Training in a gym can be beneficial for many reasons such as gyms can provide atmosphere, depth of equipment, and available instruction. However, training in a gym may not be ideal for everyone and you can achieve your fitness goals with a full-body home workout program. If you are lacking time or access to a gym, you can still get in great shape at home if you know what you are doing.
Some exercises and shortcuts can help people reach their goals quicker and without as much risk for injury. For those looking to improve overall health and look great, then full-body workouts are for you. Unfortunately, you will likely find it difficult to perform a whole-body workout without equipment. Fortunately, all you need is some inexpensive resistance bands, and you can activate every muscle at home.
If you are not sold on why you should do resistance band whole body home workout, then check out this video. Here are four reasons you should consider doing a whole body workout routine regularly.
X exercises that you can do at without a gym
No. 1: Walking (Must Do For Any Home Workout Program)
You should always start your workout with a warm-up. Walking is number one on our list for several reasons. Most notably, it is a great warm-up exercise that can you can do anywhere. You can walk almost anywhere, at almost anytime. All you need is the right attitude and a good pair of shoes. Additionally, another reason it is number one on the list is when you do it regularly, walking has so many health benefits.
The Health Benefits of Walking
Walking can reduce the risk of many diseases – from type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis.
The 20-year Nurses’ Health Study of 72,000 female nurses showed that exercise such as brisk walking for three hours a week – or just half an hour a day – is associated with a 30% to 40% lower risk of heart disease in women. Additionally, this same study also linked regular activity to a reduced risk of breast cancer and type 2 diabetes. Similarly, another study concluded that people with a high risk of diabetes cut their risk in half. This reduction occurred by combining regular exercise like walking with lower fat intake and a 5% to 7% weight loss). Walking also helped men, as well.
A Harvard study of more than 11,000 men showed that regular, moderate exercise equivalent to brisk walking for an hour a day, five days a week, can cut the risk of stroke in half. So there is no argument that a walking program can not only improve your looks and well being, but it can extend your life as well. Several studies have shown that consistent exercising, like walking, reduces bone mineral density loss. A study of more than 30,000 men and women ages 20 to 93 showed a marked reduction in hip fractures. The list goes on and on.
10 Health Benefits of Walking
- Relieve arthritis and back pain
- Strengthen muscles, bones, and joints
- Prevent colon cancer
- Improve or prevent constipation
- Prevent impotence
- Lengthen lifespan
- Improve sleep
- Elevate overall mood and sense of well-being
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Prevent depression
How You Can Achieve A Successful Walking Program:
Having a steady routine is the most critical factor in getting the most out of your exercise program. In the beginning, you should start by walking 10 minutes at a time, gradually moving up to at least 45 minutes per session. As you progress, lengthen the time of your walks before boosting your speed or incline. Walking for at least 30 minutes a day, five or more days a week is recommended.
Getting The Most Out Of You Walks
When you walk, do not slouch in the shoulders, lean forward from the waist, or excess have sway in your back. To increase your intensity, concentrate on taking faster steps not longer. As you improve your speed, your stride will lengthen naturally as you step up the pace. When walking, hold your elbows at a right angle so your arms can swing more quickly. Your hands should trace an arc from alongside the waist on the backswing, to chest height (no higher) in the front. Last but not least, consciously push off from your toes and generate as much boost as possible at the end of each step.
During your walks, you should be able to maintain a conversation. If you’re breathing too lightly, increase your pace. If you can’t catch your breath, slow it down. By keeping your heart rate in this zone, you will burn the maximum amount of body fat while minimizing muscle loss.
Additional tips to keep you on track:
- Stretch before and after your walk to reduce the chances of injury.
- Wear a hat and sunscreen.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
- Bring water with you so as not to become dehydrated.
No. 2: Cardio Interval Training
Interval training is another excellent at-home workout. Most people do interval training primarily because it increases the overall intensity of your workout, which is an essential component for success. Interval training, if done correctly, can add cardio to your cardio, increase blood flow, boost your overall fitness level. Additionally, cardio can increase the number of calories burned and help you get in better shape quickly.
How to perform Cardio Interval Training
A simple way to do some interval training on any cardio machine is to pick up the pace for 30 seconds, then back off for two minutes. Depending on the length of your workout, your conditioning, and how much time you need to recover, the interval lengths should be adjusted.
No. 3: Super Setting
A Superset is a technique where you perform two or more exercises back to back. When you perform three exercises in succession, it is referred two as a triset superset. You should perform supersets to increases the intensity of the workout. For instance, you get more done in a shorter period. This extra load (intensity) helps increase muscle stamina and improves conditioning. The higher the intensity, the more effective the workout. Doing super sets is a great way to train if time is limited too!
How To Perform Supersets:
Most people perform supersets in one of two ways. The first way is doing two different exercises in a row that hit the same muscles. Another way is by doing two exercises in a row targeting two different muscle groups. Supersets work best when targeting opposing muscle groups. Performing them this way allows for a better pump, as well as more reps. An example of the second method would be combining a Bicep Curl with an Overhead Press as follows:
- Sit on a bench (or stand) and begin with a bicep curl,
- bringing the weights towards the shoulders.
