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8 Simple No-Equipment Home Workouts For Women!

Fitness, Yoga

8 Simple No-Equipment Home Workouts For Women!

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How many times have you wanted to join the gym but never got to it? I have, a lot of times!

But did I ever consider trying home workouts? No. Not until one fortunate day.

Oh yes! You don’t need to join a gym, and you don’t even need an equipment! You’ll be surprised to find out that there are numerous ways to stay in and break a sweat, and lose those extra fats and stay fit through home workouts.

My tight schedule never allowed me to put my gymming plan to action. My gymming dream always got put on the back burner every single time!

It took me an aching muscle and a flabby tummy to finally decide to adopt a no-equipment workout plan at home.

However, with time I realized that the key to a successful home workout routine is to have a dedicated time for the exercise. (It can be when you get up, before work or as soon as you get home from work.) You should also have a designated area.

First, let’s get to know the 5 elements of fitness that should constitute a home workout plan

  1. Warm-up: This involves easy walk outside or a slow pace on a stationary bike.
  2. Cardiovascular Workout: This means to walk or pedal faster, do step aerobics with a video or jump rope. (The key here is to get your heart rate up.)
  3. Resistance Exercise: It includes squats, push ups, abdominal crunches, working with small dumbbells, bands or tuning.
  4. Flexibility Moves: This includes floor stretches or yoga poses.
  5. A Cool down:  Similar to warm up, we need cool down to keep the heart rate down to a resting pace.

Now, let’s get to kick-starting the workout

I. Standing Chop:

(for waist, obliques, lower back, glutes, and legs)

  1. Home Workouts: Standing Chop ExerciseStand with feet hip-width apart.
  2. Extend left arm overhead, right hand resting on hip.
  3. Keep left knee soft, bring right knee up and pull left arm down in a controlled chopping motion.
  4. Aim for the outside of the knee with your elbow, for one count.
  5. Return to start for two counts.
  6. Do 8 to 12 repetitions on each side.

II. Criss-Cross:

(for abs, obliques, and quads)Home Workouts: Criss Cross exercise for women

  1. Lie down on your back, clasp hands behind head, and slightly lift the tops of your shoulder blades off floor.
  2. Straighten and lift left leg off the floor as you twist at waist.
  3. Bring right knee slowly in toward left shoulder. (Be careful not to round your back or pull on your head or neck.)
  4. Hold for two counts, then twist to the other side for one repetition.
  5. Do 8 to 12 repetitions.

III. BODY WEIGHT Squats:

(for quadriceps, calves, hamstrings)

Home Workouts: Body weight Squat Exercise

  1. Stand with your feet spread wider than your shoulder-width apart.
  2. Hold your arms straight out at your shoulder level, parallel to the floor.
  3. Keep torso up-tight, lower back slightly arched.
  4. Brace your abs and lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees .
  5. Pause. Now, push yourself back to the starting position.
  6. Do 15 to 20 repetitions.

IV. Hip Raise:

(for rear Glutes, end muscles, flat tummy)Home Workouts: Hip Raise

  1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place your arms out to your sides at a 45-degree angle, your palms facing up.
  3. Now try to make your tummy as skinny as possible and hold it that way while breathing normally. That’s the starting position.
  4. Keeping your core tight, squeeze your glutes and raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
  5. Pause for five seconds—squeezing your glutes tightly the entire time—then get back to the starting position.
  6. Do 10 repetitions.

V. Incline Push up:

(for Abs, Chest, Glutes, Lower Back, Shoulders, Triceps, Upper Back)

  1. Get into a pushup position.Incline Push up.Home Workouts: incline Push Up exercise for Women
  2. Place your hands on a raised surface—such as a box, bench, or one of the steps of your stairs—instead of the floor.
  3. Let your body form a straight line from your ankles to your head.
  4. Keep your body rigid, lower your body until your upper arms dip below your elbows.
  5. Pause, and then push yourself back to the starting position as quickly as possible. (The higher the surface on which you place your hands, the easier the exercise becomes.)
  6. Do 12 to 15 repetitions.

