exercise

3 Best Exercises You Can do At Home to Get Results!

Posted on September 27, 2016

 

I get asked all the time “What are some good exercises I can do at home to start getting in better shape“.

There are dozens of exercises you can choose from, but I’m going to carve it down to just three different exercises in this post.

The goal of these three exercises is to involve as many muscles in your body at the same time as possible. This not only burns more calories it also allows you to do fewer exercises (although more reps and sets) to get great results.

You can do all three of these exercises with absolutely no equipment.

Body Weight Squats

Squats are great. You don’t need any equipment nor do you need any special space. You can do them inside, outside in your living room, bedroom or just about anywhere else.

As with all exercises, it’s important that you have the right form to reduce any chance of injury.

Proper form when doing a squat is:

  • Feet a little wider than shoulder width apart
  • Point your toes out just a bit
  • As you drop down push your knees out to the side
  • Roll your toes up just a bit, to ensure you’re holding your weight in your heels
  • Drop your butt down between your legs
  • Push up through your heels

 

Push-Ups

Another fantastic body weight exercise that has two levels of difficulty for you to try. The key to a good push up is when you’re placing your hands down on the ground ensure they are approximately shoulder width apart and place your hands directly under your shoulders (see the video below for an example).

Another tip is not to stare directly down at the ground. Choose a spot about 8″ to 10″ out in front of you and keep your chin up. There’s nothing to see staring down at the ground or underneath your chest. Keeping your chin up promotes good form.

If you find doing push-ups off your toes to be difficult try coming off your knees first. It’s more important that you get proper form to reduce the chance of injury.

 

Plank

Plank is one of those exercises that seems easy until it’s not.

The key is engaging your core as much as you can and then pulling up with either your kegel muscle if you’re a woman or your PC muscle if you’re a man.

For positioning, you want your elbows under your shoulders and your body nice and flat and you’re going to come up just a little bit with your butt (see video below for example). Coming up slightly in the middle allows you to squeeze your core in extra tight.

When you’re down in plant position suck your belly button in and hold your core in tight. You should be holding your core tight enough that it’s difficult to talk normally. If you are speaking with ease you can pull that belly button in tighter!

 

Creating a Simple At Home Circuit

With these three easy bodyweight exercises, you can start creating your own home workout routine. Here’s a suggested starting point.

  • 10-15 body weight squats
  • 10-15 push-ups (from toes or knees, where ever you feel comfortable)
  • Hold plan for 20 to 60 seconds

Rest for 30 seconds and then repeat that circuit. How many times should you repeat it? Well use your own judgement here, but I’d start with two to three times and see if you can work up to five or six. This will depend a lot on your current fitness level, so go easy when first starting out.

These are example exercises that we regularly do inside our BootCamp classes everyday as well. Of course we get into a lot more moves, some with and others without equipment.

I’d love for you to come in and try one of our BootCamp classes this week absolutely FREE.

360fit Blog – You Need To Give Up

Posted on January 25, 2016

 

The other day a client told me she just couldn’t give up ice cream at night. “I just can’t do it… and I don’t think I should have to.” She said.

My biggest pet peeve is when people don’t want to give things up, but they want major changes in their bodies. This lady is the same as those who tell me all the time how they want six pack abs, but won’t give up sugar in their five coffees a day. Something isn’t lining up here.

People love telling me their fitness goals, and then follow it up saying they don’t want to change things, and that “life’s too short” to not enjoy the things they want. Or they say, “I want a life!”

This is exactly the same as saying, I’m not saving for my retirement because life is too short and I want to spend all my money now. Or saying I’m not saving some money for my rent, I’m just going to spend it all because life is too short to worry about rent. And I’m sure everyone would agree those are crazy comments.

Everything in life is about giving up one thing, so you can do something else.

If you get in a relationship you technically are giving up dating other people so you can date just one. But you don’t think of it that way. You think, this person is amazing I want to just be with them. But really you are giving up dating other people.

Fitness is no different! Don’t fall in the trap of feeling like you shouldn’t  change your habits but  still  get results. Results come from making changes! You need to commit to your goal, just like you would in a relationship; and that means giving up things.

When you do the changes you want will come quickly!

Click here for a FREE personal training session, or FREE week at 360fit!

Devin Sherrington was named #2 trainer in Canada 2015, is 8 time Best Personal Fitness Trainer Halifax award winner, and owner the award winning fitness studio 360fit in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He lives in Fletcher’s Lake with his girlfriend Lauren and children Reign and Journey.