Self-isolating or practicing social distancing at home? Good job. When it comes to staying active and keeping fit, it can all feel a little overwhelming. Rather than letting your fitness goals go awry, try and embrace it.
It’s time to get your self-isolating sweat on with a home workout.
As much as you want to head to the gym (or not), it isn’t possible at the moment. So, we’re bringing a solid home workout to your living room. All you need is a few common household items on hand.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- How to exercise at home
- A solid calorie-burning home workout
- How to perform each exercise
Here’s a concrete calorie-crushing home workout to complete in the comfort of your own home.
How to exercise at home
Many people are turning their living rooms and kitchens into basic, effective work out areas to maintain an exercise regime. During these trying times, there’s nothing better than getting active and boosting your mood.
Sure, it might be tempting to curl up on the couch and binge-watch Netflix, but regular exercise is essential for supporting overall health and wellbeing. During this challenging global pandemic, you should be working to keep yourself as healthy as possible.
That means limiting prolonged sedentary behavior. You could incorporate 30 minutes of exercise into your day to keep yourself fit or stick to a routine.
If you can’t exercise every day, keep reading to check out our targeted 4-day training regime. We’ve put together a simple home workout designed to get your heartbeat racing.
Calorie-burning home workout
This targeted calorie-burning home workout should keep you trim and healthy – if you complete it to a T. It covers 4 days and can be done whenever you have the time. Even better, all you need is your own body weight or a couple of household items on hand.
Day 1: Home HIIT circuit
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: All-body strength training circuit
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Core-blaster training circuit
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Bodyweight strength training circuit
Top Tip:
| Exercise | Reps |
| Arm circles | 10 forward & 10 backward |
| Leg swing | 10 on each leg |
| Inchworm | 10 |
| Jumping jacks | 10 |
Home HIIT circuit
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is fast, efficient and can be adjusted to suit any level. With HIIT, you perform an exercise in short intense bursts for a period of time. The key to HIIT? You only move as fast as is challenging for you.
Repeat this circuit three times.
| Exercise | Reps |
| Burpee | As many as possible – 30 secs on, 30 secs off |
| Jumping jacks | As many as possible – 30 secs on, 30 secs off |
| Squat jumps | As many as possible – 30 secs on, 30 secs off |
| Mountain climbers | As many as possible – 30 secs on, 30 secs off |
How to do each exercise
Burpee
From a standing stance, drop into a squat and place your hands on the ground. Kick both legs out into a raised plank position and then return to the squat position. Jump up into the air as high as you can and raise your hands. Repeat.
Jumping Jack
Place your feet together and keep your legs straight. Put your arms by your side and leap into the air, spreading your feet hip-width apart while raising your arms above your head. Return back to the starting position and repeat the motion.
Squat jump
With your toes pointing slightly outward and standing shoulder-width apart, bend into a regular squat and inhale. Engage your core, exhale and leap into the air explosively with as much power as you can. While you’re in the air, try and keep your body as straight as possible. Land carefully and lower yourself back into the squat position – that’s one rep.
Mountain climbers
This movement is similar to the plank. Drop down into a push-up position and hold your body weight on your hands and toes, keeping your body straight. Raise your right foot off the floor and drive it upwards into your chest. Return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Alternate with each one throughout the exercise.
All-body strength training circuit
It’s important to try and train your entire body while you work out at home. With these total-body exercises, you’ll target multiple muscle groups and get the practical strength you need for everyday movements. What’s more, you don’t need to own a set of dumbbells to perform these exercises.
Repeat this circuit three times.
| Exercise | Reps |
| ‘Kettlebell’ swing | 8 |
| Bent over row | 8 |
| ‘Dumbbell’ lunge | 8 |
| Overhead press | 8 |
How to do each exercise
‘Kettlebell’ swing
If you have a kettlebell for this move, that’s great. If not, don’t worry. Just grab a jug of milk – a 4-pint bottle will do. If it’s empty, even better – just fill it with water. It will give you almost the exact same motion as if you’re holding a kettlebell.
With your feet shoulder-width apart, bend at your hips and grab the bottle. Hold it out at arm’s length and keep your back flat. Hinge at the hips as you swing the bottle backward through your legs. Engage the glutes and keep your knees straight with each raise.
Bent over row
You don’t always need barbells or dumbbells for a good total body workout. A standard bag of potatoes can double up as a weight.
This movement recruits the glutes, legs and back to keep you stabilized. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend at the knees, leaning forward at the waist. Bend at the knees slightly but keep your back straight. Grab the bag of potatoes with both hands, brace your core and pull it up towards your chest, pinching your shoulders together. Return to the starting position and repeat.
