If you don't have time (or motivation) to go to the gym, doing simple exercises at home can be just what you need. Regardless of the space you have or your goals, there are simple and effective workouts you can do from the comfort of your home that can make a big difference.
Strength training, Pilates, yoga and cardio workouts are all doable from home. Provided you have a pair of the best dumbells or a good resistance band, you can replicate any gym workout in your living room or garden.
Here, woman&home's digital health editor and fitness instructor Grace Walsh reveals the top workouts to try and tips for doing so.
Best easy and quick home workouts
1. Bodyweight exercises
Bodyweight exercises are one of the easiest ways to work out at home as you need little to no equipment but can still do the basics of many types of strength training, which has several benefits - including helping to maintain muscle mass with age, increase metabolism and boost mental health.
Start with basic moves like squats, lunges and box push-ups if you can't do a complete push-up right now, focusing on form and mind-muscle connection over repetitions.
2. Yoga
Yoga is another excellent exercise to do at home - all you really need is a comfortable space or one of the best yoga mats to get started. Whether you're looking to do yoga every day or just get the basics in, you'll find your workout of choice on one of the best yoga apps or online videos.
While you're getting to know this type of movement, try different styles: Vinyasa, Hatha, Kundalini, Ashtanga, and restorative yoga are popular options.
3. Pilates
While yoga and Pilates share many similarities, yoga tends to be slower-paced and holds poses for longer periods. Pilates comes in many forms but some of the more dynamic types include squats, planks and lunges among the movements.
When doing Pilates at home, use a mat and remember that core strength plays a very big role in this workout so be sure to engage your core with every movement. Start with beginners' workouts on the best Pilates apps and work your way up.
4. Skipping rope
When we think of cardio exercise, we often think of running or walking. But skipping can be just as beneficial - and it's so easy to do from home. All you need is a skipping rope and plenty of space.
In your first few sessions, start slow. Try for intervals of 30 seconds worth of skipping and then gradually increase this to a minute and beyond. Doing too much too soon could lead to injury as jumping is a very high-impact activity.
5. Dancing
Dancing is perhaps one of the better ways to work out at home, given that it's very enjoyable, burns calories and you can do it with others. What's not to love? You don't even need to change into your workout leggings. Just put on your favourite music and move.
However, if you are looking for more structure to your dancing, you could follow online Zumba and movement classes.
6. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
While high-intensity interval training (HIIT) won't be suitable for everyone, it's one of the most effective workouts for building strength and cardiovascular fitness together. It involves mixing short bursts of intense activity with shorter periods of rest.
Keep workouts under 30 minutes and aim to do HIIT between two and three times a week.
Those in perimenopause may want to avoid it though - or do less. HIIT can cause a spike in cortisol, the stress hormone, which can increase feelings of anxiety and cause digestive issues.
7. Resistance band exercises
A pair of resistance bands is essential for home workouts. Budget-friendly, easy to store and useful for building upper and lower body strength by adding resistance and variety.
For a full-body workout, use the bands in bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges, rows, bicep curls, overhead presses, and other exercises.
8. Climbing the stairs
No need to head to the gym for the Stairmaster - reap the benefits at home with your staircase. Climbing stairs has been a popular alternative cardio workout for years now, with researchers citing benefits like increased aerobic capacity, improved fat profiles and a positive change in fitness and body composition.
What's more, you don't even need to set aside time to climb the stairs as a workout as it's one of the best exercise snacking ideas so you can do it in short intervals throughout the day.
9. Wall sits
Wall sits are one of the best core exercises to do at home, building strength in your core and lower body, boosting endurance in your legs as you aim to stay seated against the wall for at least one minute. Start at 30 seconds if you can and build up as you go.
10. Mountain climbers
Mountain climbers are an intense exercise - unlikely to be anyone's favourite exercise to do at home. But they are very effective, provided you start slowly and focus on your form. The move works the abs, lower back, glutes and hamstrings.
It's important to start slow so you get the form right but then you can speed up as you get better at them.
11. Burpees
Much like mountain climbers, burpees are an intense cardio exercise. To start, stand up tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Brace your core and drop into a high plank position, placing your hands under your shoulders, on the floor, about shoulder distance apart. Jump back up, pulling your feet towards your hands and onto your feet, jumping high.
It's a difficult exercise to master, despite being so popular. If you need to modify: step back instead of jumping.
12. Shadow boxing
Shadowboxing is a great cardio workout to build fitness and boost strength in your back, shoulders and arms. If you focus on technique and footwork, you'll also be able to improve your reaction times. It's also a good one for stress relief.
Use a timer for rounds to break the workout up or follow along with an online workout.
13. Kettlebell workouts
Kettlebells are large weighted balls with a handle on top. While they are not as storage-friendly as resistance bands, they make for a great addition to any home workout routine as you can use these weights for swings, squats and deadlifts with great success.
If you're new to using kettlebells, get some tips on form and focus on controlling the movement to reduce the risk of injury. Start with a lower weight and work your way up.
14. Tai chi
Tai chi, which is great for boosting your balance and flexibility as well as for stress relief, is another great option. Some studies say it could even help us sleep better, despite many people finding it more challenging than yoga.
To do tai chi at home, start by following online videos and mastering the technique.
15. Core exercises
Yoga mat workouts including planks, sit-ups, bicycle crunches and pelvic floor strengthening exercises are also very effective and easy to do at home. However, for the best results, you should balance these movements with other exercises involving some cardio exercise and with lower and upper body strength training.
16. Chair workout
For those looking to start strength training as a beginner, a chair workout is one of the best routines to follow. It boosts endurance and lower body strength, is low-impact and relatively efficient and helps you learn the technique for important exercises like squats and dips.
