many exercises for the back, and dozens of other exercises for the rest of the body.
Drew Griffiths MSc is a self-confessed fitness fanatic. He has a 1st Class Degree in Sport Science from Loughborough University, a masters in Exercise & Nutrition from the University of Liverpool and a diploma in Digital Marketing from the Oxford College of Marketing. It’s safe to say, he knows what he’s taking about. If you have any questions, you can contact him via his blog, Twitter or Google+.
