Being able to exercise on a regular basis is extremely important. Not only is exercise necessary to have good cardio fitness and maintain a healthy weight, but it can also help to improve your mood and reduce stress. While it can be easy to get outside and exercise or workout at the gym when it is warm and sunny out, exercising in the winter is much harder. For many people, it can seem impossible as simply getting into their cold car and driving to the gym will seem like a daunting task. Fortunately, there are a variety of exercises that you can do at home without the use of expensive equipment. This can help you to save time and money while continuing to stay in shape.
Jumping Rope
One of the most traditional home exercises is also among the most effective when it comes to staying in shape. If you have a room with a taller ceiling, you could try jumping rope for at least 15 minutes per day. Jumping rope is not only a good cardio workout, but it can also help you to tone all of the muscles in your body as it will utilize your legs, arms, and core. When jumping rope, you will likely have to start out slow to build a good rhythm, but eventually you will be able to work into a better momentum that can be sustained for longer exercises.
Ab Exercises
One of the best types of exercises that you can focus on at home are core exercises. Since most of these exercises are done without the use of equipment, you can get in a great workout at home. Some of the top exercises to include are a standard plank, mountain climbers, sit-ups and crunches. You can also create your own routine and mix it up a bit to see the best results.
Deck of Cards
One of the most popular exercise programs utilizes just a deck of cards. With this workout, you should pick four exercises using different parts of the body, such as pushups, lunges, jumping jacks, and mountain climbers. You then assign each to a different suit of cards and then shuffle the deck up. You will then do a certain amount of reps based on the card that you pull. This could provide you with a great way to trick the body and get a full body workout.
Water Bottles
While there are plenty of exercises that you can do with just your bodyweight, there are others that will be better if you use some weights. As opposed to using weights that you have to buy at the store, you can replace them with filled water bottles. A 16-ounce bottle weighs about one pound while a 32-ounce bottle will weigh at least two pounds. For many people, this can be enough to do a variety of arms and shoulders exercises. Larger five-gallon jugs filled all the way with water could be used for squats and other heavier leg exercises.