- Immediately turn the palms out and raise arms into ‘goalposts’.
- Lift arms straight up overhead, but don’t touch the weights at the top.
This exercise works the biceps and the shoulders. Another way of super setting these two exercises would be performing the bicep curl to exhaustion, then immediately without rest perform the overhead press. Many bodybuilders also love to superset bicep curls with a tricep exercise such as tricep pushdowns, or tricep kickbacks. Whatever your preference, it is the technique that matters most. Super setting can be a great way to jumpstart or turbocharge a stagnant routine.
No. 4: Lunges
Why it’s a winner: Like squats, lunges work all the major muscles of the lower body. Lunges also help improve your balance.
How To Do Single-Leg Lunges With Proper Form
The lunge targets the Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, and Core.
- Stand in a lunge with left foot in front, knees bent, and left thigh parallels to the floor.
- Lean forward from your hip, then straighten your left leg, extending your right leg behind you 45 degrees.
- Return to start.
- Complete 10 – 20 reps on each leg.
How To Perform Wide Stance Lunges
- Begin by standing straight, then step forward with one foot, leaving the other back.
- Both feet should be directed straight with the toes facing forward. Take a giant step.
- Lower your back knee almost to the floor, and rise again, concentrating on squeezing your buttocks to push yourself up
- Maintain your body in an upright position and avoid leaning forward.
- Repeat this action to perform several repetitions, then again with the opposite foot ahead.
How To Execute Narrow Stance Lunges
- Begin by standing straight, then step forward with one foot, leaving the other back.
- Both feet should be directed straight with the toes facing forward, heels no more than 4 inches apart. Take a half step.
- Lower your back knee almost to the floor, and rise up again, concentrating on squeezing your buttocks to push yourself up.
- Maintain your body in an upright position and avoid leaning forward.
- Repeat this action to perform several repetitions, then again with the opposite foot forward.
- Make sure there is not too great a distance between your feet. Do not allow your front knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down, and stop where your feel comfortable.
How To Use Resistance Bands To Raise The Intesity Of Lunges
To use resistance bands for lunges, you must to one full set on one leg before switching to the other leg. Step on the center of the band with the foot that will not move during the set. Lunge down and then lift the bands to your shoulders. Next, you are ready to lunge with the extra resistance of the bands.
No. 5: Squats
Squats work multiple muscle groups from your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals all at the same time.
How to properly perform a squat
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight.
- Bend your knees and lower your rear as if you were sitting down in a chair. Keep your knees over your ankles.
- Repeat.
If you have bad knees, poor balance, or you are just not in great shape yet, then you can start slowly by practicing with a chair. Place the chair behind you. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Bend your knees and sit all the way down in the chair and stand back up. Next, don’t sit all the way down; barely touch the chair’s seat before standing back up. Ultimately, graduate to doing squats without a chair.
Once you have mastered this technique, try adding additional sets of the exercise and alter the width of your feet placement and the direction you point your toes. For instance, add three extra sets of the squat. Similarly, vary your stance by your keeping knees together will concentrate the work on your glutes and hamstrings. If you point your toes outward, you will work more of the inner lower portion of the leg (quadriceps). By varying your toe and feet position, you will get a more overall workout and hit more of the secondary and supporting muscles.
Adding Resistance Bands To Your Squats
Adding bands to your squats is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is stand on the middle of the band and raise the handles to your shoulders. Now perform your squats with the bands handles maintain on your shoulders.
No. 6: Push-ups
Push-ups also engage multiple muscle groups. You will work your chest, triceps, and indirectly the abdominals and shoulders all at the same time. Push-ups are an excellent exercise for general upper body strength. Another great feature is that push-ups don’t require any equipment. You can do push-ups anywhere there is a firm surface. Additionally, you can push-up variations to target your muscles in different ways.
Executing Proper Proper Push-Ups:
- Assume a prone position on the floor or other rigid surfaces that’s able to support your body weight. Keep your feet together.
- Place your hands under yourself on the floor, approximately shoulder-width apart. Vertically place your palms under your sternum and not under your shoulders.
- Raise yourself using your chest and arms.
- Make a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Lower your body to the ground until your elbows form a 90-degree angle. Keep your elbows close to your body for more resistance. Keep your head facing forward. Try to have the tip of your nose pointed directly ahead. Breath in as you lower yourself. Try to touch your chest to the ground.
- Exhale as you raise yourself by attempting to push the ground away from you. Feel the power coming from your chest. Continue the push until your arms are almost in a straight position (but not locked). Contract (squeeze) your chest through this movement and again at the top of the movement. Do not lock your arms.
- Repeat
Beginners may start doing push-ups leaning into their kitchen counters, then working their way down to a desk or chair, onto the floor with knees bent, and on the floor on their toes. To make it harder, put your feet on a stair, bench, or couch while maintaining proper form.
To vary this exercise and work more of your triceps and less of the chest, you can do close grip push-ups.
