Home workouts can be carried out at home with minimal expenditure

of time and are also effective.

 

Get fit at home:

Home workouts offer short but intense training units within your own four walls. You can read about the new trends, which type of training suits you best, and what you should consider during our fitness guide exercises.

 

Sport is an important counterbalance to the usually stressful and sedentary workday: Movement lets us switch off, get fitter, and can even relieve pain.

 

There is a time-saving solution for everyone who does not have the time or inclination to drive to a gym to train or does not feel comfortable there: home workouts.

 

You can comfortably carry out the short but intensive training units in your own four walls and do not even need a lot of space or special equipment.

 

Read in our guide which new trends there are, what you should consider when exercising and which workout suits you best.

 

 

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1. Bodyweight workout

So-called bodyweight workouts, i.e., training in which you only work with your own body weight, contain exercises that concentrate on several muscle groups at the same time and thus push the body to its limits in a short time. Heavyweights, expensive training equipment, or courses are not necessary for this.

 

Everything you need to stay or get fit is always with you: your body. This type of exercise burns a lot of calories in a short period of time – unlike cardio exercise, which requires you to sweat for at least 45 minutes on the treadmill, bike, or elliptical machine.

 

Bodyweight workouts are more effective in losing weight and build muscle at the same time. The plus in muscle mass defines the body and burns more calories even during rest periods – without to do something for it.

 

Bodyweight training is suitable for everyone who wants to burn a lot of calories in a short time and get their circulation going. Caution: If you have poor circulation or heart failure, you should discuss this type of exercise with a doctor first.

 

 

Full-body bodyweight training (5 to 15 minutes)

A workout for which you only use your body weight does not have to take long, but it is still sweaty. The full-body training, in which you only work with your own weight, gets your circulation going and your muscles tremble.

 

Do this workout two to three times a week.

 

Procedure: Perform the six exercises for 40 seconds each and then rest for ten seconds each. Depending on your strength and endurance, you can complete one to three laps.

 

Exercise 1: pushups

Lie on your stomach on a mat and support yourself on your hands. As a beginner, simplify the posture by placing your knees on the floor. Slowly bring your chest towards the floor – to start, focus on the downward movement, and learn to do it in a controlled manner.

 

The more you do the exercise, the easier it will be to perform a complete sequence of movements (a full push-up).

 

Exercise 2: Lunges

Stand up straight with your hands on your hips. Take a large step forward with your right foot and bend your knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle. The back leg is also bent but not touching the floor.

 

Straighten your legs slightly and then go back to the lower position. Do this for 40 seconds, then pause for ten seconds and do the exercise with your left leg.

 

Exercise 3: Plank

Hold yourself like a push-up, in which you place your body weight on your forearms instead of your hands. Hold this position for 40 seconds.

 

Exercise 4: Jump squats

Start with a hip-width leg position and imagine yourself sitting in a chair. Make sure not to lean forward when “sitting down.” On the upward movement, you jump straight into the air and land back in the squat.

 

Exercise 5: climber

Hold yourself like a push-up, alternately pulling your knees as close to your chest as possible.

 

Exercise 6: crunches

Lie on your back and lift your head and upper back off the floor. Tense your abdominal muscles. Now pulse by alternately tensing and (slightly!) Loosening the muscles.

 

 

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Music tips for full body bodyweight training

• Salt ‘n’ Pepa – Push It
• Destiny’s Child – Survivor
• Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough
• The Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
• Van Halen – Jump

You can see a slightly more demanding and intensive version of full-body training in the video – the so-called HIIT training, i.e., High-Intensity Interval Training (Exact: interval training with high intensity).

 

 

2. Ballet Barre Fitness

Madonna, Natalie Portman, and other celebrity women are leading the way: Ballet Barre Fitness is a new fitness trend.

 

The workout, made up of cardio, Pilates, and ballet elements, demands the entire body: The exercises strengthen the muscles and improve balance and flexibility. You do not need any previous ballet knowledge. Despite the noticeable effect on the body, the training is not high-intensity training and is also suitable for beginners.

 

Corresponding courses in the gym are often expensive.

 

To try out the ballet-inspired workout, you can try out an exercise at home – and it only takes 15 minutes. All you need is a chair and light dumbbells, which can be easily replaced with two 0.5 liter water bottles.

 

The ballet barre workout (15 minutes)

Procedure: Each exercise is repeated 20 times. Depending on your strength and endurance, you can repeat the entire circle two to four times.

 

Exercise 1: Relevé Plié

Put your feet in the first position (hip-width apart, toes pointing outwards), your hands resting on the back of the chair. Straighten your spine, contract your stomach, and then slowly rise up on your tiptoes. Hold this position and bend your knees slightly. Repeat the exercise 20 times.

 

Exercise 2: Parallel Plié

Place your feet parallel to each other so that they touch. The hands are on the back of the chair. Rise on tiptoe and bend your knees as if you were sitting down. Keep your knees together at all times. Half straight up again. Repeat the exercise 20 times.

 

Exercise 3: Arabesque

Start in the first position and place your right hand on the back of the chair. The left leg is stretched straight back, the left arm straight forward. Drop. Repeat 20 times on each side.

