Elsie UdohWorking out from home is a difficult feat. Many of us start but are usually not consistent enough to achieve our fitness goal, and this is quite understandable.
At home, there’s almost always one distraction or the other waiting to sweep you off-track, which is not the case at the gym with a fitness instructor and like-minded people available to provide an adequate amount of motivation.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelBut then, there are numerous benefits of home workouts—from a flexible routine to helping you save money—although this comes with a lot of determination, dedication, and consistency.
If you’ve made up your mind to finally start (and stick to) home workouts, then here are some fun exercises to do at home and get fit. We’ll start with beginner-friendly exercises to get the ball rolling:
Home Workouts for Beginners
If you’re just starting out—whether you’ve never tried home workouts before or you started and dropped off halfway—you’ll find these exercises easy and less strenuous, as most people avoid going to the gym altogether to run from the strain and aches that exercises leave behind.
Here are some beginner home workouts to try out with minimal equipment:
1. Marching in Place
For beginners, this is an easy way to exercise without feeling like you are. Plus, it has great benefits for your heart without stressing your joints and helps you to build stamina.
Think of your days in primary school when you had to march to class, except this time, you are marching on a spot.
You can set a timer for five minutes for starters and then move it up to 10 minutes as you get used to it. Take a few-minute break after each interval.
Now to make it seem like you’re not exercising, you can do this exercise when you have to stand during chores or while waiting for someone. Don’t just stand idly; take advantage of those opportunities to get marching.
2. Wall Push-ups
Floor push-ups are so not fun to do. It can be pretty hard to lift your entire body off the floor with just your hand and toes, and that’s definitely not beginner-friendly.
So our recommendation is to do a wall pushup instead. All that goes into this is to stand facing a wall at arm’s length with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then place your hands on the wall at shoulder height and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, then bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the wall while keeping your body straight. Push against the wall to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
This is easy to do, less intense than standard push-ups, and they help build your upper-body strength.
Start by performing 2-3 sets with 10-15 repetitions and jam to your favourite playlist to keep you going.
3. Chair Squats
Regular squats hurt! From making your legs tremble when doing them for the first time to the aftermath pain that you’re left with, they’re effective but definitely not fun. What you can do instead is chair squats.
This is done by placing a chair behind you and then acting like you want to sit on it, but you don’t. As soon as your butt touches the chair, rise up with your arms outstretched and keep at it for 10-12 repetitions, or you can test your endurance longer and not stop until you’re exhausted.
Now this exercise is way easier since you’re using a chair as the squats you make are regulated, so you don’t have to bend so low and feel pain like regular squats.
This exercise is great for strengthening your lower body, and you can even do them quickly on your office chair while at work.
Wherever you will be doing this exercise, remember to use a sturdy chair to prevent it from shifting from its position and causing you to fall.
4. Heel Raises
When did you last try to stand tiptoed? Well, this is also another form of exercise that helps to strengthen your ankle muscles.
Start by standing on a flat surface with your feet shoulder-width apart. You can place your hand on a counter or table for balance.
Next, gently lift your heels off the ground until you’re tiptoed, hold for 2-3 seconds, then gently place your heels back down. Do this for three sets of 10 repetitions.
Again, you do not have to go into a full-blown exercise mode to do this exercise; you can quickly throw it into your daily schedule by doing it after doing the dishes or while having a conversation with friends.
Alternatively, you can do this exercise while sitting down. Simply do all the steps mentioned above while sitting upright on a chair.
5. Side Leg Raises
This is an exercise that you can easily include in your morning routine, precisely before you leave the bed, to build your hip strength and stability.
Simply lie on your side and lift your top leg until it is nearly at a 45-degree angle above your bottom leg. Lower your leg and repeat about 10-15 times, then turn to your other side and do the same.
Tips To Prevent Injuries as a Beginner
As a beginner, it’s easy to make mistakes that result in injuries while exercising, so you want to be careful and take note of the following:
- Use sturdy chairs while doing squats, and avoid bending your knees too far forward to protect your joints.
- For exercises like heel raises, keep your feet straight without tilting them to avoid strains.
- Keep knees aligned over your toes to avoid straining them while exercising.
- Stay in control of your movements to reduce ligament strains.
- When you start to experience pain or feel uncomfortable, take a break or stop altogether. Don’t go beyond your limit. That way, you won’t feel overwhelmed in a day.
Home Workouts for Intermediaries
If you’re not new to exercising, then here’s a little step up from the beginner-friendly workout routine.
Only proceed to this stage when you are comfortable with basic exercises, as these exercises are slightly more challenging. Regardless, they are fun exercises to do at home and get fit.
1. Regular Push-ups
We’re past the stage of wall push-ups and ready to take on harder challenges like regular push-ups. Get on with it by following the steps below whenever you’re ready.
Now, lie down straight on an exercise mat with your hands underneath your shoulders. Lower yourself to the ground so that your elbows are bent at 90 degrees, then push yourself back up until your arms are straight.
Start with 8-10 repetitions and increase as you progress. Remember, it’s all about having fun here while exercising, so no pressure.
2. Jumping Jacks
Here, you are jumping to build your glutes, hips, and quadriceps.
Start by standing in a straight position with your feet together, your arms fully extended, hands by your sides, and your toes pointed forward.
