Work Out at Home

Chris shares tips on how to get fit at home without spending money on fancy equipment.

Fancy exercise equipment can be ridiculously overpriced and usually ends up in the garage after a month or two! To be honest, you can get the best overall workout with just your own bodyweight. In addition, trying to find time between work, spouse, kids, and household chores can seem almost impossible. For many of us, taking an hour to go to the gym is just not an option!

Did you know that you can get just as good a workout right in your own living room? It's true! With a little creativity, you can turn your living room into a home gym!

Try these amazing workout exercises that you can do in 20 to 30 minutes, and in the comfort of your own living room:

What you'll need:

Couch Open area in the middle of the living room (you may need to move a little furniture) "Dumbbells" (Two 1-gallon jugs work great for heavy dumbbells, but if you need a bit more or less weight, you can find "dumbbells" in all sizes around the house.  If you are just starting out, two small cans of food work just fine!)

Before you engage in any physical activity, you should consult with your physician to ensure that exercise is right for you. If at any time during the workout you feel short of breath, lightheaded, dizzy, or experience any pain, STOP. Listen to your body!

For the best total body workout, we need to focus on ALL motions of the body to stimulate the most muscles possible. We will break the workout into sections, so that you can mix and match the parts that you like the best to create your own!

For weight loss and toning, you will want to focus on completing 25-30 repetitions of each exercise. By the last few repetitions, you should feel a warm burn in the muscles. This is completely natural and is a great sign that we are getting the stimulation to the muscles that we need to get amazing results!

It is very important that you move SLOWLY through each exercise. Take about 3 to 4 seconds for each repetition. The slower you move, the more stimulation to the muscles!

Chest exercise — push-up

• From the sofa back (beginner)
• From the arm rest (intermediate)
• From the sofa seat / floor (advanced)

1. Start with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width and arms extended.


2. Tighten your abs as much as you can.


3. Slowly lower yourself down to a 90 degree angle on the elbows (letting your elbows point out for more chest stimulation / keeping your elbows tucked into your sides for more shoulder and tricep stimulation).


4. At the bottom of the motion, press slowly until the arms are fully extended again.

When you are finished with each set of push-ups, go immediately to the open spot on your living room floor and prepare for the core exercises.

Core exercise (abdominal muscles) — basic crunch

1. Start on your back facing up with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.


2. Push your lower back into the ground, tightening your abs.
   


3. Exhale gently as you raise your head and shoulder blades off of the ground, pointing your chin to the ceiling.


4. Inhale gently as you lower your head and shoulders back to the ground.

When you have completed the first pushing and core exercises, take a small break, grab some water, then repeat the chest and core exercises 2 times.

Continue to Part II: Butt & Thighs >

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