To many people, January first means a new beginning, a fresh start and the chance to accomplish long awaited goals. Adopting a healthier lifestyle and getting a fit body top the lists each year as people plan to make last year’s goals a success.
For those looking to get fit, a gym membership is most likely first on the list. But although a membership is first to be sought after, it also ends up the first to be forgotten. Studies show that just eight percent of people actually achieve their New Year’s resolution goal. For the rest, the gym membership sits unused, wasting money.
Some blame the discontinuance of fitness goals to a hectic schedule, and others claim they simply lost their motivation. But really, the biggest fit buster is said to be the stress of adapting to a new lifestyle. The planning and preparation it takes to attain a new, fit physique can overwhelm the new gym goer just enough to give up.
One way to decrease stress levels when trying to reach a fitness goal is by simply adopting an at-home routine using the best weight lifting tool we have: our bodies. This method of training saves time and money! Best of all, the chances of reaching your fitness goals increase when pressure is low. And there are plenty of benefits to training at home, the first of which is the number of things in our homes we can use in place of gym equipment. Resistance bands and free weights can also be added into home routines to help in your progress.
This at-home workout program is designed to work your whole body! It’s perfect for both beginners and the advanced as you can control the number of reps and intensity. So whether you have worked out your whole life or this is your first time, rest assured this is a workout you will benefit from. There are two parts. One part is strength training with bands (you can use weights if you want to) and the second part is high intensity cardio. As you progress you will merge parts one and two. An example of this is included.
HOW TO: Total Body Circuit
WARM UP Active Stretching Perform 2 sets
- 20 jumping jacks
- 20 knee highs
- 20 butt kicks
- 20 bodyweight squats
- 20 toe touches—touch your toes then reach to the sky
Alternative warm up: light jog or jump rope
WORKOUT—Part 1
Equipment needed: chair and weights or bands.
Perform 10 to 12 reps of each exercise. Do not rest in until all four exercises are completed; this will help burn more calories and work your body harder. Add more sets for a harder workout.
Bicep curls- Military press
- Full sit-ups
- Chest press
WORKOUT—Part 2
No equipment needed.
Perform 20 reps each. For a more advanced workout perform each exercise for a full minute.
- Mountain climbers
- Push-ups
- Planks
- Jump lunges
WORKOUT—Parts 1 and 2 combined. Perform each exercise back to back doing 20 reps each.
- Bicep curls into pop squats
- Mountain climbers
- Chest press into planks
- Military press
BONUS WORKOUT—2 sets of 10 to 15 reps each
- Tricep dips on chair
- Lying leg lifts
- Jumping jacks
- Push-ups
- Burpees
- Wide bodyweight Squat (Sumo)
- Tuck jumps
As you can see, there are many exercises you can perform at home to get yourself fit. Saving time and money will help ease the added pressure that tends to hit after the excitement of the holidays. Make yourself proud this year and adopt a fit lifestyle by working your whole body at home! Let’s get fit! Happy New Years!
