Exercises that Shouldn't be Missing from your Workout Routine
Working out at home allows you to adopt a daily exercise routine that’s suited to your schedule. A good training regime is one that includes a comprehensive muscle workout. As you gain experience, you can expand and enrich your routine according to your needs.
Start your workout routine by warming up your muscles
It’s essential to warm up your body before you start exercising, if you don’t, you can injure yourself. For example, you can run in place for five to ten minutes, bringing your heels close to your glutes, and your knees to your chest.
A stationary bike or a treadmill are other simple exercises that you can use to warm up. You can also use the stairs. In any case, getting into the habit of leveling your heart rate and warming up your muscles, will make it easier for you to train properly.
Leg exercises
Squats
Squats can’t be missing from a basic training routine! This exercise tones and strengthens your leg muscles, and by default, your entire muscular system.
You can hold on to a chair for support during the first few times that you do this exercise; your feet should be aligned with your hips. Your knees shouldn’t extend over your feet, they should stay in place.
You can add some arm movements with or without weights. It’s important to remember that the lumbar region and knees shouldn’t be tense; on the contrary, you should put all of the effort on your thighs. Start with eight repetitions a day, until you reach three sets of eight repetitions every day.
Side and front lunges
This exercise works in a similar way to squats, except your body moves by flexing one leg, and extending the other one. Just as the previous exercise, your flexed knee shouldn’t go over the tip of your foot. And in the extended leg, your foot should remain flat on the ground.
You should always make a small pause in between flexes. Whether you use weights or not, your arms should remain straight and towards the floor, adding weight to your torso. At first, you can do a set of 14 repetitions in each leg, until you can double up to two sets per session.
Adductor muscles
Adductor muscles are among the most rebellious muscles in our body, although a good workout routine can’t ignore them. Lying sideways on the ground, place your head in one of your hands, and use your free arm to hold your balance. You should lift your free leg with your knee in a flexed or extended position.
There are some variations to add depth to the exercise. One of these is keeping your foot elevated, while you lower only your knee. Another one consists of supporting yourself with your upper leg, and lifting the leg that’s on the floor. You should do 16 repetitions until you reach three sets per session.
Arm exercises
Side and front movements
It’s necessary to use weights if you want to have defined muscles. A half-liter water bottler full of sand can be a cheap and easy alternative to weights. You can make these movements with your arms stretched out, or by flexing your elbows; start with 15 repetitions until you reach three sets per session.
Push-ups
To do push-ups the right way, your hands should be in a straight line, aligned with your shoulders; your spine should also be straight, and your body should be firm. If you find them too difficult, you can place your knees on the floor for support. Start with 12 repetitions until you reach three sets per session.
Tricep dips
A comprehensive arm muscle workout isn’t complete without this exercise. You perform tricep dips with your back facing a short support (a bench for example) and by holding on to it with your hands. Move your feet away from the bench, and lower your hips by flexing your elbows backwards.
Crunches
Lying on the ground, face up, put your hands behind the nape of your neck. Your elbows should try to touch your knees while your alternately flex your legs. When you do this type of exercise, you should be careful with your cervical vertebrae and avoid putting any strain on it. Do 20 repetitions until you reach two sets per day.
Stretching
To stretch your legs and biceps, one option you can try, is to touch your tiptoes with your hands, sitting on the floor. If you want to do a deep stretch, you can do it with just one leg at first, and then with the other one. For your back, you can make the same movement, but standing; flex your hips forward until you can lay your hands on the floor.
Generally, these exercises are essential in any workout routine. If you do them for 30 minutes each day, you can achieve an ideal physical condition. After each session, it’s important to stretch each muscle group that you worked.