If you’re looking for ways to stay active at home, this full body workout is perfect to get your body moving and build up your strength and endurance. All you need is 30 minutes of your day and some space where you can move around. If you like an extra challenge, you can add weights to some movements - but you don’t have to limit it to dumbbells or kettlebells! You can try using canned foods, water bottles and other things you might have in your home.
What You Need:
- Tennis shoes
- Yoga mat or other soft surface
- Optional: Chair and weights (either traditional weights or at-home alternatives like cans of food)
Warm Ups
Warming up is an essential part of any workout to ensure the body is ready to move and to exert energy. Warm ups are not supposed to be intensive, but rather help your body start moving to avoid possible injury.
Take your time with these warmups, and run through each of them one or two times to get your body ready for the workout!
Cat Cow
Do 12 repetitions of each, making sure you focus on your breathing.
Bird Dog
Do 8 repetitions on each side, making sure you keep your spine neutral and your core tight to help yourself stabilize.
Arm Circles
Start with a forward arm circles for 30 seconds, and then do another 30 seconds with a backwards motion.
Glute Bridges
Do 12 repetitions. Focus on squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
Walking Jacks
Do 15 reps moving side to side. If you feel comfortable enough, try Jumping Jacks instead for an added challenge!
Stretch any other body part that might need any extra attention and make sure you’re feeling good.
Workout (3 rounds)
Each exercise will include progression exercises that you can try if the exercise is too easy. The goal is to challenge yourself while ensuring proper form when performing an exercise. If an exercise is causing any type of pain, try one of the regressions or stop the exercise completely and move to the next one.
Complete 3 rounds of this workout to get your heart rate up! We encourage you to push yourself through this workout, but take breaks as necessary. On breaks, try to keep your body moving to keep your heart rate up. Take your time with each exercise and go at your own pace - you know what your body is capable of. If you experience any discomfort or pain, we recommend to stop performing the exercise and move on to the next one.
Thrusters (15 repetitions)
Start with legs at shoulder width length, and bring your arms together at the center of your chest. Make sure your hips are tucked in (no hyperextension of the lower back), keep your chest up, and make sure your head is in a neutral position.Then, start lowering your hips (think about sitting back on a chair!) and reach a below-parallel position. As you come back up to the starting position, use the momentum to bring your arms above your head in a pressing motion.
- Start with just your bodyweight
- Progression: To make it harder, use weight in both hands during the movement. If you don’t have dumbbells at home, try using canned goods or bottles of water.
Push Up w/ Knee to Elbow (10 repetitions)
Position your arms at shoulder width length (use a coffee table if you can’t perform a push up on the floor - the elevation will make the movement easier). Bend your elbows and lower your body, and once your chest is about to touch the floor, push yourself up. When you return to the starting position, bring your right knee to the opposite arm, and repeat for your left side. Continue to the next repetition. Remember to keep your core tight and tuck in your hips - you want to keep a neutral position through the whole movement.
- Start with your hands at elevation - you can use a coffee table or a couch for support!
- Progression 1: Try the exercise on the floor for an added challenge.
- Progression 2: If you want to take it to the next level, add in a tuck jump. In a plank position after performing the pushup and knee to elbow movement, jump inwards, bringing your feet the center of your body, and then jump out. Make sure to keep your core tight!
Tricep Dips (15 repetitions)
Sit at the edge of a couch/coffee table, placing your hands at your sides on the selected surface. Bring your shoulders back and keep your chest up. Bring your legs out and and keep your knees bent (try extending your legs completely to make the exercise harder!). Slowly bend your elbows lowering your hips, and push yourself up.
- Start with your knees bent and your feet closer to you.
- Progression 1: Extend the legs fully to make the movement more challenging.
- Progression 2: Try bringing one leg up while performing a tricep dip
Standing Oblique Chop (15 repetitions on each side)
Start standing up straight with feet at shoulder width, ensuring proper posture, and keeping the hips tucked in. Bring your knee up across your body while bringing your arms across the body to meet your knee. Extend back to the starting position and repeat the movement.
- Start with just your body weight.
- Progression 1: To make this exercise harder, use weight in both hands during the movement. If you don’t have dumbbells at home, try using canned goods or bottles of water.
- Progression 2: Give mountain climbers a try for 30 seconds.
Lunges (12 repetitions on each side)
Start standing up, making sure your hips are tucked in and keeping a neutral spine. Bring your right leg backwards and bend the knees until your both legs are bent at a 90 degree angle. Bring your leg back to the starting position and repeat. Try keeping your hands at your hips and keep a controlled movement. If you need additional assistance, use a chair or a table to support yourself when coming down.
- Start with just your body weight. If you need assistance for balance, stand next to the chair or a table to hold yourself when coming down into a lunge.
- Progression 1: Do alternating lunges with just your bodyweight if you don’t need any assistance.
- Progression 2: Lunge to knee up
- Progression 3: Jumping Lunges for additional power and endurance. Start by performing a lunge and bringing your left leg backwards. Once you get in that bottom position, you will jump up and switch your leg positioning in the air before landing, so your right leg will now be backwards. Remember to keep your core tight to maintain proper form and focus on a soft landing.
Once you complete each exercise, repeat the whole circuit two more times. By the end of the three rounds, you’ll have worked your entire body! Once you’re finished with the workout, remember to stretch and hydrate to avoid muscle soreness.
