Sport at home: 8 exercises to do at home
For some, the gym is the go-to place to indulge in fitness. But for others, it is an impersonal place, not conducive to motivation. It is nevertheless possible to play sports, whether outdoors or at home. Here are some examples of exercises to do at home, without having to spend too much on equipment.
Exercise # 1 : Squats
Squats are a fitness classic. Rather complete, they allow you to tone the gluteal muscles , the quadriceps and the hamstrings.
- Standing, feet hip-width apart, hold yourself slightly bent, without digging or arching your back. Arms are stretched forward, hands joined.
- Lower yourself slowly, bending your knees and pushing your buttocks back slightly, as if you wanted to sit down. The back should remain straight, and the thighs should be parallel to the ground.
- Then rise back to the starting position.
- Start with 2-3 sets of 10 squats, then increase as you train at home .
Exercise 2: lunges
Front lunges engage multiple muscle groups: thighs, abs , hip muscles (psoas, sacroiliac), and glutes. They’re also great for balance and posture, and easy to make at home .
- Standing, spread your legs at hip height and relax your shoulders.
- Take a big step forward and bend your leg. Your hands are placed on your hips, the weight of the body is distributed on the bent leg in front. The front thigh is parallel to the floor, while the back thigh is perpendicular to it.
- During the descent, be sure to keep your back straight and your head in alignment.
- Raise by pushing on the front leg, while the abdominals are contracted.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times, then switch sides.
- Incorporate 2-3 sets of 20 squats into your home gym routine.
Exercise 3 : push-ups
Push-ups remain a staple of fitness. They tone the upper body : arms , shoulders and back muscles, especially the trapezius muscles.
- Lie flat on your stomach, hands flat on the floor at shoulder height, and legs stretched out on tiptoe.
- Lift yourself up on your arms. Your head, back and legs should stay in the same alignment.
- Come back down, maintaining the pressure on your arms, which carry your body.
- If the exercise is too difficult, you can start with half push-ups, placing your hands on a slightly elevated surface, or leaning on your knees rather than your feet.
- You can start with 2-3 sets of 10-15 push-ups, and then increase the size of each set.
Exercise # 4 : The Side Plank
The plank is one of the best cladding exercises. Its lateral version allows you to strengthen your abdominal strap , and more precisely the oblique muscles, which are too often neglected. Thus the side plank makes it possible to refine its size and to get rid of love handles .
- Lie on your side.
- Supported on one foot and on the forearm, raise the body. The legs and the bust must be placed in the same axis. The body is tense and the muscles gathered.
- Hold the position for 20 seconds, then gently release.
- Repeat the exercise 5 to 10 times, pausing briefly between each, then switch sides.
- The goal is to increase the duration of the position, as the training progresses. You can also make the exercise more difficult by leaning on your hand, rather than your forearm, and raising your other arm upwards.
Exercise 5 : the bridge
The bridge exercise is inspired by a yoga pose . It solicits all the muscles of the body and strengthens the abdominals (including the transverse) as well as the muscles of the pelvis or the quadriceps. An exercise to strengthen muscles, balance and stretch the back, to be done at home.
- Lie on your back, knees bent and hip-width apart, feet flat and arms at your sides. The heels should be as close as possible to the buttocks.
- On inspiration, lift the pelvis towards the sky. The thrust should come from the glutes and thighs. The abs are gathered, the legs well parallel.
- Hold the position for 5 breaths, then return to the starting position, placing your back, then your buttocks on the ground.
- Repeat the movement 10 times, during each series. Include 2-3 sets in your home gym routine.
Exercise # 6 : The Mountain Climber
The Mountain Climber is a classic cardio exercise. Intense, demanding, it is formidable for toning the abdominal belt and the muscles of the bust, but also the legs and the flexors of the hip .
- Get into the initial push-up position. Core your body and make sure your head, back, and legs are aligned.
- Bring one knee forward, at elbow height, as if you were trying to jump off a starting block.
- Quickly bring the bent leg back to its original position and bring the other knee forward. The Mountain Climber mimics a climbing movement.
- Chain the repetitions for 30 seconds (for novices) to one minute.
- You can incorporate 2-3 sets into your home workout routine.
Exercise 7 : the chair
- The chair exercise, which is very easy to do at home, is a very good example of a static exercise. It particularly strengthens the muscles of the thighs , quadriceps and hamstrings.
- Stand against a wall, legs open at hip height, feet firmly planted on the ground.
- Go down slowly, keeping your back close to the wall, as if you wanted to sit on an imaginary chair. The hands are placed on the thighs, the back straight and the thighs parallel to the ground.
- Hold for 30 seconds (for beginners) to a minute, then come back up.
- You can increase the hold time as you progress. It is possible to integrate the chair as a transition between each exercise of your sports routine at home.
Exercise 8: bicycle crunches
Crunches are a fitness classic when it comes to building your abs. The “bicycle” version allows more use of the obliques.
- Lie on your back, knees bent and hip-width apart, feet flat.
- Place your arms on either side of your head, hands at ear level. Don’t put your hands crossed behind your neck, otherwise you’ll hurt yourself.
- Raise one of your knees toward your chest, while the other leg remains bent.
- Rotate your torso so that your elbow is towards the opposite knee (right elbow and left knee, left elbow and right knee).
- Straighten the leg and do the same movement with the other knee, as if you were pedalling.
- The movements must be regular and soft, without pulling on the cervical.
- Start with 2 to 3 sets of 30 seconds, then increase the duration of the sets, for an effective home sports routine.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.