Workout at home: 14 fitness exercises

Everyone in Germany is currently being asked to stay at home if possible. Many are now afraid of getting out of shape because training in the gym or with the running group is currently only possible to a limited extent – but that doesn’t have to be the case! On the contrary, for years, there have been many home workouts that have proven themselves.

Even in times without Corona, you not only save the travel time to the gym, but you can also keep an eye on the children or bridge the potatoes’ cooking time sensibly. We show the 14 best exercises for in-between and give you tips on how you can do many exercises from the gym at home without equipment.

Train yourself – at your own pace.

The general rule is essential here: Only power through as long as you feel good. Drink breaks can be taken at any time. If you feel dizzy or sick, take a longer break or stop exercising. Each exercise involves two to three repetitions. It would help to take a short break between these repetitions, sip, and breathe deeply.

How often you repeat the various exercises in your workout is, of course, up to you. Do the exercises as often as feels most effective for you. The exercises can also be split up. You can do one or more exercises to train your fitness during the quarantine whenever you have a free time slot. You could also motivate one or the other family members to take part.

Warm-up: Jumping Jacks

Who doesn’t know them? They are the classic jumping jacks, also called jumping jacks. You can go right here. The exercise is easy as pie warms up quickly and can be performed in any environment.

That’s how it’s done:

• Stand up straight with your feet together and your arms by your side.
• Now jump with both feet a little more than hip-width apart.
• At the same time, stretch your arms out over your head.
• Jump back to the starting position.
• Immediately bounce your feet off each time you hit the ground.
• Jump over the balls of your feet – the heels should not touch the ground or only lightly.
• Forty jumping jacks at a brisk pace are enough to warm up. After a short break, you can repeat this several times, depending on your exhaustion.

On the following pages, we present further exercises.

Jump rope with or without a rope

If you don’t have a skipping rope at home, you can alternatively use a heavy cord or an old power cable. You can just as easily jump without the rope and imagine the rope, which also has the practical advantage of not getting tangled up.

Jumping rope quickly increases the heart rate and is therefore very effective as endurance training. It is an excellent alternative to jogging. But before that, you should create enough space.

• Jump with both feet at the same time in even movements.
• Raise your feet slightly off the floor so the rope goes through.
• Bounce on the balls of your feet; the heels should not touch the ground or only lightly.
• Remember the hand movements if you jump without a rope so that the arms and abs are also worked.
• You can jump 3 x 30 seconds or 2 x 1 minute, depending on your feelings.

Back exercise 1: lift a crate of drinks

The back hurts quickly due to a lot of sitting in the home office or incorrect strain. However, these complaints can also be prevented without the typical gym exercises for the back – quite simply with everyday objects. For the following exercises, you need a stable table and a crate of drinks that is as full as possible. Instead of the box, you can also fill a small laundry tub with heavy objects.

• Place your feet more than shoulder-width apart.
• Now crouch slightly and lift the box or laundry tub with both hands. You should be in a slight squat position.
• Ensure your back is straight and your head is aligned with your spine.
• Raise the crate to your chest and lower it back down. Only the arms move in this exercise; the rest of the body remains in the starting position.
• You can do 3 x 15 lifts, varying the weight as is most comfortable for you.
• Make sure you stand stable, the weight should not be too heavy, and your feet should not be too close together.

Back exercise 2: Incline pull-ups

This exercise is usually done with gymnastic rings, but we’ll tell you how to do it easily under a table.

It would help to have a stable table loaded with your body weight on one side for this variant. Here, you lie straight under the table and pull your chest up to the table’s edge.

This variant is slightly more strenuous than the other two exercises but trains many muscle groups simultaneously.

 

• The table should not be too high. Lying on the floor, you should be able to grab the table’s edge. You can put a towel around the edge so that the edge does not press into your hands. But make sure you have a firm grip so you don’t slip.
• Lie under the table so that the edge is level with your chest.
• Now, grab the table’s edge with your hands from below; your arms should be perpendicular to the table’s edge.
• Tighten your body.
• Now, you can bend your elbows and lift your body off the floor in a straight line. 
• Draw your chest to the edge of the table. Only the heels should touch the ground.
• Body tension is essential so the buttocks and legs rise and the body constantly forms a straight line.
• Then, lower the body back down.
• After pulling yourself up to the table 8 times, take a break and repeat this exercise.

squats

Squats can be found in almost every workout because they are so easy to do and effective on the hamstrings and glutes. But they also strengthen the lower back and rectus abdominis muscles, called full-body exercise. There are different variations, which we will present below.

