Any time is a good time for a renewed focus on health and weight loss. But while there is something about a new year filled with promise, there are still roadblocks to focusing on exercise. A gym can require some financial rejiggering as well as a time commitment, while the weather outside — be it freezing or sweltering — may leave you filled with excuses not to leave the house.
There is another issue for beginners, though, and that is gym fright. Getting back into a gym with other people who may have been there for years is something that beginners may stress over and will have an affect on the workout at hand. So, we picked out a few exercises you can do from home to kick-start your exercise routine this year without having to worry about stares from random strangers.
You can't beat a classic. Squat jumps have been and will always be your BFF move for weight loss.
Take a shoulder-width stance, with your hands at chest height.
Sit back, keeping your knees in line with your toes, then explosively jump up as you extend your hands to the sky.
Land softly through your toes, then heels. Either add a pause at the bottom of your squat for strength or keep the movement continuous to drive up the intensity. For an extra challenge, add in a slight twist as you jump up, alternating directions each rep and eventually building up to a full 180-degree rotation.
Complete this exercise for 45 seconds.
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Plank With Row
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Not every weight-loss exercise needs to move at a fast pace. Adding a row to the plank forces your whole body to work and stay tight, so there's no need to bounce around all out.
Start in a push-up position, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Slowly pull your right hand up until the dumbbell touches your ribs. The key is to keep the rest of your body as still as possible by tightening your legs, core, and arms.
Reverse the motion and lower the dumbbell back to starting position, then repeat with the opposite arm. Once you can stay balanced for a whole set, challenge yourself by lifting up your opposite leg as you row. So as you lift your right hand, lift your left leg off the ground.
Complete this exercise for 45 seconds total.
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Spider-Man Push-Up
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The Spider-Man push-up variation will really challenge your upper body, work your core, and target the muscles on the sides of the torso, too. There's no room for boredom to creep into your workout when doing this push-up!
Start in a traditional plank position, with your hands under your shoulders, and your body in one straight line.
Bend your elbows out to the side to lower your torso toward the floor, bring your left knee in, and touch it to your left elbow.
As you straighten your arms, return to plank position, bringing your left foot next to your right; then repeat this move on the other side. This counts as one rep.
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Jumping Jacks
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Jumping jacks get your whole body moving and have plenty of versatility. There are a lot of ways to have fun with jumping jacks that don't bring up uniformed workouts in your middle school gym class.
Jump your legs out as you bring your hands overhead, then jump back to standing.
Or, instead of your run-of-the-mill jumping jacks, spice them up with a more dynamic version that can help you burn even more calories. With each jumping jack, cross your legs, alternating which leg goes in front while also keeping your arms at chest height and crossing them. If you're really feeling up for a challenge, add in a squat as you hop your legs out. It's effective and much more entertaining.
Complete this exercise for 45 seconds.
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Breakdancer Kick
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Think about the last time you went dancing — like, really dancing. Remember how sweaty you got? While you might not have been throwing down any breakdances, this old-school move will kickstart weight loss in no time.
Start in a push-up position, with your knees off the floor.
Lift your left hand and right leg up, then pivot on your left foot to the left, kicking your right leg through and bringing your left arm to your chest.
Swing your hips back and place your left hand and right foot back on the floor.
Reverse the motion, kicking your left leg to the opposite side. The best way to change your intensity is with speed. To build up confidence with this move, start by keeping both hands on the ground and alternate kicking your legs in each direction.
Complete this exercise for 45 seconds.
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Plank
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Balance on the hands and toes with the body in one straight line, hands underneath the shoulders and feet hips-width distance apart (see more plank exercises here).
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Lying Chest Fly
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Work your pecs to give your chest a little lift while toning your lower abs.
Lie on your back with your hips and knees both at 90-degree angles. Using your lower abs, press your lower back into the mat. Raise your arms toward the ceiling, palms facing each other, keeping the elbow joint slightly bent.
Keeping your torso stable, open your arms out to the side until your elbows are about two inches from the floor.
Raise your arms back to the ceiling, bringing the weights together over your chest. This completes one rep.
Do 10 reps to complete a set.
Use five- to eight-pound dumbbells.
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Lying Triceps Extension
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Strengthen the backs of your arms and get ready for tank-top season with this effective triceps move.
Grab a set of dumbbells, and start by lying on your back.
With one dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms so they are above your chest, making sure your elbows are straight but not locked.
Slowly lower both arms toward your head, bending your elbows to 90 degrees as the dumbbells reach the mat. Aim to lower your dumbbells so they are on either side of your head, elbows bent and pressing in toward your head.
Lift arms back up to starting position. This is one rep.
Do 10 reps to complete a set.
Use five- to eight-pound dumbbells.
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Squat, Curl, Press
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Moving from a squat to an overhead press gets the heart rate going while working your butt and legs.
Stand with your feet directly under your hips, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Sit back into your squat, keeping the weight in your heels, bringing your thighs parallel to the floor without letting your knees go beyond your toes.
Push through your heels to return to standing while bringing the weights to your shoulders, performing a bicep curl.
Stabilize your torso and keep your arms moving upward, performing an overhead press with your palms facing out.
