Training at home: the best exercises for good physical and mental health

There is no excuse for not staying physically fit. The Internet is a great gym, full of tutorials by personal trainers, with very easy to follow routines for training at home, gaining muscle mass, and losing weight.

Training from home has several advantages, the most obvious one being time. You don’t have to travel and you can adjust your schedule in order to make time for training. Another great advantage is that you don’t have an audience, so you won’t be embarrassed and you won’t have to think too much about the clothes you are going to wear. And, if you are organised and focused, there are also fewer distractions than in a conventional gym.

The disadvantages, which also exist, are related to the lack of structure of the training, the absence of an authoritative voice to motivates you, and the absence of a professional trainer correcting some exercises. However, with a little thought, a good YouTube tutorial can replace all this.

Here is a list of simple, but very effective exercises to stay fit without leaving your home. The ideal thing is to combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility exercises and progressively increase the level and time you dedicate to the practice.

Squats: They are very well known, but, unbelievably, we often perform them with errors. It is a compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups, including the quadriceps, glutes and core muscles. To perform a correct squat, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, lower your body by bending your knees and hips keeping your back straight, and then return to the starting position.

Push-ups: An effective exercise to tone the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Start the push-ups in plank position with hands placed shoulder-width apart, lower the body towards the floor by bending the elbows, then return to the starting position by extending the arms.

Isometric plank: It is a strength exercise that strengthens the core muscles, including the abdomen, back, and buttocks. Stand on your forearms and toes and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels. Hold the position for 30 seconds or more, keeping the abdomen tightly contracted.

Burpees: Is this the most hated exercise in the gym? This may be true, but it is also the most complete exercise, as it combines strength and cardio. Start in standing position, lower your body into a squat, place your hands on the floor and jump or extend your legs backwards into plank position, do a push-up and return to plank position, then jump forward and stand up. Indeed, it is the most hated exercise in the gym.

Lunges: Excellent exercise to strengthen the leg muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Step forward with one leg, then bend both knees at a 90 degree angle, lower your body, and then return to the starting position.

Jumping jacks: It is a cardiovascular exercise that also works the leg muscles. Standing with your feet together, jump up and spread your legs in the air while crossing your arms in front of your body like scissors. Return to the starting position on the next jump.

Stretching: Stretching exercises should always be the final part of the home training routine to avoid injuries and improve flexibility. Spend enough time stretching the major muscle groups after each exercise session.