Physical exercise is must for good health and exercising at home can be just as beneficial as exercising at the gym. Not only is it cheaper than paying for a monthly contract, you can work out in the privacy of your own home whenever you want.
Life can get busy, and oftentimes we find ourselves traveling or otherwise unable to get to our preferred health and fitness facility for a workout. ACE Certified Professional Ted Vickey offers these 25 moves to help you stay on track, no matter where you find yourself. Using only your own body weight, these versatile moves can help you create a total-body workout that fits your needs and abilities.
Supermans
Step 1
Starting Position: Lie prone (on your stomach) on a mat with your legs extended, ankles slightly plantarflexed (toes pointing away from your shins), arms extended overhead with palms facing each other. Relax your head to align it with your spine.
Step 2
Upward Phase: Exhale, contract your abdominal and core muscles to stabilize your spine and slowly extend both hips (raise both legs) a few inches off the floor while simultaneously raising both arms a few inches off the floor. Keep both legs and arms extended and avoiding any rotation in each. Maintain your head and torso position, avoiding any arching in your back or raising of your head. Hold this position briefly.
Step 3
Downward Phase: Gently inhale and lower your legs and arms back towards your starting position without any movement in your low back or hips.
Push-Up
Step 1
Starting Position: Kneel on an exercise mat or floor and bring your feet together behind you.
Step 2
Slowly bend forward to place your palms flat on the mat, positioning your hands shoulder-width apart with your fingers facing forward or turned slightly inward. Slowly shift your weight forward until your shoulders are positioned directly over your hands. Reposition your hands as needed to allow full extension of your body without any bend at the hips or knees. Stiffen your torso by contracting your core/abdominal muscles ("bracing"), your glute and quadriceps muscles and align your head with your spine. Place your feet together with your ankles dorsiflexed (toes pointed towards your shins).
Step 3
Downward Phase: Slowly lower your body towards the floor while maintaining a rigid torso and head aligned with your spine. Do not allow your low back to sag or your hips to hike upwards during this downward phase. Continue to lower yourself until your chest or chin touch the mat/floor. Allow your elbows to flare outwards during the lowering phase.
Step 4
Upward Phase: Press upwards through your arms while maintaining a rigid torso and head aligned with your spine. For extra strength think about pushing the floor away from you. Do not allow your low back to sag or your hips to hike upwards. Continue pressing until the arms are fully extended at the elbows.
Step 5
An alternative position is to turn your hands to face forwards and keep your your elbows close to your sides during the downward phase. This shifts the emphasis from the chest muscles onto the triceps and may reduce stresses in the shoulder joint.
Pushing through the heel and outside surface of your palm provides greater force in your press and stability to your shoulders.
Contralateral Limb Raises
Step 1
Starting Position: Lie prone (on your stomach) on a mat with your legs extended, ankles slightly plantarflexed (toes pointing away from your shins), arms extended overhead with palms facing each other. Relax your head to align it with your spine.
Step 2
Upward Phase: Exhale, contract your abdominal/core muscles to stabilize your spine and slowly raise one arm a few inches off the floor keeping your arm extended and avoiding any rotation in your arm. Maintain your head and torso position, avoiding any arching in your back or raising of your head. Hold this position briefly.
Step 3
Downward Phase: Gently inhale and lower your arm back towards your starting position without any movement in your low back or hips.
Step 4
Exercise Variation (1): From your starting position, contract your abdominal and core muscles to stabilize your spine and slowly extend one hip (raise one leg) a few inches off the floor keeping your leg extended, ankle plantarflexed (toes pointing away from your shins) and avoiding any rotation in your leg. Maintain your head and torso position, avoiding any arching in your back or raising of your head. Hold this position briefly before returning to your starting position.
Step 5
Exercise Variation(2): From your starting position, contract your abdominal/core muscles to stabilize your spine and slowly extend one hip (raise one leg) a few inches off the floor while simultaneously raising the opposite arm a few inches off the floor. Keep both your leg and arm extended and avoiding any rotation in each. Maintain your head and torso position, avoiding any arching in your back or raising of your head. Hold this position briefly before returning to your starting position.
Bent Knee Push-Ups
Step 1
Starting Position: Kneel on an exercise mat or floor and bring your feet together behind you.
Step 2
Slowly bend forward to place your palms flat on the mat, positioning your hands shoulder-width apart with your fingers facing forward. Slowly shift your weight forward until your shoulders are positioned directly over your hands. Reposition your hands as needed to allow full extension of your body from the knees without any bend at the hips. Stiffen your torso by contracting your core and abdominal muscles ("bracing").
Step 3
Downward Phase: Slowly lower your body towards the floor while maintaining a rigid torso and head aligned with your spine. Do not allow your low back to sag or your hips to hike upwards during this downward phase. Continue to lower yourself until your chest or chin touch the mat or floor. Your elbows should remain close to the sides of your body or flare outwards slightly.
Step 4
Upward Phase: Press upwards through your arms while maintaining a rigid torso and head aligned with your spine. Do not allow your low back to sag or your hips to hike upwards. Continue pressing until the arms are fully extended at the elbows.
Push-ups place stress upon the wrist joints. To alleviate some of this stress you may opt to use dumbbells and grip the handles rather than place your hands on the floor. If your are pressing from an elevation such as a dumbbell, you do not need to lower your chest or chin to the floor, but rather lower yourself until your chest or chin are level with the dumbbell handles.
Downward – Facing Dog
Step 1
Starting Position: Kneel on an exercise mat or floor and bring your feet together behind you. Slowly bend forward to place your palms flat on the mat, positioning your hands shoulder-width apart with your fingers facing forward. Slowly lift yourself into a push-up position, shifting your hands until your shoulders are positioned directly over your hands. Reposition your feet as needed to allow full extension of your body. Stiffen your torso by contracting your core and abdominal muscles to prevent any arching in your low back or hiking of your hips towards the ceiling.
Step 2
Upward Phase: While maintaining a rigid torso and full extension in your arms and legs, slowly exhale and shift your weight backwards by pushing your hips backwards and upwards. Maintain your head alignment with your spine, but slowly move your head between your shoulders as your body moves backwards and attempt to push your heels towards the floor. Maintain the stiffness in your torso to prevent the tendency of your back to arch. Continue moving until your body forms an inverted-V, keeping both arms and legs extended and a neutral (flat) spine. Allow a slight bend in the knees if required to achieve the inverted-V position.
Step 3
Downward Phase: Inhale and return your body to the starting push-up position, maintaining the alignment of all your body segments.
Will share more in the next post:
(Credit https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6593/top-25-at-home-exercises)
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