Being at home does not have to derail your goals to keep moving and staying in shape. Exercise can be done with the use of your own body weight to increase mobility and strengthen specific muscle groups.
Lower Body
Squats
Squats mainly targets the thighs (quadriceps & hamstrings) and the glutes. However, core strength & stability, ankle mobility, back muscles, calves, and other factors play an important role when you are doing this exercise.
Set-up:
1. Find a foot stance that feels best for you. Pointing your toes slightly outwards helps some, but keeping them parallel is fine, too. If you’re not sure what’s best, start by putting your feet shoulder-width apart and pointed about 15 degrees outwards.
2. Tense your abs like someone is about to punch you.
3. Look straight ahead and stand tall!
4. “Sit back” – make sure to move your butt backward, don’t just bend your knees
5. Be careful to keep your knees in line with your toes, don’t let them cave in
6. Don’t forget about your upper body – look straight ahead and don’t round your back.
Exercises
Beginner: Assisted Squats, Chair Squats
Intermediate: Body weight Squat
Advanced: Pulsing Body weight squats
Rep Range: 3 sets of 10-20 reps
Lunges
Lunges can help you develop lower-body strength and endurance. They’re also a great beginner move. When done correctly, lunges can effectively target your lower-body muscles without placing added strain on your joints.
Set-up:
1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Engage your core.
2. Take a big step forward with right leg. Start to shift your weight forward so heel hits the floor first.
3. Lower your body until right thigh is parallel to the floor and right shin is vertical. It is o.k. if the knee shifts forward a little as long as it doesn’t go past right toe. If mobility allows, lightly tap left knee to the floor while keeping weight in right heel.
4. Press into right heel to drive the body straight up to a starting position.
5. Repeat on the other side
Exercises
Beginner: Assisted Stationary lunges
Intermediate: Stationary Lunges
Advanced: Forward alternating lunges
Rep Range: 3 sets of 10-20 reps per side
Hip Bridge
The basic bridge isolates and strengthens your gluteus (butt) muscles and hamstrings (back of the thigh). When done correctly, the move can also enhance core stability by targeting your abdominal muscles and the muscles of lower back and hip.
Set-up
1. Lie on your back with your hands at your sides, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor under your knees.
2. Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles by pushing your low back into the ground before you push up.
3. Raise your hips to create a straight line from your knees to shoulders.
4. Squeeze your core and pull your belly button back toward your spine.
5. Hold for 3 seconds, and then return to your starting position.
Exercises
Beginner: Regular Bridges
Intermediate: Legs elevated hip bridges
Advanced: Single leg hip bridges
Rep Range: 3 sets of 10-20 reps
Upper Body
Push-ups
Push-ups are a simple and effective body-weight movement that can help increase strength in your upper body and core. This exercise works the pectoral muscles in your chest and the triceps.
Set-up:
1. Begin with your chest and stomach flat on the floor. Your legs should be straight out behind you and your palms should be at chest level with the arms bent out at a 45-degree angle.
2. Exhale as you push from your hands and heels, bringing your torso, chest, and thighs off the ground.
3. Pause for a second in the plank position — keep your core engaged.
4. Inhale as you slowly lower back to your starting position.
Exercises
Beginner: Modified push-ups, Incline push-ups
Intermediate: Push-ups
Advanced: Decline Push-ups, Side to Side push-ups
Rep Range: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Triceps Dip
The triceps dip is one of the most effective exercises for activating the triceps muscles in your upper arm.
Set-up
1. Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
2. Slide your butt off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you.
3. Straighten your arms, keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
4. Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
5. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. This completes one rep.
6. Keep your shoulders down as you lower and raise your body. You can bend your legs to modify this exercise.
Exercises
Beginner: Floor triceps dip, Bent knee seated triceps dip
Intermediate: Straight leg seated triceps dip
Advanced: Double chair triceps dip
Rep Range: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Core
Plank
The plank is a great exercise for strengthening your deep inner core: your transverse abdominis, multifidus, diaphragm, and pelvic floor. In addition to your core, if you are doing it right, the plank is a great total-body move. You engage your quads, glutes, arms, and more.
Set-up:
1. Plant hands directly under shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder width) like you’re about to do a push-up.
2. Ground toes into the floor and squeeze glutes to stabilize your body. Your legs should be working, too — be careful not to lock or hyper-extend your knees.
3. Neutralize your neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot beyond your hands. Your head should be in line with your back.
4. Hold the position for 20 seconds. As you get more comfortable with the move, hold your plank for as long as possible without compromising your form or breath.
Exercises:
Beginner: Modified Plank, Incline plank
Intermediate: Elbow Plank
Advanced: Regular Plank
Rep Range: 3 sets of 30 – 60 seconds
These simple movements are the fundamentals to any exercise routine. When done correctly they can help you achieve your fitness goals. Aim to complete an exercise routine at least 3-4 times per week for at least 30 or more minutes.
Check out some of these exercises in action: Body Weight Exercises