Close Grip Push-ups
You perform close grip push-ups the same was as regular push-ups, but you bring your hands in closer to the center of your body. Don’t bring your hands in so much that they touch.
No. 7: Leg Raises
Why it’s a winner: Leg raises are another exercise that requires no special equipment. Leg raises place primary stress on the lower half of the rectus abdominis, although the muscle fibers of the upper rectus abdomen as well. Most importantly, leg raises target the stubborn lower abdominal area that is so hard for many to flatten and lose.
How You Properly Perform Leg Raises
- Lie on your back on an inclined ab board with your head toward the raised end.
- Grasp the end of the upper bench with your hands to stabilize your body.
- Bend your leg 15-20 degrees or until you feel your back relax.
- Use your abdominal muscles to raise your feet in an arc to a position directly above your head.
- Drop your feet in a return arc until they clear the bench.
- Repeat until failure (get 15-25 reps).
Because this movement works the hard to work lower abs, you want to do this exercise before crunches.
No. 8: Roll Up Abdominal Crunches
This exercise targets the rectus abdominis (the “six-pack” muscle). It is approximately 30 percent more effective than the standard crunch because the move challenges your abs through a fuller range of motion, recruiting more muscle fibers.
How To Correctly Perform Roll Up Crunches:
- Begin by lying on your back with feet flat on the floor.
- Lie back with legs straight, and arms extended above head next to ears.
- Press your low back down.
- Keep your neck in line with your spine.
- Don’t hold your breath.
- Bring your arms forward, tilt chin down, and slowly curl your upper body up, reaching hands to toes while exhaling.
- Repeat
No. 9 Bicep Curls
Bicep curls are a simple but effective exercise that tightens the front part of your arm, the bicep. The development of your bicep can be seen relatively quickly when the workouts are consistent and intense.
Performing Proper Bicep Curl With Resistance Bands:
- Grab the resistance band with both hands. Stand on the band so that it is taught when your arms are down in the resting position.
- Without swaying or swinging your arms, and with your elbows at your sides. Raise your hands and the bands up to your shoulders.
- Lower to the original position and repeat for 8 to 10 repetitions.
The key to the bicep curl is control. If you can’t perform the curl smoothly, you may be using too much resistance.
Common Errors When Performing Bicep Curls
The following errors are potentially dangerous and can result in injury. Avoid them at all costs.
- Over arching your back, also known as hyperextending your back. When you over arch, you place an unnecessary strain on your lower back.
- Leaning back. When you lean back, especially at the end of the set, as the weight starts to get heavy is a form of cheating. Most people cheat to keep going, and cheating like this is potentially dangerous to your lower back. If you can’t complete the rep in good form, go as far as you can, hold it there for as long as you can, then lower the weight.
No. 10: Shoulder Press
The shoulder press is a simple compound exercise that works your entire shoulder. Similarly, to bench press, the shoulder press indirectly works your triceps. Additionally, the resistance bands allow for greater freedom of movement than using a barbell. Your extended range of movements can increase shoulder muscle activation. Resistance band presses are also useful for shoulder injuries as they are far less stressful to your shoulder joint.
How To Correctly Perform Resistance Band Shoulder Presses
- If standing, stand in the center of the band. If you are sitting, place the band under the chair. Grip the handles at the ready to press them above your head.
- Press the handles up over your head and return to the start position. Move the handles in front of you just below your chin.
- Repeat this movement for 8 to 10 repetitions.
Shoulder Press Tips
Keep your pinkies higher than your thumbs throughout the movement. Proper hand position will mean tipping the handles slightly down and in towards your head as though pouring water on yourself. You should feel increased tension in your deltoids.
Common errors when performing shoulder presses.
The following errors are potentially dangerous and can result in injury. Avoid them at all costs.
- Leaning back. When the resistance starts to get hard, many people tend to lean back, in effect turning the exercise into an incline press with no back support. Leaning back will reduce the effectiveness for your shoulders as well as placing an unnecessary strain on the lower back.
No. 11: Bent-Over Rows
The bent-over row works all the major muscles of the upper back, as well as the biceps. The bent-over row primarily targets the latissimus dorsi muscle.
How to perform bent-over rows:
- Stand with your legs apart to create a strong base. You will need to loop the band prior to stepping on them to ensure they are taught at the beginning of the pull.
- Lean forward while keeping your back straight.
- Pull the handles back by pulling your elbows behind past your back.
- Slowly extend your arms back to straight.
- Repeat this procedure, concentrating on utilizing your back muscles.
Tips when performing bent-over rows
- Keep your back straight and butt out.
- Concentrate on pulling with your back and not your biceps.
Common errors when performing bent-over rows
The following errors are potentially dangerous and can result in injury. Avoid them at all costs.
- Overarching your back. This standard error is hyperextending your back and places an unnecessary strain on your lower back.
- Not having enough tension. You will not get a proper workout if you are using too little tension. Ensure the resistance is set to make the exercise difficult toward the end of your set.
Need More Exercises
Check out our other workout here.
