When the pandemic hit, gyms closed their doors and left us all scrambling to figure out how to stay healthy and fit. We were left wondering what was the best way to do an in-home workout.
Even now, only 30% of gym users from before the pandemic have returned to the gym.
Does that mean that everyone just gave up working out? Absolutely not! They’ve learned all the best indoor workouts to stay fit.
If that sounds interesting to you, we go over six workouts that you can do from the comfort of your home to stay fit!
1. Indoor Cardio Workout
If you’re into cardio as a workout, there are many different workouts you can do to get your heart rate up without leaving your home.
While you can mix these exercises up to do the workout that feels right to you, all of these will raise your heart rate and keep you fit!
- Burpees
- Jumping Jacks
- High knees
- Running in place
- Kickboxing
Some of these are great to do in circuits, like jumping jacks and high knees. However, kickboxing can be done on its own. There are workout videos you can watch to guide you, or you can just get a punching bag to use for the cardio workout.
Combining some of these cardio workouts with strength training will also allow you to hit more muscles and burn more calories.
2. HIIT
HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. This is a great home exercise program to do to lose weight and keep it off! It’s also great just to simply do to stay fit.
If you’re not familiar with this type of workout, it’s basically difficult interval training. You go all out for a certain amount of time (around 5 minutes or so), and then you have an active recovery period.
This can be done in biking or running workouts, or even with strength training. It’s all about the heart rate.
How else is it beneficial?
- It’s a quick way to burn calories and fat
- Increases your metabolism
- You can do it with just your body weight – no equipment is necessary
- You continue to burn fat even after you are done working out
Because of all of these benefits, HIIT is one of the best indoor workouts to try.
3. Strength Training
While strength training may not raise your heart rate like HIIT or an indoor cardio workout, it’s still a necessary workout. It helps to build your muscles to keep you strong during other workouts.
There are many ways you can do strength training at home. You can purchase a set of weights or dumbells to use as extra weight, you can add equipment to an indoor workout room, and you can invest in resistance bands.
Whether you use weights or not, strength training will still keep you healthy and fit. Here are some great exercises to try without weights:
- Pushups
- Lunges
- Squats
- Crunches
- Planks
- Leg lifts
- Bridges
Most of these workouts can also be done with weights, but you could also try bicep curls, shoulder presses, or deadlifts with weights.
4. Core Workout
Who doesn’t want great six-pack abs that they can brag about to their friends and family? It’s not easy to make your abs show, but if you make a home workout plan that emphasizes the abs, you may just be able to see them peak through!
Try these home exercises:
- V-Ups
- Bear crawls
- Side crunches
- Side plank
- Russian twists
- Leg lifts
However, focusing on just your core will not help your abs show. It’s important to couple these exercises with cardio and other strength training exercises for the best results.
5. Yoga
Yoga is an in-home workout that is often overlooked because it doesn’t burn as many calories as some other home workout plans.
However, yoga has many benefits aside from just being a workout:
- Increased flexibility
- Increased muscle tone
- Cardio health
- Circulatory health
- Maintains your metabolism
- Can help maintain and improve mental balance
Yoga is a great workout to pair with another workout like running or strength training to stay fit while also getting the benefits of yoga.
6. Pilates
Pilates is a form of strength training but instead of giving you large muscles, it creates a more toned look. It is also great to help with balance and flexibility for the rest of your exercise plan.
If you start to make pilates a core part of your home workout plan, you will also be increasing your muscle awareness and improving your overall posture.
There are some great pilates workout videos on YouTube or even a few great services or apps that you can subscribe to get the best Pilates workouts. If this is a workout you love, paying a little money to get the best indoor pilates workouts may be worth it!
Use These Indoor Workouts to Get Rid of That Pesky Weight
Whether you’ve rejoined a gym or not, there are many indoor workouts you can do from the comfort of your own home that will keep you in shape. You can pair it with your usual workout at the gym or your daily run, or you can just use these ideas on their own!
It may take some time to figure out which one you love the most, but it’s definitely worth trying them all out!
Are you ready to get started on the path to a healthier you? Click here to find a ChiroThin doctor in your area.