7 Simple Workout Routines You Can Easily Include In Your Fitness Program

 

Are you working out at home or doing workouts without gym equipment?

These simple exercises at home are probably familiar to you, but the classic exercises are just that for a reason: they work and they are easy.

These workouts are low-impact enough that you can do them daily or every other day, but that is up to you.  The more you do it, the better the results.

If you want to make any of these exercises more challenging, simply raise the reps or sets. A rep is doing the exercise once, while a set is the number of those reps.

You can also add weights to make some of the exercises tougher.

Calories burned are approximated and can swing wildly depending on things like current weight and other circumstances.

As we all know, sticking to a consistent workout routine is key to achieving your fitness goals. However, this doesn’t mean you have to spend hours in the gym every day.

In fact, there are plenty of simple workout routines that you can easily include in your fitness program that will still help you get fit and healthy.

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1. Power Walk

This is one of the easiest activities to add to your daily routine.

Barring a disability, most of us walk daily. We have grown up walking, jogging and running.  Most times, people start exercising by walking or running.  That is often the only exercise people do.

This is easy and effective. You can do this inside on a treadmill, but it is much better if done outside.  The varied terrain and wind resistance will make for better exercise.  It is also mentally soothing to go for a walk outside.

This is not a casual stroll, though. Keep your pace up on this walk. If power walk is too tame for you, you can also jog or run.

Steps & Tips

  • In power walking, posture counts. Stand up straight as possible. This will allow all your muscles through the core to work together and it will help you walk faster.
  • Look up and relax your shoulders.
  • Walk with your arms close to the body and 90-degree angle at the elbow.
  • Stride forward at a brisk pace you can handle, your heel should be striking the ground first.
  • Wear firm-soled, comfortable shoes. Power walking shoes are preferred.

Duration: 20 Minutes

Calories Burned: ~300

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2. Triangle Push-Up

The triangle push up is a variation of the push up most of us is familiar with. This simple variation will work more muscles in your upper body.

I would do this exercise after the power walk personally.  The power walk will have your blood flowing and make you more receptive to this muscle building exercise.

This push up is just like the normal push up except that you bring your hands in so your thumbs and pointer fingers are forming a triangle.

Steps & Tips

  • Kneel down. Place your hands on the floor and position them below your chest with your thumbs and pointer fingers close enough to form a triangle.
  • Stretch out into normal push up position, parallel to the ground.
  • Lower yourself down near ground level and then push yourself up again to complete one push up.
  • If you cannot complete this motion, then you can keep your knees on the ground until you have built up enough arm strength to do the full version.
  • To complete a full set, do 10 push-ups with no break in between.
  • Do three of these sets.

Duration: 3 Sets of 10

Calories Burned: ~75

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3. The Curl-Up

This exercise is based on the sit-up, which is one of the first exercises you will learn along with running and push-ups.  This exercise burns calories while working the abdominal and other core muscles.

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This exercise is slightly different than a sit-up or crunch.  Some studies have shown it has less impact on the lower back.  The exercise is essentially a crunch, but the arms stay at the side of the body.  This is to protect the neck and back muscles.

One rep is a curl up and then back down onto the mat.

Steps & Tips

  • Lie down on your back, if you have an exercise or yoga mat, use that.
  • Place your hands at your sides, arms straight forward and on the mat or ground.
  • Contract your abs. Curl up as if you were doing a crunch, moving your hands along the ground towards your heels.  Keep your head up.
  • Return to the starting point and that is one rep.

Duration: 3 Sets of 10

Calories Burned: ~75

boxing

4. Shadow Boxing

It is estimated that people are 38% more likely to stick with a new exercise if they find it fun or enjoyable.  It makes sense that you would find it easier to do a task that you actually find fun.

It is not just for combat sports enthusiasts, either.  Shadow boxing is a good aerobic workout, easy to do and somewhat therapeutic. This exercise not only works your body, it can also help soothe your mind.

It provides a great outlet for your day’s frustrations.

If you want to increase the resistance in the exercise and make it more challenging, you can add weights to your hands, or use a heavy bag with boxing gloves.

Steps & Tips

  • The great thing about shadow boxing is that it isn’t as form-dependent as other exercises.
  • Stand comfortably. Hold your hands up, making a tight fist with your thumb tight against the outside of your fingers.
  • Do not tuck your thumb inside your fingers; if you accidentally hit something, your thumb could be injured.
  • Keep your elbows close to your body and your chin tucked down
  • Throw some punches as if you were boxing.
  • Start throwing a couple jabs and then work up in speed as the exercise progresses.
  • While punching, you should be moving around, keep on the balls of your feet.
  • Remember to use head movement and lean back and forth as if you were avoiding punches from an opponent.
  • Have fun!

Duration: 15 Minutes (one-minute break 2X)

Calories Burned: ~105

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5. Body Weight Squat

This is one of the most popular exercises for serious weight-trainers.  While they do theirs with huge weights on their backs, this body-weight-only version is still effective.

A squat works primarily your legs, but the amazing thing is that it also works other muscles in your body.  Weight trainers refer to this exercise as a true full body workout.

Learning the body-weight squat is usually suggested before you move onto weighted squats.

The squat is basically done from the standing position, and you squat down towards the ground, in a sitting motion.  Then you finish the squat by standing back up straight.

If you don’t find the body weight squats challenging enough, then add dumbbells in each of your hands.  Make sure to have the same weight on each side.

