Workouts

Here is a 5 minute swiss ball workout for you to try. So many people have a swiss ball in a garage or somewhere (usually half deflated!) But they are a great bit of kit that you can use in your home workouts. Format is 20 seconds on each exercise, 10 seconds to get into position for the next exercise. Do the exercise 1 through 5, then repeat.

1/ S/b Side/Side Press Up

Position:
Kneel on floor with hands just over shoulder width apart on ball.
Technique:
Lower your body down as far as you can, lowering your chest towards one hand, then the other.
Points to remember:
Lower your chest over your hands not your head.
Brace your stomach whilst performing the exercise.

2/ S/b Cross Crunch

Position:
Lay face up on the ball so the back of your head can just touch the back of the ball.
Technique: Lift up as through the stomach, and hold briefly at the top of the movement before twisting your body to 1 side and then over to the other.
Then turn back to the middle and lower back down.
Points to Remember:
Keep your eyes up at the ceiling.
Only lift as high as you can using your stomach muscles.

3/ S/b Split Squats- 1

Position:
Adopt a split stance with one leg forward and 1 leg back.
Have the ball against the wall in the small of your back.
Technique:
Bend both knees so back knee goes towards floor.
Lower the back knee as far as possible, then press back up through the front heel.
Points To Remember:
Ensure front knee does not extend further than end of foot.
Keep back straight and upright.

4/ S/b Split Squats- 2

Repeat above with other leg forward.

5/ Cobra – Splayed legs

Position:
Lay face down with arms bent at the elbow.
Technique:
Arch back up as high as possible and hold position still. Arch the legs up as high as possible and but keep them apart.
With arms bent squeeze them as high as possible and squeeze shoulder blades together.
Points To Remember:
Ensure head is in line with your body.

 

Conclusion – Swiss Ball Home Workout

Try this swiss ball home workout for a highly effective total body workout.

 

 

nsureIf you have done my beginner and intermediate 5 minute workouts and/or want to try something a little more advance then this is for you. Same routine, 20 seconds on each exercise, 10 seconds rest in between. Do the circuit twice. Try this advanced 5 minute workout.

1/ Full Press Up
2/ V-ups
3/ Supported Split Squat
4/ Supported Split Squat
5/Front Plank – alternate arm raise

Full Press Up

Position:
Raise up off feet with hands just over shoulder width apart in front of you.
Technique:
Lower your body down as far as you can so your chest goes over the line of your hands.
Push back up to starting position.
Points to remember:
Lower your chest over your hands not your head.
Brace your stomach whilst performing the exercise.

V-Ups

Position:
Lay face up with arms straight out behind you and legs out flat.
Technique:
Squeeze up through the stomach raising both arms and legs and touching your shins.
Ensure you raise both shoulders off mat as far as possible.
Points to Remember:
Raise through the stomach not the shoulders.

Supported Split Squat- 1

Position:
Place a chair behind you and rest 1 leg on it.
Move forward as far as possible with other leg.
Technique:
Squat down as low as possible and push up through heel of foot to come back up.
Repeat as quickly as possible.
Points To Remember:
Keep back straight.
The further the front leg is stepped forward the more difficult it becomes.

Supported Split Squat –2

Repeat on other leg.

Front Plank – alternate arm raise
Position:
Raise up on your elbows and toes holding your body up.
Technique:
Raise hips so your whole body is in a straight line.
Hold position still, and alternately raise 1 arm up in front of you.
Points To Remember:
Make sure your back remains flat, i.e. your hips don’t sag down or raise up too high.
E sure your elbows stay directly beneath your shoulders and don’t slide further forward.
Make sure your hips stay level.

Conclusion – Advanced 5 Minute Workout

Even if you are a more advanced exerciser you can get a great workout from home without any equipment. Try this and see for yourself!

EnTry this stability ball home workout. It takes just 5 minutes and the stability ball is all you need.

1/ Incline Press up
2/ 1 leg s/b squat
3/ 1 leg s/b squat
4/ Slow Reverse Crunch – s/b overhead
5/ Box Jumps

Incline Press Up

Position:
Raise up off feet with hands just over shoulder width apart on a chair in front of you.
Technique:
Lower your body down as far as you can so your chest goes over the line of your hands.
Push back up to starting position.
Points to remember:
Lower your chest over your hands not your head.
Brace your stomach whilst performing the exercise.

1 leg s/b squat – 1

Position:
Stand in upright position against wall with knees ball in the small of your back.
Have l leg bent and 1 leg raised out in front of you.
Technique:
Squat down towards the ground, pushing your hips back, bending your knee and curving you back around the ball.
Lower yourself as far down as you can before pushing back up through the heel of your foot
Points To Remember:
Make sure your weight is through the heels of your feet at all times.
Ensure your knees don’t go forward further than the end of your toes.
Make sure you back remains straight.

1 leg s/b squat – 2

Repeat on other leg.

Slow Reverse Crunch – S/B overhead
Position:
Sit upright with feet hooked under a chair and brace stomach.
Hold the ball overhead with your arms straight.
Technique:
Slowly lower your body down until flat on floor.
This should take the whole 20 seconds.
The lower you go the more difficult it becomes.
Points to Remember:
Brace stomach and keep head back.

Box Jumps

Position:
Stand upright with feet together.
Technique:
Jump forward; sideways; backwards; sideways in the shape of a box.
Make jumps as far and fast as possible.
Points to Remember:
Make sure both feet land in each corner of the box.

Conclusion – Stability Ball Home Workout

There is so much you can do with a stability ball. This workout hits all the major muscles groups. Give it a go!

