Home Workout Hacks for People With No Equipment

For many of us with smaller homes, it’s hard to justify taking up a lot of space for exercise equipment. We’d have to get rid of other creature comforts just to fit in that nice workout bench we want so much and it doesn’t really go with the wood furniture motif you’ve already worked on.

This doesn’t mean you can’t get a full body workout that makes you feel and look good using furniture, small items and other ‘hacks’. Here’s a home workout that requires no equipment you can put together with little to no space and just a little bit of your time.

• Arm Strengthening Exercises

We’re all aware of pushups. Some of us may find this exercise boring, but it’s easy to not only shift the effectiveness of a pushup while increasing the resistance the pushup gives you, which can help build muscle.

Just as a person who might have difficulty with pushups can start by resting on their knees, you can increase the difficulty by putting your feet up onto a chair.

Your body itself is the like weights on a dumbbell set, so the more of your body that you lift, the higher the weight, difficulty and strength building.

Just like when using dumbbells, arm positions can work different parts of your arm at different rates.

Placing your hands extremely close together, even touching, directly below you will put more focus on your triceps while spreading out your arms will work your shoulders and back more. Combining these into a single workout can easily push you to your limit and give you nice cut arms.

For your biceps, there surely are a few things that you can easily and safely grip to do simple curls. However, having a small set of weights like the Powerblock Set 70 Stage 1 is highly recommended and don’t take up your entire floor or even your closet.

• Core Strengthening Exercises

Most people don’t like situps and crunches, but these aren’t the only exercises that can strengthen your core. An at-home workout that builds abs that many people overlook is the leg lift. Simply find a flat elevated surface, like a kitchen or coffee table, that can support your weight.

Hanging your legs off the end of the table, slowly raise and lower your legs. You can switch between keeping your legs straight and raising them bent.

Turning your hips a little and doing a few lifts on each side can chisel your abs a little further to the sides. You may find this exercise far more enjoyable and just as effective as a typical sit up. Just remember to put your lamp back when you’re done! You may also want to lay down a towel beforehand, as well.

To work your back, use your body weight as resistance here, too. On the floor, lay face down and raise your arms and legs up as high as possible without using the ground for leverage, balancing on your midsection.

Push To the Limit

If you want to add challenge, when your arms and legs are up, do jumping jack motions. If you want to test your limits, hold your arms and legs off the ground as long as you possibly can.

When you find the space, though, core workout equipment like the Teeter EP 560 Manual Inversion Table can take your core workout to the next level for an affordable price.

• Cardio Home Workout

One thing many people may not realize is that it’s quite easy to do a cardio workout at home. Stepping is a great way to get the heart pumping and sweat flowing to make sure you never let the cobwebs set into your body. You can step on just about anything you have around the house that you don’t care about. The main thing to remember is to choose something that’s the wide, sturdy and low center of gravity; you don’t want to sprain your ankle because your step gave out. Most people have a step near their apartment or in their yard. Even a curb is useful for this purpose. Just be mindful and pick a step that doesn’t obstruct other people that might need to use it.

Of course, if you do have the room and want a greater potential and efficiency of workout, a Stairmaster Treadclimber 5 on your Christmas wish list can up your cardio game. Until then, hitting a step with a good high tempo set of songs works just fine.

If you’re looking to upgrade your home workout past a few hacks, call Fitness Expo Stores in Shreveport at 318-596-0148 to find out what we offer or see it for yourself by visiting our store.