By the healthiergang writer Gabriele Galasso, Functional Training instructor and K1 competitive athlete.
Exercises To Do At Home For Weight Loss
In this article, I will show you what in my opinion are the 5 exercises you can train with and with which you can create effective workouts at home. It being understood that my opinion is always to turn to a well-organized fitness center to minimize wasted time and maximize results, it is possible sometimes you have to skip the training session for reasons of force majeure.
More than "fat burning" exercises, it is also very important to talk about how these exercises are linked to have the best results in terms of slimming-toning.
For this reason, I have chosen to perform these 5 exercises following the Tabata methodology: it involves performing series of a total duration of 4 minutes, divided into 20 seconds of work at maximum intensity and 10 seconds of rest, for a total of 8 times of work.
This timing was scientifically chosen by the namesake Izumi Tabata, a scientist who after various experiments found in this timing the best compromise for a high slimming effect, physical conditioning and improvement of aerobic capacity.
For our 5 exercises, we will therefore choose to perform 5 tabata sessions, one for each exercise, separated by 2 minutes of recovery (which can go down to 1 and a half minutes or even just 1 in the case of a well-prepared athlete).
Once you have chosen how to perform them, let's talk about what to do.
1. Air squat
The first on our list of exercises for weight loss at home is the air squat. The execution of theair squat, it is simple to see but it is not at all in reality. Start in an upright position with feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly spread about 10 degrees. By loading the weight on the heels (therefore absolutely without lifting the heels from the ground), one moves into a maximum squat position trying to keep the shoulder blades together and without assuming a kyphotic attitude.
If the mobility does not allow to go down without modifying the physiological curves, it is good to stop at a higher height, without upsetting the position of the legs.
During the descent phase it is also important to remember:
- Keep your knees parallel without bringing them in or out of the shoulder axis.
- In the (eccentric) descent phase imagine grabbing the floor with your feet and pulling yourself towards it.
- Let the gesture flow naturally as if we had to sit on a small chair (the squat is one of the most natural movements for us, just observe a newborn when he picks up something from the ground, performs a perfect squat)
- To help keep the shoulder blades together, bring your arms above your head in the descending phase.
2. Push ups
An evergreen, but still one of the toughest bodyweight exercises, known in jargon as "pushups" or more correctly as pushups. Leaning on the hands kept shoulder-width apart, exactly under them and on the tips of the feet kept at the same width, move to the starting position keeping the abdomen contracted and avoiding arching the back.
Trying to cling to the floor with your fingers to better distribute the load, perform the first push-up by bringing the chest to the ground during the eccentric phase and returning to the starting position by exhaling (concentric phase).
Try not to bring your elbows excessively outward as you descend, but keep them at a distance of about 20cm from your torso. It is also very important to remember to keep the core activated throughout the execution to avoid discomfort in the lumbar area. If you are unable to perform the classic push-up, you can start by resting on your knees.
3. Burpee
Here we are talking about a particularly demanding exercise from an athletic point of view, of which there are infinite variations. The one we will use will be as follows: starting from an upright position, move into a squatting position by placing your hands on the ground.
With a leap, go to the starting position of the push-up and perform a push-up (see above). Once back with outstretched arms, with a leap return to a squatting position and leap upwards by clapping your hands. Land in a standing position with cushioning on the toes.
4. Plank Jack
This exercise combines core activation with an aerobic component of the jumping jack. Move to the initial plank position, resting on the elbows and on the tips of the feet, both kept shoulder-width apart, and keeping the abdomen contracted so as not to arch the back.
With a leap open the legs and close them alternately for the duration of the execution. Also in this case it is essential to activate the core which is absolutely not lost.
5. Mountain Climber
Our last on our list of exercises for weight loss at home is the mountain climber. This exercise is particularly demanding under the cardio aspect, of which there are several versions. In this case, move to the starting position of the push up, and bring one foot resting approximately below the abdomen as the starting position.
Keeping the core activated, switch the position of the feet with a leap by extending one leg and flexing the other. Continue at the maximum speed possible for the duration of the tabata.
Now all that remains is to arm yourself with tenacity and perform the tabata in the most intense way possible.
NB, given the considerable intensity of the method, it is good to first check your health status.