Lower your arms back to your side to complete one rep.
Do 10 reps to complete a set.
Use eight- to 10-pound dumbbells.
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Bent-Over Row
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This move makes for shapely shoulders and a powerful back. Stand up, pick up your dumbbells again, and follow these steps.
Lean forward and bend both knees, remembering to keep a flat back.
Extend your arms so they are straight. Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do. Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don't arch your back.
Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Do 10 reps to complete a set.
Use 10- to 15-pound dumbbells.
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Reverse Fly
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Strengthen your upper back and stand tall with the Reverse Fly.
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with knees slightly bent. Keeping your back flat, bend forward at the hip joint.
Exhale and lift both arms to the side, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Then, with control, lower the dumbbells back toward the ground. This completes one rep.
Do 10 reps to complete a set.
Use five-pound dumbbells.
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Lateral Raises
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Target your shoulders and upper back with this easy-to-follow move.
Stand with your feet hip's distance apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand so your palms face in toward the sides of your body.
Start with the right side first. With control, keep your arm straight (but don't lock that elbow), and as you inhale, raise your right hand up toward the ceiling. You want your palm to be facing down and your arm to be parallel to the floor. Then, as you exhale, slowly lower your hand back to your body. You should be able to see your hand in your peripheral vision. So your arm won't be directly out to the side, but slightly forward.
Do the same move with your left arm.
Then do both your right and left arms at the same time.
Continue these moves of right, left, together, right, left, together, for a total of 10 reps.
Use five-pound dumbbells.
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Alternating Side Lunge
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Moving laterally is great way to work the glutes on the side of your pelvis (known as the gluteus medius) as well as the inner thighs. These muscle groups help stabilize the pelvis and should be considered part of the core.
Start with your feet directly under your hips. Step your right foot wide to the side coming into a lunge with your left fingers touching your right foot. Your right knee shouldn't go beyond your right toes. Keep your chest lifted and your weight in your heels.
Push into your right foot to return to standing, then lunge sideways to the left to complete one rep.
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Bird Dog
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The simple move, also know as quadruped, works your abs and back simultaneously making it one of the simplest core exercises around.
Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Bring your abs to your spine as your bring your left knee and right elbow together under your torso.
Keeping your torso stable, straighten your right arm and left leg. Reach through your left heel to engage the muscles on the back of the leg and your butt.
This completes one rep. After completing 10 to 15 reps, switch sides.
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Dead Bug
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The name may make you laugh, but this stability exercise fires up the core working both the front and back of the body.
Lie on your back with a neutral spine and your hips and knees at right angles with your palms pressed into your thighs just above your knees.
Pull your abs to your spine keeping your ribs and pelvis still as you lengthen your right arm and leg out until they are almost parallel to the floor. Do keep your torso and spine completely stable as the arm and leg move.
Return to the starting position, and repeat on the left side to complete one rep.
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Elbow Plank And Rotate
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Twisting fires up the obliques, the abdominals that crisscross your core and wrap around your waist.
Begin in an elbow plank with your feet slightly wider than your hips.
Twist your entire torso to the left reaching your left arm to the ceiling. Your pelvis will rotate, too, but do keep it level, and don't let it rise to the ceiling or sink toward the floor.
Return to and elbow plank, and repeat the twisting motion to the right to complete one rep.
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Good Morning
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Say good morning to your backside with this simple exercise, a weight-free version of a deadlift. Don't forget your glutes and back are part of your core!
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and place your hands at the back of your head with your elbows opened wide.
Pull your abs to your spine and keep your back neutral while pressing your butt backward, hinging at that hips, until your back is almost parallel to floor. Keep a slight bend in your knees as you bend forward.
Return to standing, squeezing your glutes when you are upright. This completes one rep.
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Reverse Lunge With Reach
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Get your legs fired up while testing your balance with this move.
Stand with your hands at your waist, and step back with your left leg into a deep lunge. Increase the stretch by lifting your left arm overhead and reaching to the the right.
Return to standing, and repeat this move on the other side to complete one rep.
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Single-Leg Bridge
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Work the glutes, low back, and hamstrings with this simple yet powerful single-leg bridge.
Lie on your back, and bring your left knee into your chest with your hands clasped just below your knee. Lift your right toes up, and press your right heel into the floor to lift your pelvis and torso off the floor.
Gently lower your torso back to the ground to complete one rep. After completing 10 to 15, repeat on the other side.
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Superman Booty Lift
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Lie on your belly, and hold an exercise ball between your feet.
Engage your abs, and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
As you inhale, squeeze the ball and lift your knees, arms, and chest off the floor. Hold for a count of 10, and then slowly release your body back to the floor. That counts as one rep.
Do three sets of 10 reps.
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Romanian Deadlift
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Holding the barbell (or two dumbbells at your side), keep your arms straight and knees slightly bent.
Slowly bend at your hip joint, not your waist, and lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back, which should remain straight. Looking forward, not at the ground, will help you avoid rounding your back. Keep the weights close to, almost touching, your legs.
Squeeze your glutes to slowly pull yourself up. Be sure not to use your back or round your spine!