Just make sure to use a sturdy chair that doesn't move for exercises like step-ups and tricep dips to avoid injury.
17. Indoor walking
Indoor walking might sound a little odd - how does that work? With the rise in popularity of walking pads, indoor walking is now one of the most popular at-home workouts as you can do it while watching television, working, or talking to others. It can also vary your routine and keep things interesting.
Walking pads are small treadmills, often without the screen on the front or arms on either side. They tend to go up to no more than 7km/h and won't offer elevation, so if you have a little more space (and budget) it may be worth sizing up to a full home treadmill if you can.
18. Gardening
Gardening might sound like more of a hobby than an exercise but research shows it can be hugely beneficial for improving dexterity and strength, as well as helping with depression and anxiety and lowering body mass index (BMI), as well as increasing overall life satisfaction.
Digging, planting, weeding and moving through the garden keeps you active and it's a sustainable exercise you can do throughout life.
19. Stretching
Having dedicated time for improving flexibility is just as important as exercises like strength training and cardio if you want to keep moving into old age. Start with 30 seconds per exercise and build up, focusing on major muscle groups like the upper body, lower body and core.
20. Kickboxing
Kickboxing combines punches and kicks for a full-body workout. Given that there's little jumping or equipment needed, it's one of the best exercises to do at home with benefits like boosting cardiovascular fitness, endurance, strength and reaction times.
Following along with online tutorials and videos to get started.
21. Barre
Combining ballet, strength training, Pilates, and yoga, barre is a full-body workout that aims to tone and strengthen the entire body. It's low impact and you can do it at home, provided you focus on keeping movements small and controlled to target specific muscle groups.
Many people love barre as it also targets smaller muscles in the body that are hard to focus on with other types of exercise.
22. Circuit training
Circuit training is best done in the garden or a large studio space, so if you live in an apartment, you might want to consider a different type of exercise. For circuit training, you'll need a couple of dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands and other fitness accessories like a skipping rope and disc gliders. However, find a workout online that you like and follow along - some require no equipment at all.
23. Jumping jacks
Simple but effective, jumping jacks are an old-school exercise most of us will remember from P.E. lessons at school. Start slowly while you build up the technique and your fitness, incorporating other bodyweight exercises into your routine as well. Then, increase the intensity by speeding up your jumping jacks.
24. Exercise sliders
Exercise sliders, or disc gliders as they are also known, are small discs you can put under your hands or feet to replicate many of the benefits of Reformer Pilates at home.
They are small and lightweight too so you don't have to worry about storage and can be a great alternative to jumping-bassed workouts if you need to be quiet for the neighbours downstairs or need low-impact movements.
25. Dumbbell workout
Having a pair of dumbbells can really help you out in a home workout. They are simple hand weights that are versatile enough to do just about anything with - from shadow boxing to squats, working both the upper and the lower body depending on the exercise you choose.
They are a great way to add resistance to bodyweight exercises and are easy to store under the bed, sofa, or in a wardrobe.
26. Tabata
If you like HIIT workouts, you'll probably like Tabata as well. This is a type of high-intensity interval training that uses short periods of extremely demanding activity combined with short rest periods. Each exercise typically lasts for about four minutes and workouts should be no longer than 30 minutes.
Follow along with videos online to get started - but beware, this isn't one for beginners.
27. Tae Bo
As the name might suggest, Taebo is a combination of taekwondo and boxing. It's a cardio workout that's very easy to do at home and was very popular in the 1990s - much like Power Plate workouts.
Follow along with videos online or download one of the best workout apps, where you'll find workouts like Taebo available for free or for a small subscription fee.
28. Indoor cycling
If you have space for a treadmill or walking pad but prefer to get your steps in outside, it's worth considering the benefits of indoor cycling.
Doing cycling as a workout is excellent for boosting your fitness, endurance, lower-body strength and mental wellbeing. Plus, you can do it at home while watching television or reading a book.
29. Treadmill running
If you like to run and you have the space in your home for a treadmill, it can be an excellent and efficient way to work out at home. Most treadmills go up to about 15km/h and have levels of elevation so you can challenge your fitness with an uphill workout.
Whether you want to run 20 minutes a day to get your steps in or train for a 10km run, it's a worthwhile purchase.
30. Walking on the spot
No room for a treadmill, indoor bike, or walking pad? No problem - get your steps in without even moving. While you do lose some of the benefits of walking with this - such as fresh air from being outside - it's still a great way to boost your cardiovascular fitness, build strength in your legs and lower your risk of falling in later life.
The most important thing is that it elevates your heart rate.
31. Ski erg
Looking to add something a little different to your home gym? A ski erg is a machine that replicates the motions done in skiing with air resistance, helping to build strength and endurance in the whole body.
It's low-impact, burns more calories than many other home exercises and is suitable for all levels of fitness.
32. Bench workouts
Much like a chair workout, a bench workout is low-impact and effective for boosting strength at home. You can buy a workout bench or use a stool in your living room. Pair your bodyweight exercises - such as tricep dips, rows, presses and rear-foot elevated split squats - with a barbell, resistance bands, or dumbbells for the most effective workout.
-
5 unmissable interior design secrets I learnt from working with professional designersThe tips and tricks I picked up working with interior designers, from sourcing artwork to creating a more flexible living room layout
-
'No one told me I’d feel like I was losing my mind' - 6 women on what perimenopause really feels likeWhat does perimenopause feel like? From brain fog and insomnia to anxiety and heavy periods, perimenopause can be a great unravelling for some, says Kathryn Williams