• Starting position: Place your feet more than shoulder-width apart. Rotate your knees and toes outward about 30 degrees. It would help if you directed your gaze forward.
• Then, bend your knees and squat down.
• You should exhale and stretch your arms forward.
• Go back to the starting position.
• Important: The lower legs remain in the starting position, and the buttocks shift the weight backwards.
• Hike as low as you can with your buttocks down. The knees should not be rotated inwards. The back should not arch during the exercise.
• Be careful not to bend your knees forward any further than your toes.
• Perform 20 squats before taking a break. You can then repeat the exercise or vary it as follows.

Squat Variation 1: with weight

If you don’t have dumbbells at home, you can use plastic bottles filled with water.

• Hold a weight in each hand; the weights should be of equal weight.
• Now stretch out your arms horizontally at right angles to your body. The bottles or dumbbells should form a horizontal line.
• Perform the squat, always keeping your arms parallel to the floor.

Squat Variation 2: with jump

This is a popular variation of the squat to build endurance. 

• At the bottom of the squat, jump and bounce firmly off the floor.
• When jumping, make your body long; your arms may be taken up.
• From the jump, pull your buttocks down to land back at the bottom of the squat.
• Again, ensure your knees do not bend forward at the lowest point.

Ab Exercise 1: Cyclist Crunches

You can also efficiently train your stomach at home. Defined abdominal muscles look good and strengthen your posture in everyday life. From the many exercises available for training the abdominal muscles, we have put together a selection that is easy to implement.

This exercise mainly strengthens the lateral abdominal muscles.

• Lie flat on your back. Bend your legs at right angles and bend your knees 90 degrees. Your calves should be parallel to the floor.
• Clasp your hands behind your head.
• Now, take turns touching the opposite knee one elbow at a time.
• As you do this, extend the other leg flat off the floor.
• Switch sides as quickly as possible in one fluid motion.
• Perform this exercise at a fast pace for at least 30 seconds.

Ab Exercise 2: Mountain Climbers

This full-body exercise strengthens your back, buttocks and legs in addition to your abdominal muscles. 

• The starting position is a push-up posture. Fingers are spread and pointing forward; feet stand on tiptoe.
• Now, alternately pull one knee forward between your elbows.
• Try to get up to a fast pace while paying attention to body tension.
• Do the exercise at this pace for 30 seconds.
• As a variation, you can also support your arms on an elevation; for example, the edge of the bed, the sofa or a bench is suitable.

Ab Exercise 3: Reverse Crunches

This exercise works the lower abdomen.

• Lie flat on your back, pull your legs toward your body and bend them 90 degrees, your calves parallel to the floor. The hands lie flat next to the body or are clasped behind the head.
• Now, pull your knees towards your chest. If possible, keep your back on the pad.
• Hold this position for a moment, then lower your legs back down.
• Be careful not to touch the floor with your feet.
• Do the exercise at this pace for 30 seconds.

Burpee – the push-up jump

Burpees are very strenuous, but by combining different exercises, they work almost every muscle in the body and are perfect for a full-body workout.

You don’t need any accessories for this exercise, just your body.

• Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.
• Now squat down and place your hands firmly on the floor before your feet.
• Now, shift your weight onto your hands. Jump your feet back into the push-up position.
• Now, do a push-up and jump your feet behind your hands.
• Then crouch and do a straight jump up. You land in the starting position.
• Try to do eight burpees in a row and then take a short break. You can then repeat the exercise.

Trizeps-Dips am Sofa

This exercise is ideal for those who usually train their arms in the gym. The triceps are strengthened here, which is the back of the upper arm. In addition, the exercise is good for the chest muscles. All you need is a stable edge, for example, on a sofa, chair or bench.

• Sit with your back to the edge. Grip the edge with your hands; the backs of your hands should be facing forward.
• Now, push your arms up.
• Thus, your hips will lift off the ground; only your heels should touch the ground.
• Then bend your elbows again and lower your body. The buttocks should not touch the floor.
• You can do two sets of ten tricep dips each. Take a short break in between.

bridge

The bridge stretches the abs while engaging the hamstrings and glutes.

• Lie on your back. Bend your legs and pull your feet to your buttocks. Your torso and feet touch the floor. You can place your palms on the floor next to your body.
• Now, raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your chest.
• Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds, then lower your hips.
• You can repeat the exercise several times.
• Ensure that you don’t push your hips up too far and don’t hollow your back.

knee lift

Finally, an endurance exercise that is similarly effective as stair climbing, but does not require a stairwell.

• From a standing position, pull your knees up as high as you can, one at a time, as if you are running in place.
• It would help if you aimed for as fast a pace as possible, similar to sprinting.
• Maintain this pace for 30 seconds, take a short break, and repeat.