Sometimes it isn’t possible to join or get to the gym. Being a parent takes up almost all of your time, if not every moment, but it’s important to take care of your body, even if it’s for just a few minutes per day. You’ll look and feel better and be a positive role model for your children and family. These easy exercises that you can do right at home will be a breeze to incorporate into your daily routine. So let’s get going!
Stair Step Lunges
You can define your glutes, thighs and calves while keeping an eye on the kids. Hey, you can even have dinner in the oven or a load of laundry going while you perfect this easy exercise. Simply use the bottom step of your staircase and place one foot on the ground and the other on that first step. Bend at the knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor and squeeze the muscles on the way down and back up to a straight-leg position. Do 10 reps, then switch legs. Do 3 sets of these each day. Once it becomes too easy, hold dumbbells in each hand to add weight to the exercise. You’ll see a toned butt and legs in no time!
Jump Rope
Jumping rope isn’t just for kids. It’s an excellent cardiovascular exercise that works all the major muscle groups. Find a space in your home where the full rotation of the jump rope won’t bang into anything; perhaps the basement or garage. You can also do this outside in nice weather. Try to jump for 5 minutes straight and add time every time you jump. It’s harder to complete that amount of time than you think, but easy to get into the groove and do the jumping itself. Play some upbeat, motivating tunes to get your heart pumping! Let the kids try too if they are old enough.
Crunches
We all want those washboard abs, but sit-ups can be a pain, literally. You don’t need to do a full sit-up in order to work those abdominal muscles. You can do crunches and reach those abs. Believe me, they’re under there! Lie with your back to the floor with your knees bent and feet on the ground and you’re your arms crossed across the chest or hands behind the head. Lift the head until your torso is at a 45 degree angle to the floor then slowly lower back down. Do as many reps you are able to do. You can also target different areas of the abs by lifting the legs straight out or up in the air. Keep at it and you will soon notice a change in muscle definition… AB-solutely!
Modified Push-Ups
Push-ups are great for the triceps and chest muscles. Some of us cannot do a full push-up though, and that’s OK. Modified push-ups are a great way to work your way up to a full push-up and build those muscles very well. In a modified push-up, lie face down on the ground put your body in a position where the knees are on the ground and feet are up. Push yourself up and down by lifting and lowering the upper body just like you would in a normal push-up. The leg position eases up some of the weight and allows you to do more repetitions. Do as many as you can and aim to increase the number each day. Your muscles will become more defined and you will surely feel stronger!
Do you have any at-home exercises that have worked for you? Share your tips with us! For more info like this, check out more articles at All My Children.
By: Melissa A. Kay