Home Workout Plan
This home workout plan will help you get in a great workout without having to pay for a gym or buy expensive workout equipment.
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It's so easy to hibernate during extreme cold or hot weather if you don't have a home workout plan.
So here is are some at home workouts to help you get through those winter months, rainy days, or just give you something to do as an alternative to running.
Basic Home Workout
This is my basic home workout plan. I change the routine often to keep it interesting, fun and challenging, but this is the basic schedule I stick to.
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
| strngth | cardio | strngth | cardio | pilates | cardio | rest |
Equipment Needed for Home Workout Plan
You can find all the equipment needed for this home workout plan here.
- Medium Resistance Toning Band (also available in light for an easier workout or heavy for a harder workout)
- Exercise Ball
- Mat
- Pilates DVD
Optional Equipment
- Jump rope
- Rebounder
- Weights (start with a pair of 3 pound weights and a pair of 5 pound weights)
- Workout DVD (when you're ready for some variation or need some more inspiration)
Home Workout Plan: Strength Training
Warm up with 5-10 minutes of cardio. Some great forms of cardio are jumping jacks, jump rope or rebounder.
Abs: 10 minutes. Do 2-3 sets of each of these ab workouts.
If you have a rebounder
Resistance band: 20 minutes.
I have a medium tension resistance toning band. You can also get it in light or heavy. It comes with a door attachment which gives about twice as many exercise options.
It includes pretty straightforward instructions for a full body workout, but if you want something that provides a little more instruction, you might get a workout DVD like this one.
This will help you get in a full body workout, but you may want to spend a little more time on the upper body one day and the lower body the next.
Squats, extra arm workout: 5-10 minutes. Take your exercise ball and hold it straight out in front of you. (If you don't have an exercise ball, you can improvise with one of your kids balls.)
Squat down as if you are sitting in a chair. You want to squat down as low as you can, but more important than that is to maintain the correct posture. Keep your shoulders back and your but in and don't let you knees hang out over your feet.
Then slowly stand up and, still holding the ball, lift your hands above your head. Repeat 10-50 times.
(The first time I tried this, I did it 10 times and my thighs/hamstrings were burning for 3 days afterward.)
Stretch 5-10 minutes. Stretch all the muscles you worked out. Here are some great stretching exercises.
Alternative Strength Training Workout
This weight training for runners article is another great workout that you can do at home.
Home Workout Plan: Advanced Strength Training
For some advanced strength training techniques, try calisthenics. The idea of calisthenics is that you don't stop in between sets. You just move right on to the next thing. This gives you a good strength training as well as a cardio workout.
Home Workout Plan: Cardio
Here are several ideas for a cardio workout. You can pick one of these or mix it up.
Running
I spend most of my cardio days running, but I still mix it up. I usually do one long run, one easy run, one fartlek run and if I do a 4th cardio workout I either do the elliptical or hill training.
Here are sone running tips to help make your run better and more effective.
Rebounder
When I wanted to buy a cardio machine, I was looking at spending $2-3000 for a good treadmill or elliptical machine. This didn't fit my budget, it took up too much room in my crowded New York City apartment and it was unnecessary when I'd much rather be running outside. But I still wanted to have something around for those rainy, cold days.
That's when I started looking into a rebounder and I found out that not only could I get the best rebounder out there for a little over $200 (that same price would have brought me a very trashy treadmill or elliptical), but I also learned that there are a lot of benefits to working out on a rebounder.
I have since come to love my rebounder and my two-year-old and his daddy love it too. We turn on some music and take turns bouncing, jumping and dancing on the rebounder.
Stairs
Do you have stairs in your house or apartment building? If you do, you have a great cardio machine already. Spend 20-30 minutes running up and down those stairs and you've got a great cardio workout..
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are very easy to do, you can do them in your house and they don't require any equipment.
The only requirement is that you wear a very sturdy sports bra.
Stand with your feet together and your arms to your side.- Jump in the air.
- Land with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms clapped above your head.
- Repeat.
Sounds easy? The first time you do it, I dare you to last 5 minutes.
Jump Rope
Surely you grew up jump roping. No? Well no time to start like the present. The key, I am learning, is to start slow. (And believe me, if I can do it, you an do it because I have almost no coordination.)
The speed will come and before you know it you will be jump roping like a pro and looking for advance jump rope routines. I promise to add some of my own, once I master the basics.
Kick Boxing
Buy a kick boxing workout DVD and workout to it at home. There are many kickboxing workouts that don't require a punch bag or anything to kick and they are a lot of fun. Here is one I really like.
Home Workout Plan: Pilates
Pilates is a great way to recover from your runs, improve posture, strength, tone your abs and get in a good stretch. Pilates is another workout that doesn't feel like you are doing much but afterwards you will know you had a great workout.
If you are new to pilates, here is a great DVD
More Home Workout Plans
Another great home workout to try is the P90X Extreme Home Fitness Workout Program.