‘Dumbbell’ lunge
Canned goods like soups can also be used as dumbbells. Grab one in each hand for this move.
Stand with your feet hip distance apart and place your hands by your side. Step forward with a controlled step. As you step forward, lower your body toward the floor making sure you bend at the knee at a 90 degrees angle. Press your right heel into the floor, bringing your left leg forward and step into a lunge on this side to complete the rep.
Overhead press
Grab a backpack and fill it with books or canned goods. Stand with feet hip-width apart and engage your core. Hold the backpack with both hands and press it directly overhead – not forward. Keep your chest up and push the backpack up in the straightest line possible. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Core-blaster training circuit
Core training is crucial – not just for a six pack. Core exercises can improve balance and stability and help you with daily movements. You use your core to power any movement, so keeping it strong is key.
Repeat this circuit three times.
| Exercise | Reps |
| Russian twist | 8 (each side) |
| Lying leg raise | 10 |
| Plank | 30 seconds |
| Flutter kicks | 10 (each leg) |
How to do each exercise
Lying leg raise
Place a blanket on the floor if you don’t have a yoga mat. Lie down on your back and place your hands under your buttocks. Stretch your legs out in front of you and keep your feet together. Keeping your knees straight, raise your legs by bending at the hips until they’re completely flexed. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Russian twist
You can grab some sort of weight for this one. That bag of potatoes will do the trick. Sit on the floor, bringing your legs out straight. Lean back a little and form a V-like shape with your body. Engage your core and balance in this position. Twist your torso from side to side, holding the bag of potatoes and keeping your legs still.
Plank
Drop down and place your hands under your shoulders like you’re going to do a push-up. Push your toes into the ground and squeeze your glutes. Keep your back flat and your head in line with your back – don’t let it drop. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Flutter kicks
This move specifically targets the lower abdominal wall. Place a blanket on the floor if you don’t have a yoga mat. Lie down on your back and extend your legs to a 45-degree angle. Make sure you lift your head and shoulders slightly above the ground. Keep your arms straight and in line with the ground. Start lowering one leg and raise it, alternating with the other and keeping your core squeezed. Continue the movement and alternate between your legs.
Bodyweight strength training circuit
No gym? No problem! Your body resistance can help you train to improve balance, flexibility and strength without gym machines or gear. From your legs to your shoulders, here’s a solid circuit to put your body through its paces.
Repeat this circuit three times.
| Exercise | Reps |
| Push-up | 8 |
| Tricep dip | 8 |
| Squat | 8 |
| Glute bridge | 10 |
How to do each exercise
Push-up
Get down on the ground, positioning your hands a little wider than your shoulders. Ground your toes into the floor to steady your body. Tighten your core, squeeze your glutes and keep your back flat. Lower your body to the floor until your elbows reach 90-degree angles. Keep your core engaged as you push back up to the starting position. That’s one rep.
Tricep dip
Jump off that sofa for a second and give your triceps something to do. Sit on the edge of the couch, placing your hands outside your hips and extending your legs. Slowly lower yourself down until your elbows align with your shoulders. Use your triceps to push up and repeat.
Squat
Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips and your toes pointing slightly outwards. Stretch your arms out in front of you and keep your chest up. Keeping your weight on your feet, bend down and send your hips backwards. Start with your hips and don’t bend with your knees – instead keep them aligned with your feet. Squat until you pass your knees and keep everything tight as you bring yourself back up.
Glute bridge
Place a blanket or mat on the ground. Lie down on your back, place your feet flat on your floor and bend at your knees. Engaging your glutes, lift your hips off of the floor until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold it at the top, then lower back down to the starting position.
Post-workout cooldown
Remember to cool down after your workout. You can either do any of the exercises in this article at a lower intensity or try targeted stretching for your muscles. You could also give the dynamic exercises a go again to flush out any lactic acid and reduce any muscle soreness
The final word
Being at home means you have to get a little creative about how to you stay fit and healthy. If that means lunging with soup cans in hand, then so be it.
This home workout proves you don’t need a treadmill or spin bike to stay active. They’re varied and target different parts of your body – so there’s no chance of boredom creeping in. If anything, you’ll feel challenged and motivated to keep going.
Want to get the whole family moving? Try this home workout at a steady pace and get the kids involved. You could even turn it into a competition to make it fun.
If you’re self-isolating, staying active is more important than ever for your physical and mental well-being. So, make working out a habit and part of your routine to keep your fitness goals alive with this simple home workout. Your mind will also thank you for it.
Disclaimer: Exercise is not without its risks. As with any training program, if at any point during your workout you experience dizziness, pain or shortness of breath, you should stop immediately or take a break. Pushing yourself too far may result in injury, so if you’re not used to HIIT or weight training, take it slow.
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