If you have tried some of my beginner and intermediate 5 minute workouts and feel ready to take a step up, then this advanced 5 minute workout is for you. The format is the same, 20 seconds on each exercise followed by 10 seconds between each one. Do each circuit twice.

1/ 1 leg wall squat
2/ 1 leg wall squat
3/Core Rotation
4/ Core Rotation
5/ Chest Dips

1 Leg Wall Squat – 1

Position:
Stand with your back flat against the wall, feet slightly forward and hip width apart.
Life one leg up and slide down wall so your supporting leg is bent and you feel your quad (thigh) muscle working.
Technique:
Hold position as still as possible.
Slide as far down the wall as you can.
Points To Remember:
Keep head flat against wall.
Don’t let you knee goes further forward than the end of your toe.

1 Leg Wall Squat – 2

Repeat same on other leg.

Core Rotation- 1

Position:
Kneel with arms out straight and wrists against a chair.
Keep back straight and stomach braced.
Technique:
Drive against chair with arms, but primarily using your stomach muscles.
Drive as hard as you can and hold position still.
Points To Remember:
Work through the stomach.
Keep back straight.

Core Rotation- 2

Repeat the above the opposite way round.

Chest Dips

Position:
Have two chairs just over shoulder width apart.
Squat between chairs with your knees bent, legs forward and hands on chairs.
Technique:
Lower body between chairs as far as possible then press up through arms.
The further away you reach your feet the more difficult the exercise becomes.
Points To Remember:
Keep back straight and brace stomach.

Conclusion – Advanced 5 Minute Workout

Even for advanced exercisers no equipment is necessary for a great workout. Nor is a long period of time such as an hour. You can make a real difference to your health and fitness in just 5 minutes a day. Assuming you do the right workout and work hard that is…

Whilst this workout will hit the whole body, its focus is the core and abdominal muscles. The workout is 5 minutes in total, and requires no equipment so can be done anywhere. Do each exercise for 20 seconds and you have 10 seconds to get in position for the next exercise. Try this core focused home workout.

1/ Bike Crunches – legs up
2/Mountain climbers
3/ Tricep Dips
4/ Spiderman Lunge
5/ Horizontal Scissors

Bike Crunches – Legs Up

Position:
Lay face up with knees bent and raised.
Technique:
Raise shoulders off mat and reach 1 elbow towards the opposite knee.
Lower back down and repeat on the opposite side.
Points To Remember:
Brace and squeeze through the stomach muscles.

Mountain Climbers

Position:
Kneel down with 1 leg forward and 1 leg back.
Have arms out in front of you.
Technique:
Jump one leg forward and 1 leg back in tandem.
Repeat as quickly as possible.
Points to Remember:
Keep back flat and as low as possible.

Tricep Dips

Position:
Squat in front of a chair with legs forward and place hands on a chair behind you.
Walk your legs forward slightly.
Technique:
Bend your elbows and lower your body as far as possible before pressing back up.
Points To Remember:
Squeeze elbows towards each other during the movement.

Spiderman Lunge

Position:
Rest on your hands and feet, facing the floor and with your body raised up.
Technique:
Alternately draw one foot up towards the same hand, reaching it as high as possible.
Points to Remember:
Keep your hips down and back flat.
The further you slide your legs back the more difficult it becomes.

Horizontal Scissors

Position:
Lay face up with legs flat in front of you.
Technique:
Raise legs just off mat and alternately raise one leg above the other in a scissors motion.
Brace stomach throughout.
Points to Remember:
Ensure back does not arch off the floor.

Conclusion – Core Focused Home Workout

If you are looking for a total body home workout which emphasis on the core muscles then give this workout a go!

EnsureIf you haven’t exercises for a quite a long time or just want something light to ease yourself back into exercise, then this workout is for you. It will work all the major muscle groups with a particular focus on the areas that are weak and underworked in most (particularly inactive) people. Do each exercise for 20 seconds 1 through to 5. Take 10 seconds to recover between each exercise. Do the circuit twice for a 5 minute workout. Try this new year starter workout.

1/ Stick Ups
2/ Squats
3/ Prone Skydiver
4/ Half Side Plank
5/ Half Side Plank

Stick Ups

Position:
Stand with back flat against wall and feet slightly forward.
Place arms flat against wall overhead.
Technique:
Raise and lower arms up and down against the wall.
Points To Remember:
Keep everything flat against wall.
Don’t let lower back arch away from wall.

Squats

Position:
Stand in upright position with knees slightly bent, feet hip width apart and stomach braced.
Technique:
Squat down towards the ground, pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
Lower yourself as far down as you can before pushing back up through your heels.
Points To Remember:
Make sure your weight is through the heels of your feet at all times.
Ensure your knees don’t go forward further than the end of your toes.
Make sure you back remains straight.

Prone Skydiver

Position:
Lay face down with your arms by your side and everything flat.
Technique:
Arch up off the floor lifting your chest as high as possible. Also lift your legs up and high as possible and squeeze them together. Hold position still.
Points To Remember:
Keep squeezing as high as possible.
Make sure your head stays in line with your body

Half Side Plank- 1

Position:
Lay on your side with knees bent and your elbow directly beneath your shoulder.
Technique:
Push hip off the floor, resting on your knee and elbow.
Squeeze the hip as high as possible and hold position still.
Points To Remember:
Keep your body straight, i.e. don’t lean forward or backwards.
Make sure your elbow remains directly beneath your shoulder and doesn’t slide forward.

Half Side Plank- 2

Same as above on opposite side.

Conclusion – New Year Starter Workout

You don’t have to throw yourself in at the deep end. Start with this workout and build up to something harder and more intense.