Do you think of it as an easy way out of exercising when your gym is closed and it's cold outside? You think there's no other option than to curl up on the couch to watch Love, Actually for the hundredth time? Think again — I have not one, but two workouts you can do in your living room! If you have room for a yoga mat, then you have all the space you need for either of these workouts!
One is high impact, and one is low impact, so you can try either, depending on your fitness level, and needs.
Are you ready?
Workout One: Low Impact. Choose this workout if you haven't exercised regularly for a while, or if you have any issues with your joints.
Many of these exercises may be familiar, but here are descriptions of some of the exercises you may not know:
Side Plank: Literally holding a plank position on your side, you can modify this depending on your strength. To make it easier, plank with knees on the floor. To make it harder, raise your free arm up straight, or even add your free leg raised up if you want a big challenge.
Bridges: Lying on your back, with knees bent, raise your hips up high, then lower back to the ground. Try to squeeze your butt as you raise.
Lateral leg lifts: Lying on your side, raise your top leg up straight. Keep your foot flexed so it's the muscles on the side of your leg and hip doing the work. If you have an ankle weight or a resistance band, use it — otherwise you can do these without weight.
Seated leg raises: Sitting on a chair, or couch, with legs out straight, raise them up as high as you can. To make this harder, add weight. A small child sitting on your shins, for example, makes it super tough!
Plank flutters: In plank position on forearms, alternate raising each leg straight up.
Inchworms: Start in plank position on hands, inch feet up until you are in down dog position. Inch them back to start.
Quadripeds: On hands and knees, extend one arm and the opposite leg straight out. Bring back in to original position. Alternate between sides, trying to keep your back still.
Stand Up Squats: Sit on the edge of a couch or chair, so your knees are at a 90 degree angle, then stand up, and lower back to seated.
Choose the high impact workout for a cardio challenge. This one is great if you are injury-free, and pretty fit!
Mountain climbers: From plank position, alternate jumping each foot forward, as fast as you can!
Burpees: There are countless variations, but the classic is to start in plank position, do a push up, jump your feet to your hands, then spring up into a jump before coming back down to plank.
High knees: More than running in place, this makes it more challenging by raising each knee as high as you can while you run!
Will you try one of these workouts? Have you ever worked out at home?
Images (top to bottom) via UrbaneWomenMag/Flickr; Carly Pizzani
