Easy Workouts for Lazy Men
Working out is insanely difficult to find time to include in your busy life; if only there were easy workouts you could do at home
There is an increasing pressure to be fit and healthy these days, especially as a man that likes to try and live an iconic lifestyle. It is not easy trying to fit going to the gym and preparing healthy meals everyday around a busy work schedule and still somehow finding time to have a social life. I battled with trying to find the correct balance for years and, while I do now manage to make it to the gym at least a few times a week, I have found that the best workouts are the ones you can do quickly and easily at home.
Working out at home means that even on those dark, rainy days when the last thing you want to do is open your front door, you can still get your heart racing and your muscles pumped. When I first considered working out at home, at the time this being an exceedingly compact apartment, I thought I was going to need to invest in equipment and start moving furniture to make space. After much research into fold away treadmills, pull up bars and weight sets I realized that I didn’t actually need all that stuff to be able to workout at home, I could instead use the things I already had around my house.
I am going to share with you my favorite home workouts so that you too can improve your fitness and stay healthy without even having to leave the house!
Below are my favorite quick and simple workouts that anyone can do at home:
Use your stairs to your benefit
Let’s start really simple, with a workout that requires nothing but stairs. This can either be the stairs in your house or if you live in an apartment the communal staircase. You might be thinking there is no way I am going to work out on my block’s shared staircase, but one of three things is going to happen if your neighbors see you: one, they won’t even care and will just carry on walking past you; two, they’ll be impressed and think you’re a super motivated fitness enthusiast; or three they are interested in what you’re doing, ask to join in and you make a new friend.
When you first start out, turn some music on and set a timer. This can be for 5 minutes or even 30 depending on how much time you have to spare. Then just walk up and down the stairs; that’s it! With time you will find this gets easier and easier and you can introduce short bursts of running. It sounds super simple, but this quick, equipment-free work out can have a huge impact on your fitness levels. Running up and down the stairs, for even just 5 minutes a day improves your hearts health and builds leg muscle.
To really push your body to the limit you can try running with weights, to increase your upper body muscles. If you don't own weights, then don’t worry because you can always use heavy items around your house as a substitute - when I started stair running at home I used to use bags of flour wrapped in plastic shopping bags.
When you first start out, turn some music on and set a timer. This can be for 5 minutes or even 30 depending on how much time you have to spare. Then just walk up and down the stairs; that’s it! With time you will find this gets easier and easier and you can introduce short bursts of running. It sounds super simple, but this quick, equipment-free work out can have a huge impact on your fitness levels. Running up and down the stairs, for even just 5 minutes a day improves your hearts health and builds leg muscle.
To really push your body to the limit you can try running with weights, to increase your upper body muscles. If you don't own weights, then don’t worry because you can always use heavy items around your house as a substitute - when I started stair running at home I used to use bags of flour wrapped in plastic shopping bags.
Squats
Squats are a great work out to do at home because they require very little space and no equipment. Simply stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and your arms stretched out in front of you and slowly lower your upper body by bending your knees until you are in a sitting position. Make sure you keep your back as straight as possible for maximum stretch and to ensure you don't injure your back. Squats can also be incorporated into a more complex workout routine; for example, my favorite quick energy boosting routine for the morning is 3 sets of 15 squats and 20-star jumps.
There are so many health benefits to such a simple exercise that it is crazy and you will begin to notice the difference to your overall fitness within just a few weeks. Some of the main benefits of squats are helping to tone your legs and butt, increase your core strength and improve your circulation.
When I first started doing squats, I struggled to get my posture right, worrying that just because I didn't look like a pro athlete, I was doing it wrong. I took the time to watch a few tutorial videos on YouTube, and this drastically helped to boost my confidence, I can now do multiple sets of squats without even having to focus. Another great tip that I was given and that really helped to motivate me is to work squats into my daily routine, and to work them into fun activities, for example, if you're watching TV jump up and do a few squats every time there is an ad break. If you spend your evenings playing video games, take short breaks between battles or levels to do squats. The trick is making them part of your routine rather than a huge chore.
Weights
One of my main work-out goals when I first began was to achieve the iconic muscular bicep look that you see on posters, intended to motivate you and plastered all over gym walls. In order for my dream to become a reality, I introduced bicep curls into my daily routine. The great thing about these is that you can do them while watching TV because once you've mastered the basic technique, they require little concentration.
To begin, stand with your feet hip distance apart and hold one dumbbell in each hand. While trying to maintain a good, straight posture bend your elbow raising and lowering the dumbbell. To start with you should be aiming to do 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions. As this becomes easier, you can increase the number of repetitions you do per set and try adding more weight to each hand.
If you don't have dumbbells at home, don't worry, while they might make it slightly easier due to the hand grip they are not a necessity. You can use anything heavy that it is laying around your house as a substitute, as long as you feel able to hold it steady while bending your elbow. I have used heavy books, bags of flour and even large shampoo bottles in the past, really anything works.
Why not try some squats while holding weights to really push your biceps to their limit and get that iconic poster look?
Press-Ups
It might sound basic, but the results of doing even just a few press-ups a day can have a huge impact on your health and upper body strength. Lying face down on the floor, place your hands shoulder width apart and make sure that your back is straight, with your toes touching the floor. Slowly use your arms to lift your body off the ground, so that your hands and toes are the only points of contact with the floor. Your arms should extend fully before you allow your body to sink back down. Repeat this at least 10 times, to begin with, and then rest for a few minutes before repeating. I tend to recommend starting with 3 sets and increasing the number of repetitions you do per set over time.
Press-ups give your entire body a work out with a particular focus on your shoulders and building strength in your upper body. You can increase the challenge level by placing your feet on a coffee table or low chair. The higher you place your feet, the more resistance you will notice and the higher the gain.
Chair exercises
There are a surprising number of workouts you can do with just a simple chair, working everything from your arms to your legs. One of my favorite chair workouts is the ‘Sit to Stand,' merely sit on the edge of a chair with your feet hip distance apart and your back straight. Your arms should be slightly extended in front of you, with your elbows bent. Use your heels to push yourself up into a standing position, while swinging your arms backward. Repeat this process in reverse so that you are sitting again, swinging your arms forward as you sit. Repeat this at least 10 times. This super quick exercise strengths the muscles in your lower body.
Dips are another awesome way to use a chair to exercise. All you have to do is place your hands on the front of the chair and place your body in a sitting position in front of the chair. Your feet should be in line with your body on the ground in front of you. Bend your elbows backwards while lowering your butt onto the ground. Once your elbows reach a 90 degree angle, hold the position a few seconds before lifting your body back into a sitting position, before repeating. This super-fast exercise works to strengthen your triceps within just a few weeks.
The best thing about chair exercises is that you can do them almost any way, while I am waiting for a game to load I sneak in a few quick dips or during an advert break I’ll try and complete a set of Sit to Stands.
Once you’ve mastered all of these different exercises why not try combining them for a longer workout routine. You can even check out advanced versions of all of these workouts on YouTube to really up your game.
Let us know in the comments your quick and easy workouts that you do at home to stay fit and healthy.
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Sam is a writer from the UK with a strange fixation on making as many things from scratch as possible. Whether it's brewing beer or making hot sauce, Sam is determined to try and make everything, as well as writing or making videos about it as he goes.