 

Exercise 4: triceps

Grab the dumbbells/water bottles and stand in the first position. Raise your arms and bend your elbows so that the dumbbells/bottles almost touch your ears. Tense your abdominal muscles. Raise yourself on tiptoe while straightening your arms. The palms point outwards. Put your feet down and bend your arms next to your head. Repeat the exercise 20 times.

 

Exercise 5: Plié meets arms

Put your feet wide and bend your knees. Hold this position throughout the exercise. You start with your arms stretched forward and holding the dumbbells/water bottles. Bring your arms to the side, hold them briefly, then stretch them up and hold them there as well. Now bring your arms back to the starting position. Repeat 20 times.

 

 

Music tips for ballet barre workouts

• Two Door Cinema Club (Vodka & Milk Remix) – What You Know
• Kylie Minogue – Into The Blue
• Tchaikowsky – Waltz of the Flowers
• Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne – Rather Be
• Sigala – Easy Love

 

 

3. Pilates

Pilates is a body and mind training method invented by Joseph H. Pilates. With the training, you activate specific muscles in order to strengthen, relax, and stretch them. Just a few repetitions are enough to have a noticeable effect on the body and breathing.

 

The focus of Pilates training is on the deep muscles in the pelvic and waist area – in addition to improving mobility, these body parts become leaner and more defined over time.

 

The workout is suitable for you if you have muscle or joint problems and therefore want or need to switch to gentle types of training: Pilates mobilizes all areas of the body without being stressed.

 

Incorrect movement and posture habits are gradually changed, and bad postures are corrected. In addition to the gentle but efficient strengthening of the muscles, you can also achieve pain relief.

 

In the video, you can see a 15-minute full-body Pilates workout that focuses on the basic exercises.

 

In the second video, you can see a workout that is ideal for mobilizing the joints and muscles, which can be carried out as a warm-up before training.

 

 

Music tips for Pilates workouts

• EDX – My Friend
• Kygo – Firestone
• Petit Biscuit – Palms
• Coldplay – Princess of China
• DJ Cam – Sunset Harbor

 

 

4. Yoga

Yoga is a great workout for anyone who prefers to take it easy and still want to do something for their body. Through targeted yoga exercises, you not only get defined arms, a great bottom, and a firm stomach, but you can also train inner calm and controlled breathing.

 

A new form of yoga is “The Yoga Shred.” Unlike traditional yoga styles, the high-intensity yoga training invented by US fitness coach Sadie Nardini is performed much faster.

 

Here you train according to the Tabata principle – which means that you complete a four-minute training session one to four times in a row. Each lap includes exercises that are performed for 20 seconds. Pause for ten seconds between exercises.

 

The Asana Yoga Shred Workout (4 to 16 minutes)

It’s all in the mix: The Asana Yoga Shred Workout combines classic Asana yoga with HIIT yoga. You train for one minute per exercise and then move on to the next sequence.

 

The minute is divided into three parts: 30 seconds of slow, controlled execution, which merges into a 20 second, faster execution. Finally, do the exercise for ten seconds in HIIT form, as hard and fast as you can, but with perfect technique.

 

If you find that you do not have enough strength or breath during the laps,

run in place for a minute, relaxing.

 

Suppose you are new to yoga or have circulatory problems. In that case, you should initially limit yourself to the normal execution of the exercises and clarify further training intensity with your doctor.

 

Exercise 1:

Place your feet hip-width apart on the yoga mat. Bend your knees, straighten your arms, and inhale. As you exhale, straighten your legs, lift your heels off the mat, and bring your hands in fists next to your hips. Repeat this sequence of movements for 30 seconds, then jump for 20 seconds, and then move up ten seconds faster.

 

Exercise 2:

Get into the squat position. Breathe in. As you exhale, place your palms together and twist your upper body so that your left elbow touches your right knee. As you return to the squat position, inhale. The next time you exhale, turn on your other side. Repeat for 30 seconds, then faster for 20 seconds, and very fast for 10 seconds.

 

Exercise 3:

Stand with your legs apart, bend your knees and torso forward. Now alternate between your left and right leg. Make sure to keep your back straight and not arch your back.

 

Exercise 4:

Stand upright and slightly hip-width apart. Bring your hands to the floor and move your palms forward as far as your rear leg muscles will allow. This is the starting position (dog facing down). Breathe in. As you exhale, lift your right foot, bend your knee, and bring it to your right elbow. As you inhale, return to the starting position.

 

Do this with both legs alternately for 30 seconds, then 20 seconds faster, and ten seconds very quickly.

 

 

Music tips for the yoga workout

• Snoop Dogg, Pharell Williams – Drop It Like It’s Hot
• LOYAL – Blue & The Green
• Chet Faker – No Diggity
• Sadie Nardini – Fire Ceremony
• moon: and: 6 – Apollo-Soyuz

 

 

If you like to meditate, learn how you can make meditation work for you here.

 

5. Dance workout

If you enjoy dancing, you might also discover dance workouts for yourself: Here, you can move as you like, loosen up your body and burn a lot of calories at the same time. The Zumba workout is viral, where you can feel the southern temperament of Latin American music. In addition to Zumba, there are numerous other dance workouts that you can easily dance to at home with video instructions.

 

You can see a classic Zumba workout and a dance workout for beginners in our two video recommendations.

 

 

You can read more about my honest weight loss story in this article.