Then slightly bend your knees in a rapid movement, jump your feet out to your body’s sides, swing your arms out to either side, and raise them above your head. All of these should be done simultaneously.
Repeat the process 20–30 times and remember to maintain your posture while at it.
Stream any track with vibrant beats, plug in your earphones, and get jumping.
3. Mountain Climbers
Wondering how you can climb a mountain from your room? Well, it’s pretty easy with great benefits to your entire body. Here’s how to do it:
Start in a high pushup position with your hands directly below your shoulders, your elbows turned out, and your feet just wider than hip-width apart. Your shoulders should be higher than your hips.
Look down at the floor, then raise one knee up high to your chest. Return it back to a straight position and then repeat with the other leg.
Try 20-30 seconds in each set and work up to 45 seconds.
4. Plank
Planks are hard work. But with consistent practice, you can get it right and have fun while at it.
To do plank, hold yourself up on the ground with your forearms and toes. Your back and legs should be as straight as possible. You can clasp your hands if that helps you balance.
Hold that position for 20 seconds for a start; gradually increase as your core strengthens.
5. Tricep Dips on a Chair
You’ll need a sturdy chair for this one.
Sit on a chair with your hands either next to your hips or slightly under your hips. Next, lift onto your hands and bring your hips forward. Bend your elbows and lower your hips down, keeping your shoulders down and hips close to the chair. Push back up, but don’t lock your elbows and repeat.
Do this about 10–12 times and extend as you get comfortable.
Tips To Prevent Injuries as an Intermediary
It’s easy to get confident in your abilities as an intermediary, and that’s fine. The more confident you are, the stronger your will to remain determined in your exercise routine, but then you need to avoid overconfidence to prevent injuries while exercising.
- Maintain a proper form while exercising.
- Avoid locking your elbows to reduce joint strains.
- Keep your spine aligned to prevent back strain.
- Proper form is key with exercises like tricep dips. Avoid locking your elbows to reduce joint strain. Also, take breaks between sets to prevent overexertion.
Advanced Home Workouts
Now at this stage, you have built adequate endurance and are ready to face the hard route head-on.
Here are some advanced home workouts to try out:
1. Burpees
With burpees, you are combining squats, planks, and jumps. Pretty advanced, huh?
That’s why you need to get really comfortable with the exercises in the previous categories before moving on to this.
To start, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and then squat down with your hands on the floor in front.
Jump your legs back into a high plank, keeping your body in a straight line, then lower toward the floor by bending your elbows, and return to plank.
After that, jump your feet forward to squat, and then jump up, reaching toward the ceiling. Land back in the standing position.
Begin with 10 repetitions, increasing to 20 as you build stamina.
2. Pistol Squats
To do pistol squats, stand with your arms extended at shoulder height. Shift your weight onto your right leg and lift your left leg forward to hip height.
Engage your core, inhale, and slowly lower into a squat by bending your right knee and sitting back.
Use a support, like a chair or wall, to help maintain control until you build strength and balance.
3. Bicycle Crunches
Lie on your back and lift your shoulders off the mat or floor and then raise both legs.
Bring one knee and the opposing elbow close to each other by crunching to one side, and fully extend your other leg.
Return to the starting position and then crunch to the opposite side.
Repeat until the set is complete.
4. Handstand Push-ups
This exercise is great for your upper body but you need careful practice to master it.
Start by placing your hands about 6-12 inches away from the wall and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Make sure palms are facing forward or slightly turned out 5-10 degrees.
Then, kick up into a handstand with your heels touching the wall. Once you have kicked up, establish a strong, rigid midline position.
While maintaining this position, lower yourself until the top of your head touches the floor/mat. Try to keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle as you lower.
Once your head touches the floor, press up with the same tightness you had lowering yourself, until your elbows reach full extension.
5. Jump Squats
To start with, stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Keep your arms bent and hands in front of your shoulders.
Then, lower your body until your hips are below your knees and propel your body up and off the floor while bringing your arms above your head toward the ceiling.
Tips To Prevent Injuries At Advanced Level
Even at this stage, you’re still not immune to injuries, and here are some tips to help you avoid them:
- Warm up your shoulders and back thoroughly before starting advanced moves to avoid strains.
- Avoid locking your joints, and always land softly to cushion impact on your knees and ankles.
- A five-minute warm-up helps prepare your muscles and reduces injury risk.
How to Make Home Workouts Fun
Working out doesn’t have to be a chore; you can always add an element of fun by choosing exercises that you genuinely enjoy and that don’t take too much of a toll on you. Here are our suggestions:
- Play your favourite music to boost your energy and make the workout enjoyable.
- Try different styles like dance workouts or yoga to keep things interesting.
- Give yourself weekly goals or compete with friends through fitness apps.
- Reward yourself after each workout session; a relaxation session would make a great reward.
- Track your progress using a journal or app. This will help you to keep you motivated and engaged.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of your fitness goal, there is a home workout tailored to your needs, so take your time and keep exploring.
Acknowledge your limitations and do not push yourself too much to prevent injuries that might scar your fitness journey.
Elsie Udoh is an SEO content writer who specialises in writing engaging stories that resonates with diverse audiences. She studied mass communication at the Lagos State University.
