Quick and Easy Workouts You Can Try!

The full extent of the pandemic is starting to show, our jeans don't fit, we're snacking more, and we'll convince ourselves later that we'll do something about it when deep down most of us won't. We may not be able to go out and about right now, but what we can do is make use of public spaces and the comfort of our own home to battle off the lockdown belly!

★ Sit-Ups

Recommended for those who want to lose some of weight around the tummy (relevant for most of us with our new eating habits while stuck at home), sit-ups are an effective way of doing so. Similar to crunches, they are often hard to get right and may need a second person or a mirror in order to keep your posture and get the full benefits of a sit-up.

To perform a sit-up, you must lie on the floor on your back with your knees and arms bent at the elbows and arms behind your head and pull your upper body towards your knees, getting as far up as you can without moving any other part of your body, before laying back down and trying it again.

This classical upper-body exercise will strengthen your core muscles and is also fantastic for the lower back. Although not the most effective of exercises, it is a great start for those with less exercise experience.

Exercises To Target Your Thighs

★ Crunches

Crunches, like sit-ups are also a fantastic work-out for beginners as they don't require much thought or preparation, but still reap the same toned-ab rewards. It is beneficial for your back, neck and pelvis too! Similar to sit-ups, you need the same body position, just with your arms crossed against your chest instead of behind your head. When you're ready, you pull yourself up towards your knees, back down, and repeat. 

Crunches are more popular than sit-ups simply because they work the majority of abdominal muscles with better results and is a good fill-in exercise alongside other workouts.

★ Plank

Arguably the should-be-the-easiest-but-actually-the-hardest exercise on this list, planking just needs one person to lay slightly lifted against the floor with your waist straight and facing downwards, using only their forearms and toes for support. You must stay in this position for as long as possible. Laying still sounds easy, right? But this is tough, requiring all of your back and abdominal strength to stay not only still, but straight as well, no bending knees or slouching backs allowed! If you're feeling extra competitive, try lifting one leg off of the floor, relying on less to carry the weight for your core muscles.

If it ever becomes too boring, there are plenty of variations for this exercise to make it easier or more difficult, it's definitely worth trying a few to see what best suits your body.

★ Squats

Squats are a sure-fire way to work off some extra fat and gain muscle around the legs and thighs in the process, just by doing a small, repetitive routine once a day, or more if you're up for the challenge! You can push yourself each day by doing extra squats, or by using dumbells or another similarly heavy item to work your upper body as well. It is quite an easy exercise to carry out, with many of us learning this technique at school or in the local gym, so you shouldn't have any trouble perfecting it. Make sure your hips are pushed back and that your feet are flat on the floor at all times to gain the most benefit.

★ High Knees

As a cardio-intensive exercise, high knees are performed by running on the spot at a fast pace, making sure to lift your knees up to your hips as you do so in an exaggerated fashion, raising the opposite-side arm at the same time. It strengthens the core, legs, improves flexibility and heart rate. It is a common activity for a variety of sessions, ranging from beginner warmup exercises to a full intensity workout. High knees are also effective to begin or end lengthy workouts as it doesn’t exert as much strain physically as many other exercises do.

★ Lunges

A lunge is an easy and effective exercise using one leg positioned in front with the knee bent and foot flat on the ground, and the other behind in a comfortable position, much like tying your shoelace. They are useful for those wishing to lose weight, or strengthen lower muscles as it targets the legs, hips and thighs. Depending on the type of lunge, it can also benefit your core muscles.