VI. Side Plank:

(for all abdominal muscles, lower back, shoulders, and glutes)

  1. Home Workouts: Side Plank Exercise for WomenLie down on your right side with your knees straight.
  2. Prop your upper body on your right elbow and forearm.
  3. Place your left hand on your left hip.
  4. Try to make your tummy as skinny as possible, and hold it that way while breathing normally.
  5. Then raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders.
  6. With your core tight, hold this position for 30 seconds.
  7. Roll onto your other side and repeat (hold for 5 secs, rest for 5 secs).

VII. The Swim:

(for core, lower back, shoulders, glutes, and quads)Home Workouts: The Swim Exercise for Women

  1. Lie face down, arms extended overhead, and palms facing down.
  2. Lift head slightly off the floor, tilt chin down to form a straight line with neck.
  3. Tighten abs to create a space between your belly button and the floor.
  4. Raise right arm and left leg one inch off the floor, and not higher.
  5. Hold for one count, then lower.
  6. Repeat on other side.
  7. Do 8 to 12 repetitions on each side.

VIII. Savasana Yoga: 

(for muscle relaxation)

  1. Home Workouts Savasana Yoga for WomenLie down on your back with your feet spread slightly apart from each other.
  2. Put your arms at your side, palms facing up and fingers curling naturally.
  3. Inhale deeply and hold it as you tense your entire body.
  4. Clench your jaw, purse your lips, flex your leg and arm muscles, tighten your buttocks, curl your toes, tighten your abdomen, wrinkle your forehead, tense your ears, blow air into your cheeks, and clench your fists.
  5. After tensing your body for a few seconds, exhale and relax all of your muscles at once. Let the tension from your body sink to the floor. Make sure every muscle in your body is softened.
  6. Hold this pose for as long as you would like.
  7. Slowly start to come back by wiggling your fingers and toes while still keeping your eyes closed.
  8. Bring your knees to your chest, wrap your arms around them, and give them a squeeze.
  9. Keeping your knees against your chest, roll onto your right side and slowly push yourself to an upright position using your right elbow.

The Meal Planning For Your Home Workouts

Now that we have completed 5 elements of a fitness routine, let’s move on to the diet plan during workouts.Home workouts meal: what to eat before and after workout

Working out at home without setting foot in the gym doesn’t mean you can get away without a diet plan. Pre & post workout meal is of extreme importance in both gym workouts and home workouts. Take a look at its importance:

Pre-Workout Meal:

This is the energy phase. The meal intake supply the body for optimal performance. A pre-workout meal should be taken ideally 1-2 hours before workout.

Why do you need Pre-Workout Meal?

  • To reduce muscle glycogen depletion.
  • To reduce muscle protein breakdown.
  • To reduce post workout cortisol levels.

What should you eat before workout?

  • High in protein and carbs but low in fat &  fibre.
  • Peanut butter sandwich, fruit smoothie, banana, berries, bowl of oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain bagels etc.

Post-Workout Meal:

This is the Anabolic phase. The meal intake is needed for the rebuilding phase. It should be consumed within 15-60 minutes of work out.

Why do you need Post-Workout Meal?

  • To replenish muscle glycogen that was depleted during your workout.
  • To reduce muscle protein breakdown caused by exercise.
  • To increase muscle protein synthesis.
  • To reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.
  • To greatly enhance overall recovery.
  • To reduce cortisol levels.

What should you eat after workout?

  • Post workout diet plan should be rich in protein and fibre for muscle repair and easy digestion.
  • Protein like egg whites, tuna, chicken, mixed vegetables, salmon etc.

Do not forget to get enough sleep. Ideally, you should give your body a 6 to 8 hours of sleep everyday so that your body muscles can reform again, as it was broken down during the workout.

Consistently follow these routine 3-4 times a week and watch your body shape up.

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