Okay yes, we’ve all just been eating and sleeping because lockdown can get really boring. One of the best ways to beat the boredom is by exercising. Now is the time to get working on those mean cuts and toned arms you’ve always wanted.
You don’t need a gym to achieve that. Here are some simple but effective home workouts to try out:
1. Push-ups
Never underestimate the power of push-ups. To start your workout regime, lay belly down on the floor, with your feet roughly 15-20 centimeters apart.
Place your palms flat on the ground and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keeping your body straight and long, come up onto your toes and lift your body off the floor with your arms until they are fully extended.
Slowly bend your arms at the elbows and lower your chest towards the floor.
Stop roughly 10-15 centimeters before touching the ground with your belly.
Try to keep your back and legs straight and in a single plane.
Push back up into the original position. That’s one push-up!
If this is too hard, do the exercise with your knees on the floor. Or even simpler, do the exercise standing, using a wall. Start with your feet roughly 50 centimeters from the wall.
Aim for doing three sets of 8-12 reps.
2. Plank Taps
It’s an advanced variation on the classic plank position and will work your core, as well as your shoulders and chest. Here is what you do-
Start in a high plank with your palms flat, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged.
Tap your right hand to your left shoulder while engaging your core and glutes to keep your hips as still as possible.
Do the same thing with your left hand to right shoulder. That’s 1 rep. Continue for 30 seconds for one set.
3. Resistance Band Shoulder Press
It’s an exercise that strengthens the shoulder muscle and increases the stability of the body. Do this after you have warmed up your body-
Stand in the center of a recovery band with feet hip-width apart, hold one end of the band in each hand using an overhand grip.
Gently raise the ends of the band to shoulder height. Extend your elbows and press the ends of the band above your head, ensuring that your arms are in line with your ears.
Once your arms are fully extended, bend your elbows to return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Repeat for 40 seconds.
4. Resistance Band Lateral Raises
The lateral raise is one of the best exercises for those looking to build shoulders like boulders. Sweat out with this exercise.
Place your left foot onto the middle of a resistance band. Step forward with the right. Tighten your abdominals and avoid arching your back.
Maintaining a slight bend in the elbows at all times, slowly raise your arms up from the sides of your body. Be sure to favour the front as you lift.
Once your arms reach parallel with the floor, pause, feel the contraction, and slowly lower back down. 3 sets of 20 reps will be enough.
5. Triceps Dips
This simple exercise can be done almost anywhere, and it’s a great bodyweight exercise that builds arm and shoulder strength. This is an intermediate exercise.
Sit on the edge of a bench, knees bent at a 90-degree angle and feet planted on floor.
Grip the bench, hands on either side of your hips.
Push glutes off the bench and lower body two or three inches down, bending elbows (keep elbows close together).
Then raise body back to starting position.
Do 8-12 reps.
6. Pull Ups
It’s an upper-body strength exercise where the body is suspended by the hands and pulls up.
Leap up and grip the bar with your hands shoulder width apart and your palms facing away from you. Hang with your arms fully extended, you can bend your legs at the knee if they’re dragging on the ground.
Keep your shoulders back and your core engaged throughout. Then pull up. Focus on enlisting every upper body muscle to aid your upward endeavors.
Move slowly upward until your chin is above the bar, then equally slowly downward until your arms are extended again.
Aim for 10 pull-ups, but be prepared to fall short.
7. Chin Ups
This exercise helps in strengthening muscles such as the latissimus dorsi and biceps, which extend the shoulder and flex the elbow, respectively.
Hold a bar with an underhand grip and hang with your body straight. Brace your abs and glutes and engage your lats, then pull up until your chin is above your hands.
Pause at the top, then lower yourself back to the start under control.
Sets 4, Reps 6-10, Rest for 60 seconds.
8. Bicep Curls
This is the simplest lift and single-joint exercise for building bigger and stronger biceps.
After you are done with basic stretching moves like push ups, shoulder circles, and wrist circles, do this.
Choose a comfortable weight. 12 reps on each arm makes one round. Go for 3 rounds with 30 seconds of break in between.
It works best with other arm strengthening exercises like forearm curls and dumbbell rows. Don’t forget to stretch afterwards to avoid stiffness.
9. Overhead Press
This is a weight training exercise with many variations, typically performed while standing, in which a weight is pressed straight upwards from racking position until the arms are locked out overhead, while the legs, lower back and abs maintain balance.
Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms bent at 90-degree angles, elbows wide and in line with shoulders, palms facing forward. Press the weights up until arms are straight overhead. Hold for one second, then take three seconds to lower the dumbbells back to start. That’s one rep. Complete 12 reps per set.
10. Upright Row
The upright row is considered one of the best muscle building exercise for the back and shoulders, but it is also regarded as potentially dangerous. So be careful while doing it.
Start with feet shoulder-width apart, legs straight, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing toward body and weights touching quads.
Pull elbows up and out wide to lift the dumbbells to chest.
Reverse movement to return to start. That’s one rep. Complete 12 reps per set.
11. Half-kneeling Archer Row
This is a great warm up exercise which helps in keeping your back and shoulders safe and strong. Do this at the beginning of your workout.
Start a half kneeling position. Your left knee on the floor and hold the ends of the resistance band in each hand.
Breathe through your abdominal muscles and bend them down. Think about using them to hold your rib cage down, arm slightly above shoulder level in the same plane as your torso.
Keep your thumb pointed towards the ceiling and also, hold the band with your left hand, approximately equal with your right elbow.
Fire your rhomboids (spine) and rotator cuff muscles to pull the resistance band straight back over your chest, like an arrow and hold the elbow of your pulling arm all the way close to your body.
Your stable arm stays absolutely straight. Aim for 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.
12. Bent Over Reverse Fly
It’s a great exercise to assist you in building a complete set of shoulders by targeting the real deltoid of the shoulder.
Select the desired weight from the rack then take a few steps back into an open area.
Hinge from the hips until your body is almost parallel to the floor and allow the arms to hang straight down from the shoulders with a neutral grip.
Take a deep breath and pull the dumbbells towards the ceiling using the rear deltoids.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position under control. Complete 12 reps per set. Go for 2 or 3 sets.
13. Front Raises
This exercise isolates shoulder flexion. The front raise is normally carried out in three to five sets during a shoulder workout.
Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing body, arms by sides.
Raise arms outward until they’re parallel to the floor. Return slowly to start. That’s one rep. Complete 12 reps per set.
If you’re new to working out, don’t push yourself too hard. Always listen to your body and go at your own pace. And after that Dolle Sholle Haaye Rabba!