5 simple at-home workouts for beginners
What's the story
Starting a fitness journey can seem intimidating but adding simple at-home workouts can ease the process. These exercises require minimal gear and space, making them perfect for anyone wanting to improve their wellness. By concentrating on basic moves, beginners can gain strength, flexibility, and endurance without a gym membership or fancy gear. Here are five easy-peasy exercises that can jumpstart your fitness routine from home.
Cardio exercise
Jumping jacks for cardio boost
Jumping jacks are an amazing way to get your heart racing and promote heart health. The exercise requires you to jump with legs spread wide while raising arms overhead. It works the entire body, improves coordination and burns calories like a pro. Beginners can try sets of 10-15 reps, increasing as stamina builds. Jumping jacks are great to warm up for other exercises or as a cardio session on their own.
Leg workout
Squats to strengthen legs
Squats are a must-do when it comes to building lower body strength. They work on the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. To do a squat the right way, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and lower your body as if you're sitting back into an invisible chair, keeping your chest upright. Beginners can start with three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, maintaining form throughout.
Upper body exercise
Push-ups for upper body power
Push-ups are great to tone the upper body, working muscles like chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. Start in a plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart; bring your body down until elbows reach ninety degrees before pushing back up. For beginners who can't do standard push-ups initially, try knee push-ups, which are easier to perform but offer the same benefits.
Core workout
Planks to enhance core stability
Planks build core stability by engaging your abdominal muscles (along with shoulders and back-support structures) together during this static hold exercise. You perform it face down, resting weight onto your forearms, toes aligned parallel to the ground. This keeps you in a straight line from head to toe through the hold time period. Start with 30 seconds, gradually increasing over time based on progress levels achieved by practicing regularly.
Balance exercise
Lunges improve balance flexibility
Targeting several muscle groups (thighs, hips, calves), lunges develop balance and flexibility, enhancing overall functional movement patterns for daily activities and life tasks. For this, stand tall, step forward, bend both knees lowering your rear knee towards the floor with the front thigh parallel to the ground, and return to the original position. Alternate legs and complete the desired number of repetitions (usually eight to 12 per leg, depending on your capability level).