People of this day and age should thank their lucky stars if they haven’t gotten used to lying in bed all day long watching movies and binging on unhealthy snacks. Yes, this is something that people of this generation have gotten accustomed to. It may not come as a surprise but lethargy prevails in most of our societies. Which is why, I applaud anyone who tries to take time out for working out and who gives up his dull lifestyle for a healthy one. To battle the bulge, you don’t need a gym membership or fancy workout gear. What you do need is motivation and determination to be persistent so that you don’t end up losing your progress. These challenging exercises will help you get fit and reach your workout goals effectively at home.
1. Reverse lunge
If you’re looking to work on your lower body and uplift your butt, then this is the exercise for you. By incorporating reverse lunges in your workout routine, you will not only be able to get a good balance, but it will also make your lower body strong. Reverse lunges will work on your legs, but their prime focus will be on your glutes.
To perform this exercise you want your feet to be about shoulder width apart. Hold the dumbbells and step backward and make sure one of your knees touches the ground. Next, you want to push through your glute and step back forward. Perform about 10 – 15 reps each side.
Photo credit: www.popsugar.com
2. Push up plank rows
This workout will work on pretty much your entire upper body (chest, back, triceps, core, shoulder, and biceps, to name few of the body parts).
To do this exercise, you should get in the push-up position, with your palms gripping the dumbbells, feet together and then you want to do a standard push up. Then you want to push the dumbbells up and down and repeat the process. If you find this exercise tough, then you can do it on your knees to make it easy.
3. Double leg lift
This is a classic move to get your lower abs. This exercise is performed very commonly by people because it shows significant results. It depends on how many reps are you able to do of this exercise. Doing this leg raise exercise also strengthens your upper body so the next time you’re wearing your favorite pair of high heels, you’ll be less likely to stumble.
Start off by lying on your back and extending your legs all the way up. All you need to do for this exercise is to move your legs up and down while keeping them straight.
4. Reverse crunch
Crunches are one of the most commonly done and popular exercises probably because they are so easy to do. They primarily focus on your abdominal muscles.
To perform reverse crunches, you need to cross your ankles and lift up your legs. If you’re a beginner, and you have trouble lifting your legs up too high, then you can just lift them up a little bit.
Photo credit: www.popworkouts.com
5. Heel clicks
Heel clicks will focus on flattening your lower belly by focusing on your abdominal muscles. Doing this exercise will provide you with strength, and you will break the right amount of sweat.
To do heel clicks, you need to lift your legs up while tightening your belly button. Now press your legs down as far as you can go. After your legs are suspended in the air, you need to up your game. Tap your feet together to make this work.
Abby is a nutrition and fitness expert. She loves to write about health, fitness and nutrition. She is part of the writer’s team at SWITCH, a fitness blog by renowned UK celebrities Dr. Hilary Jones and Emma Kenny. In her free time, Abby loves listening to music and sweating it out at the gym.