 

Steps & Tips

  • Stand up with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed 30 degrees out.
  • Squat down into a sitting like position.
  • Squat as far as you are comfortable with.
  • Some people squat until their thighs are parallel to the ground, while others like to slightly break that plane.
  • Don’t risk your form for speed.  Keeping in proper form is more important than finishing quickly.
  • Squatting down and then back up is a rep.
  • A set is 10 reps.
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Duration: 3 Sets of 10

Calories Burned: ~105

exercise, workout, dip

6. Dips

This exercise burns calories as well as builds muscle.  This is one of the best body-weight workouts for your arms.  This is an exercise you will probably feel in your arms a day or more likely after you have done it.

Dips can be done in a couple different ways, but in general, using a dining room chair is perfect.

This exercise is so convenient that you could do it in a hotel room on a business trip.  It just takes your own body weight and a chair.

The overall idea is that you raise your own body weight with just your arms.

Steps & Tips

  • Stand in front of a chair, facing away from it.
  • Sit down on the very edge of the chair.
  • Place your hands so they are on the edge of the chair, about shoulder width apart.
  • Make sure your hands are secured and slide your butt of the edge of the chair, walking out with your feet.  Keep your chest and head up.
  • Slowly lower your body downward.  Don’t bend your elbows past 90 degrees.
  • Now, push your body back up by extending your arms.
  • Lowering down and then raising up constitutes one rep.
  • If 3 sets of 8 reps is too much, start out with one set and work your way up.
  • If you find this exercise too easy, an advanced dip can be performed by resting your feet on edge of another chair.

Duration: 3 Sets of 8

Calories Burned: ~75

workout, exercise, power jump

7. Power Jumps

This exercise is a great way to wind down your day’s activities. It is one last explosive body weight exercise to finish your routine.

You will want to make sure you have room enough to do this exercise and are on a firm floor. You probably don’t want to jump around anything fragile or that could fall off a shelf.

The key to this exercise is using your core muscles to explode. You don’t want to hold back on the jumps because you are scared of knocking something over.  If it is a nice day, this is a great exercise to get out in the yard and do it.

It is pretty easy to do, since most of us have been jumping since we were kids. If you want to add difficulty to the exercise, hold some light dumbbells in each hand (same weight).

Steps & Tips

  • Find somewhere you are comfortable jumping as high as possible.
  • Stand up with your knees slightly bent and your feet close together.
  • Bend down, and then jump straight up as high as you can.
  • Land with your knees loose to absorb impact.
  • As you land, go into a squat position, and then explode into your next jump as you rise up.
  • One jump is one rep.

Duration: 3 Sets of 10

Calories Burned: ~125

These seven workout routines can be done at home without fancy gym equipment.

Just include an exercise routine in your calendar, prepare a workout plan, and start burning calories.

exercise, fitness, workout

Here are some exercise tips that you should keep in mind and you will get more out of your workouts:

1. If possible, work out with a friend. It is much easier to stick with a workout routine if you and your friend are doing it together. There is a certain amount of peer pressure, neither of you wants to be the undisciplined one and neither of you wants to let the other one down.

2. If you are new to working out, try to find a trainer to work with at least until you get a good routine worked out. After you’ve gotten the basics mastered, you can either continue to work out with the trainer (this can be another great motivator) or, if your budget is tight, you can give up the personal trainer and do it yourself.

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3. Do not go nuts on the cardio aspect of your workout. Many people make this mistake. They think that spending a lot of time on the treadmill or the elliptical is good. And it is, but the problem is that your body gets used to that level of exertion and eventually your results will actually go down.

4. Do several types of cardio exercises. This one goes along with tip number 3. Don’t allow your body to get too used to a certain routine. You should change your workout routine at least every 6 weeks or so. This will really maximize your results. Another benefit of changing things up regularly is that you will lessen repetitive motion injuries that occur. You guessed it, when you do the same movements over and over again.

5. When you do weight training, don’t make the mistake of going too fast when you do a repetition. This tip goes for both men and women. Many people go so fast that they are actually allowing momentum to do most of the work for them. This greatly decreases the effectiveness of the exercise. You want a very slow and controlled movement. Not only will you get the most out of the exercise, but you will also lessen your chances of injuring yourself.

6. You may not hear this one too often, but if you are in a time crunch and you can’t really do a full workout (some cardio and weight training) and you have to pick one or the other, choose the weight portion of your workout. Weight training will also have a cardiovascular benefit and the boost in metabolism you get by weight training will last you long after your workout is over.

exercise, workout, fitness

Hopefully, you have found these workout routines and exercise tips to be helpful. To really be successful in your workout program, it’s imperative that you find something that you truly enjoy doing and then simply stick to it.

If you’re looking to add some strength training to your fitness program, you can also incorporate resistance band exercises into your routine.

Resistance bands are affordable, portable, and versatile, making them a great option for adding resistance to your workouts and targeting specific muscle groups.

In addition to these simple workout routines, don’t forget about the importance of stretching and flexibility exercises.

Incorporating stretching into your fitness program can help improve your range of motion, reduce the risk of injury, and promote better posture and alignment.

Overall, including these simple workout routines in your fitness program can help you stay on track with your fitness goals and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Remember, consistency is key, so try to mix up your workouts and find what works best for you. With dedication and determination, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your fitness goals in no time.

 

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