Winter is coming and it’s getting cold. I don’t know about you but motivating myself to leave the comfort of my warm couch and bear the cold to get to a fitness class isn’t the easiest task. I find myself doing at home workouts on really cold days. I don’t want to abandon my health just because of weather. I live in NYC and that means my living space can get pretty cramped. But that doesn’t make a quick at home workout impossible. I do what I can (which means workout) to help reduce heart disease, some cancers, and improve mental health and cognitive function. Here are eight moves you can do right in your living room.
High Knees (3-5 sets of 30 second sprints)
Targets: Quads, glutes, calves, shins (anterior tibialis), hip flexors, ups that heart rate
How to: This could piss off your downstairs neighbor even more. (Yes, I am talking about mine! She’s a nightmare but that is another story for another time.) But go ahead, I totally support you. Run in place, bringing the knees above hip level. Keep your hands in front of you at hip level, palms down, and try and slap ’em with your knees to get the most out of this one. Or, pump your arms like a sprinter, elbows at 90 degree angles, and pump those arms fast. (Your legs will ALWAYS go as fast as your arms go!) Land on the balls of your feet (not your heels) for 10-second bursts, working up to 30-second sprints.
Butt Kicks (3-5 sets of 20 second sprints)
Targets: Hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves, shins (tibialis), and heart rate
How to: Ready to kick things up a notch? Keep running in place, but this time kick your heels to your butt with each stride. Go as fast as you can for 3-5 rounds of 20-30 second bursts, 20 seconds of rest between each.
Jump Squats (3-5 sets of 20 reps)
Targets: Quads, glutes, calves, shins (anterior tibialis)
How to: This exercise is a wonderful way to get back at your downstairs neighbor for ringing your doorbell at 2am….on a weeknight. (Yeah, that really happened. Can you tell I’m a little upset?) To start: Stand with your feet hip-width, toes forward. Sit back into a squat then drive your whole body up through your heels, shifting your weight onto the balls of your feet as you lift off. Be sure to land on the balls of your feet and immediately bend the knees into a full squat. Aim for three sets of 10-15 reps. If you can do these in front of a mirror, make sure your knees aren’t wobbling side to side while you squat or land.
Sliding Pushups (3 sets of 7-10 reps)
Targets: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core, lats, adductors, abductors
How to: Hit the floor. A wood floor is best but a kitchen floor works well for this one too! Place the hands slightly wider than the shoulders and one hand on a sock or something that can easily slide and the other on the floor. Lower yourself down while sliding the hand that is on the sock to the side (about 1 foot), bringing your chest below your elbows. Keep your chin from jutting forward (your chest should graze the floor first — not your head, hips, or anything else). (draw your shoulder blades in and down the back to protect your rotator cuffs.) As you push up (keep that back straight!), bring the sliding arm back to the starting position. Inhale here. On the exhale, repeat. Shoot for three sets of 7-10 reps.
Modification: Can’t support your full bodyweight? Stick to the standard push-up but do ‘em with your knees on the floor.
Mountain Climbers (3 sets of 30 second sprints)
Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core, hip flexors, hamstrings, quads
How to: The same but different to the high knee run. Aka the first exercise. This is the same, but face down in the push-up position. Start by hiking your left knee towards the chest. Then quickly get that leg back and pop your right knee up to the chest. Go as fast as you can for 3-5 sets of 30-second bursts. Try to keep as close to a straight arm plank as possible. And if that isn’t hard enough, make sure you only ever have one foot on the ground at a time.
Supermans (3 sets of 10-15 reps)
Targets: Low back, lats, shoulders
How to: Workout or fight crime? That’s a tough one. I’ve got a quick solution for you. You can do both (maybe at the same time). Here’s what you have to do:Simply roll onto the belly, and reach your arms above your head, keeping the legs straight. Lift your right arm and left leg at the same time, squeeze your glutes and low back muscles, then lower each and lift your left arm and right leg. That’s one. Shoot for three sets of 10- 15 reps.
