At Home, No Equipment Workout

My "Mommy/Workaholic/Can't afford the gym/Don't have access to a gym" Workout

(Please keep in mind that I am no trained professional, I just have a lot of experience in this area.)

No More Excuses!

 

First thing's first! My personal belief is that exercise is only part of being healthy and fit. The biggest part, to me, is diet. Eating healthy is huge, HUGE I say! If you want to get skinny, or even just maintain a nice figure, eating healthy is really key. I could go on all day about having a good diet, even though I'm nowhere near perfect in that area, but I won't. Honestly, I think it's pretty much common sense; don't eat portion sizes that could feed a small family, don't eat a lot of simple carbs, and try swapping out your doughnut for a piece of fruit. If you aren't eating healthy, you may not see results, so just remember that.

Now, onto this workout regime.
 

Story: I made up this workout because I moved to hot and humid Indiana for the summer. I don't have access to a gym; I don't have exercising equipment (dumb bells, benches, etc,); I have no jogging stroller out here with me; and I refuse to leave my child alone in our apartment so I can go running. I really didn't want to fall out of the habit of exercising, so I came up with this simple, easy, no equipment necessary workout.

*FYI: This workout is safe for pregnant women, as long as you've been active before getting pregnant. If you haven't been active, I recommend sticking to walking, stable biking, swimming, things like that, just so you don't hurt your baby, or yourself.

Let's get started.

I was going to just type out my current routine, but I figured I'd give you something you can use for longer than three weeks. With these exercises, you are going to be able to make up your own routine, and change it up every few weeks.

Exercises:

1. Regular Squats (1-2 minutes)

2. Static Lunges (20+ per leg)

3. Calf Raises (30+ per leg)

4. Skater Squats (20+ per leg)

5. One Legged Lunge with optional Lateral Arm Raise (20+ per leg)

6. Walking Lunges (20+ per leg)

7. Burpees (1-2 minutes) *Don't do if pregnant.

8. Mountain Climbers (1-2 minutes) *Don't do if pregnant.

9. Sitting Bicycles (20+ per leg)

10. Walking Lunges w/Overhead Arm Raise (20+ per leg)

11. Wide Squats (raised heels optional) (1-2 minutes)

12. Squatted Jumping Jacks (30 to 90 seconds) *Don't do if pregnant.

13. Regular Pushups (10+)

14. Military/Triceps Pushups(10+)

15. Chair Dips (15+)

16. Oblique Side Raises (12+ per side)

17. Inverted Rows (10+)

18. Plank (30 to 90 Seconds)

19. Side Plank w/Leg Raise (10+ per side)

20. Pelvic Raise w/Leg Raise (10+ per leg)

21. Wall Sit (30 to  90 seconds)

22. No Wall Sit (30 to 60 seconds)

23. Arm Circles (30 in forward motion, and 30 backwards)
24. Side Lunge (12+ per leg)

25.Bird Dogs (1 minute per side)
26. Supermans (go up and down 25 times, and on last time, hold in lifted position for 30 seconds) * Can't do if pregnant.
27. Abs (sit ups, crunches, bicycles, scissors, toe touches, etc.) *If you're pregnant, use a ball and do crunches. (20+)

*Keep in mind that the reps/time of each exercise is just a guideline. If you can only do 5 pushups, then start out with just 5 and the next week try for 7, and so on.

*Also, you should be feeling a "burn" during each exercise. If by the time you get done with you're Walking Lunges and your legs don't burn, you're either doing them wrong, you need to do more reps, or you need to put something heavy in your hands. Go till you feel the burn!

*If you have weights feel free to add them in!

Putting Together Your Workout:

• Get a piece of paper and number it 1 to 8.

• Starting with 1, pick two exercises and write them down.

          -Pick two opposing exercises. 
           ie.Regular Squats and  Regular Pushups, 
              Static Lunges and Chair Dips,
              or Walking Lunges and Oblique Side Raises. 
              *Don't pick two leg exercises.
          -Continue doing that for numbers 2 through 8.

• Other options are: 
• Numbering your paper from 1 to 5 and going through the paper twice. 
• Numbering it from 1 to 12 only putting one exercise per line, and doing the entire thing 2 to 3 times. 

                *You get the picture? There are many different options.

Workout: (use a timer and have a bottle of water handy)

• Stretch for two minutes.
• Start Timer and begin with line 1. Do it twice.
• Continue through number 8, doing each line twice.
• If you finish before your timer hits 30 minutes (or what ever time you choose), start back again at 1 and go till you hit 30 plus minutes.

*Workout should be continuous. Meaning no breaks, except for a quick sip of water. You want to keep your heart rate continually up for at least thirty minutes. You should be rather sweaty by the end.
*Also, keep in mind to have good posture, tempo, and form while doing all exercises. When I say "tempo" I mean; don't squat a million times a minute, rather go at a good, medium, steady pace. We're not trying to strain our muscles. For making about any exercise harder, try using a specific tempo. For example; while doing pushups, while lowering yourself count to three, hold for one at the bottom of your pushup, and than raise in three counts. Same can be done for squats, dips, etc.
*Keep abs tight throughout entire workout.
*Do that workout for 3 to 4 weeks, continually upping your reps and time of the exercises each week. If you start out only holding your "Plank" for 30 seconds during week 1, at week 2 hold it for 45 seconds. Also, if you have the time, go for more time in your overall workout.
*Also, sometimes it is hard to get motivated to even begin exercising, so I recommend turning on some motivating music, and have a motivating picture on your fridge with written out goals.

Explanation of Each Exercise: (I recommend reading through these, especially on the ones you're not quite sure of, because... 1. I don't want you doing them wrong, and 2. I made up two of the names, so you may not know what they are without reading their definition.)

