There’s No Place Like Home… A Home Gym That Is!

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December 19, 2008 by Amanda | Comments (2)

Does the thought of exercising outside during the winter send shivers up your spine? Do sweaty gyms make you cringe? Don’t make anymore excuses to blow off your training until next spring. Do it now, in the comfort of your home. All you need is a few feet of space and a mat, and these great workout tips from Traci Barnum of Seattle’s Fly Fitness.

Get Creative
Take a look around your house. Do you have a fireplace base or a step? These are ideal for doing push-ups, reverse lunges and dips. Do you have a long hallway? This is great for walking lunges or side squats. Do you have a heavy table? This is a perfect place to wrap an exercise band around to do rows. Think out of the box and you will have your very own gym in no time.

Here is a sample work-out you can do and is equipment-free.

Warm Up
Step up and down on a fireplace base or stair for 20-30 on each foot. Make sure your whole foot comes up on the step. If you don’t have a step of any kind, march in place 20-30 on each leg.

Jumping Jacks
Do 25 jumping jacks, march in place for 8 counts, and then do 25 more. (Beginners do 15 jumping jacks, march in place for 10 counts, then do 15 more).

Reverse Lunges
Do 20 lunges (beginner 10 lunges) on each leg. Stand with your feet about shoulder length. Begin by reaching one of your feet back behind you like you are taking the first step if walking backwards. Really reach back with this stride to get a good stretch. Bring that leg back to the start position and repeat the same movement with your opposite leg. Be sure to keep your back firmly upright and straight throughout this exercise.

High Jogs – 50x – each leg lift is 1 count (beginner 25x)
Stand with feet together and hold arms straight out in front of you at mid-torso level. Jog in place, bringing knees high enough that they hit your hands (don’t lower hands!).

Squats
Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat, (drive hips back) keeping back straight, abs in and knees behind your toes. Let your butt lightly touch chair and squeeze butt to stand up.

Tricep Dips – 15x (beginner 10x with knees bent)
Sit on a bench or sturdy chair, legs extended, feet on the ground, hands at your sides grasping the edge of the bench, palms facing behind you (fingers pointing forward). Slide your butt off the bench and lower your body towards the ground by bending the elbows. Stop lowering your body when your shoulders get just above your elbows, and then bring yourself up again by straightening the arms. Keep your back perpendicular to the ground. The closer you bring your feet in (and the more the knees are bent) the easier the exercise.

Jumps – 8x (beginner 4x)
Take a stance as if you were about to take off for a track race. Crouch down slightly, put both hands behind you, and then, in this “half-squat” position, “dive” forward as far as you can by pushing off on your feet and thrusting your arms forward. Try to land with a soft impact by bending your knees. Then immediately take two small jumps back

Slow Pushups
Begin in pushup position on toes. Beginner do modified version on knees. Perform 4 pushups, abs in and back straight. On the 4th pushup, lower halfway down and hold for 4 counts. Push back up and repeat the series 2 more times.

Ski Jumps – 30x (beginner 15x)
Stand with feet together. Jump to the right 2-3 feet, keeping knees bent and landing in a squat. Jump back to the left and continue jumping from side to side (place a book or pillow on the floor to jump over for added challenge)

Plank – hold 45 seconds (beginner 30 seconds)
Get into pushup position on hands and toes, or on elbows and knees. Keep abs contracted and back straight (don’t collapse in the middle). If back feels tight or strained lift butt higher in air or stop exercise altogether.

To make workout more challenging go through all 13 exercises and then repeat all exercises 1-2 more times. Please exercise carefully. Fly Fitness and CRAVE are not responsible for any injuries.

2 Responses to “There’s No Place Like Home… A Home Gym That Is!”

• upright exercise bike Says:
  December 30th, 2008 at 9:57 pm

  thanks for sharing this very interesting post

• Kelly Singer Says:
  January 7th, 2009 at 12:19 pm

  Great Tips, Traci!

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