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With winter closing in, our workout options become more limited. The inclement weather may make exercising outdoors impractical. If your town or city is affected by pandemic lockdowns, getting to the gym may also be out of the question. Fortunately, you can get a great workout in the comfort of your own home with minimal equipment. In this article, we present two home training options to burn fat and tone and build muscle.
15 Minute Fat HIIT Burning Workout
This fat burning workout is designed to elevate your heart rate while training and to induce the enhanced post exercise oxygen consumption effect so that your metabolic rate remains high for the following 24-36 hours. You’ll need a stop watch and plenty of grit for this one!
After every 20 second set of each exercise, rest for exactly 10 seconds before doing the next exercise. On each succeeding set, work to get the same number of reps you achieved on the previous set. You can rest for 60 seconds between exercises.
Warmup: Jogging on the spot – 60 seconds / High Knees – 30 seconds / Butt Kicks – 30 seconds
- Burpees – 6 x 20 seconds
- Mountain Climbers – 5 x 20 seconds
- Star Jumps – 4 x 20 seconds
- Sumo Squat to High Knees – 3 x 20 seconds
Exercise Technique
Burpees
From a standing position, drop to the ground, kicking your legs back behind you. Immediately bring your legs back , simultaneously jumping up to a standing position. Extend your hands into the air on the ascent. That is one rep.
Mountain Climbers
Assume the top of a push-up position. Place one foot as close to your hands as possible,
the other foot reaching as far behind as possible. With a quick hopping mo-
tion, keeping palms on the floor, switch foot positions. Do it again. That’s one rep.
Star Jumps
Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides. Now simultaneously jump your feet apart as you raise your arms directly out to slightly higher than shoulder level. Immediately return to the start position. Continue performing your reps in a smooth, fluid motion until you have completed the designated rep count.
Sumo Squat to High Knees
Stand with feet about a foot wider than shoulder width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Clasp your hands in front of your chin. Now hinge at the hips to descend down into a full squat. As you come out of the squat lift your right knee up to touch the corresponding elbow. On the next rep, lift the left knee.
Upper Body Chair Workout
Here is an effective upper body toning, stretching and strengthening workout that requires nothing but a kitchen table chair. These chair exercises are great to get you moving after a couple of hours on the couch watching Netflix!
Make sure that the chair that you are using is stable and solid.
Work up to completing this circuit three times, with a 60 second rest between each round.
- Warm-up: Arm Swings x 10 / Shoulder Rotations x 10 / Back Twists 5 (each side)
- Shadow Boxing – 60 seconds
- Curl / Press – 45 seconds
- Lateral Raise – 45 seconds
- Chest / Leg Squeeze – 45 seconds
- Torso Crunch
Exercise Technique
Shadow Boxing
Sit in an upright position and put your hands in the boxing defense position, with one fist below the chin and the other cocked in front of your body. Now begin throwing punches at an imaginary target in front of you, going back and forth with the left and right fists.
Curl / Press
Sit in an upright position with your arms at your sides, fists clenched and palms facing forward. Now curl your hands up so that your biceps contract and your hands touch your upper chest. From here supinate your wrists so that the palms are again facing forward and press your arms overhead to full extension. That is one rep.
Lateral Raise
Sit in an upright position with your arms at your sides. Simultaneously bring both arms directly out to the sides without bending at the elbows. Come up until your arms are at shoulder level. Hold for a count of three and then slowly return to the start position, That is one rep.
Chest Squeeze
Sit in an upright position with your arms in front of your body with elbows bent at 90 degrees and forearms parallel to your body. Now pull your arms apart to fully extend the pectoral muscles of the chest. Hold the extended position for a two count before bringing the arms back together. Squeeze the pectoral muscles forcefully in the contracted position. That is one rep.
Torso Crunch
Sit in an upright position with your arms at your sides. Now tense down on your abdominal wall as you hunch over slightly and crunch down to bring your chest down toward your hips. Hold the contract position for a two count before returning to the start position.