1. Regular Squats: have feet facing forward, shoulder width apart, and squat. Keep pressure on your heels, and try to maintain good depth, as in Go Low! No sissy stuff like only bending your knees barely a quarter of an inch. :)

2. Static Lunges: do 20+ lunges for one leg, and then switch to other leg. No walking involved here. Also, make sure to maintain good depth and form. If you have weights, feel free to throw those in and do some bicep curls.

 3. Calf Raises: I use a window sill for balance, and I do one leg at a time. 

4. Skater Squats: This may sound confusing. Actually, here is a lovely sketch I made:

Basically... you stand up straight, both feet on the ground, bring one leg forward, then swing it back (don't thrust it back, it should be done clean and at a good tempo, we're not trying to tear our groin) and while doing so you bend your standing knee (almost like you're lunging). When fully extended, you should almost be parallel to the ground. Try to get back leg up high, and to bend deep. I extend my arms for balance, basically looking like an Ice Skater. You should be feeling these in you're butt. :)
 

5. One Leg Lunge with optional Lateral Arm Raise: Similar to the Skater Squat, just an easier version; you get a chair, face away from the chair, put one foot on chair, and lunge. Like so...

 If you want, you can add a lateral arm raise by raising your arms to a little above shoulder level while going down. Using a weight is great for this.



6. Walking Lunges: pretty self explanatory. To make it harder, swing legs through while lunging (don't stop in middle, unless you need to for balance, or it's just too hard). If you want to feel it more in your inner thighs, slightly, very slightly, turn your feet out and spread legs a little while lunging (hope that makes sense?) If it hurts your knees, you're turning out your feet too much.
 

7. Burpees: Start in standing position, reach towards sky, jump up, and while coming down smoothly go down into a push up position, do a  pushup (if you need, don't do the push up), and then back up to repeat.

8. Mountain Climbers: Get down on all fours, with legs extended out, just feet touching floor and a little wider than shoulder width. Alternating sides, bring leg up, and tap toe on ground. This is very quick moving.

9. Sitting Bicycles: sit on the floor in a 'V' position, and begin "bicycling."

Feet should never touch floor, and arms should be making a full motion with legs. You don't have to do arms, but if you do it correctly it gives a nice little back workout, which I like. Also, I sit on a small couch pillow for comfort.

10. Walking Lunges with Arm Raise: simply do a walking lunge, but as you go down into your lunge, you raise your hands up above your head into a 'Y' position. As you raise your arms don't let your arms come in front of your head. Pretend you're holding a bar bell and are raising and lowering it behind your neck. Weights can be used for this, but you don't need weights especially if you are making sure to keep your arms back while raising them.

11. Wide Squats: Plant feet a couple inches past shoulder width apart, point feet outwards, and squat. If you want, you can keep your heels off of ground for entire exercise.
 

12. Squatted Jumping Jacks: get in a semi-squat position, and start doing jumping jacks.
 

13. Regular Pushups: hands should be a little past shoulder width apart and level with your shoulder/chest area. If you need an easier route, start on knees and hands on a coffee table, then move to just knees on the ground, then eventually feet on ground. Make sure to have good posture; don't stick your butt up in the air or let your back sway down. It should be a pretty straight line from head to toe.
 

14. Military/Triceps Pushups: hands should be a little over body width apart and level with your chest. As you go down try to keep elbows tucked.

15. Chair Dips: use a chair and;

Make sure as you go up and down your elbows are facing back; you should feel these in your triceps.
*The more your legs are bent, the easier. If you want it harder, keep legs straight out in front of you. And for over achievers, use another chair to put your feet up on.
 

16. Oblique Side Raises: lay on your side in the Side Plank position and lift hip on and off ground, pausing a second at the top of the lift. If you're pregnant, rather then having upper arm on hip, place it around your belly to keep gravity from pulling on your belly.

17. Inverted Rows: use a taller table, lay underneath it, grip with both hands the edge of the table, and go up and down, looking like this...

It's almost like doing a pull up, just a lot easier. *Bend knees to make it easier.

18. Plank: hold plank position for a set time. Make sure to keep body flat and in line.

If you are just starting out, start on knees.







19. Side Plank w/Leg Raise: get into side plank position, and slowly lift upper leg up and down, make sure to keep straight.

For an easier route, get in the Side Plank position, but on knees, and just hold lifted position for a set amount of time.

*If you're pregnant, use upper arm to hold belly.

20. Pelvic Raise w/Leg Raise: get into this position, straighten out one leg, and raise and lower it 10+ times, staying in lifted position, and then switch legs.

21. Wall Sit: hold position

22. No Wall Sit: go down into a sitting position, and raise arms straight up in front of you, like your holding a box that's shoulder width, to where they are almost straight up, and hold position.
 

23. Arm Circles: hold arms up, out to your side, and move in circular motions.

While going in the forward motion, have hands up (like in picture), and when moving in a backwards motion, have hand pointing down.

24. Side Lunge: weights are only an option. If you aren't using weights, bring your hands up in front of you while going down, so you can maintain balance; keeping your body up semi straight. You don't want to be bending your body forward. Keep weight on heels.

25. Bird Dogs: get down on all fours, and raise opposite leg and arm and hold for 1 minute, then switch sides. Make sure to keep leg and arm straight, and also lift high, trying not to let it drop throughout hold. Stay looking down, don't strain your neck.

26. Supermans: lay on stomach and lift arms and legs up and down, all at the same time.

27. Abs (sit ups, crunches, bicycles, scissors, toe touches, etc.) *If you're pregnant, use a ball and do crunches. (20+)

Good luck! And hopefully this helps you in some way.

                                                        Love, Julie

                                       
(Except for the couple of sketches, all pictures were found off of google images.)