The 10 Best Workout Apps and Fitness Routines for Staying Fit at Home
Get in shape right on your couch.
Toning up doesn’t have to be complicated, and it’s possible to give your legs and butt a really good workout (and build muscle strength) with just a few key moves, even when sitting in front of the TV.
Studies have shown that breaking up exercise into smaller bursts is just as good when it comes to living a long and healthy life, as long as you get your heart rate up. So, who needs the gym when you’ve got a commercial break? Give these five moves a go during those precious minutes — or pause your favorite show every 30 minutes for five minutes of exercise.
5 Exercises to Tone up While Watching TV
Squats: Squats are a great way to tone your thighs and butt. Stand with feet a little wider than your shoulders and pointing at 10 and two on the clock face. Engage your core muscles — pull in your stomach.
Bend the knees and push your bottom back as if sitting in an imaginary chair. Keep your knees behind your toes at all times (make sure you can see your toes). Push back up to standing. Build up gradually to repeating 10 times and progress to three sets of 10 as you get stronger.
Squat variations: If your legs aren’t yet strong enough to complete a squat, try holding onto a (secure!) doorknob with both hands as you go down. Alternatively, squat with your back against a wall and an eight inch diameter ball between your thighs to help with alignment.
Hot seats: Another squat variation — this time to get your heart rate up too. Stand in front of your couch or chair, feet slightly wider than your hips. Sit back into a squat until your butt grazes your seat — and spring back to standing, as if your chair was on fire! Aim for as many as you can manage — around 10 is a great start.
Wall sits: With your back flat to a wall or door, slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, with your feet directly beneath your knees. Hold for as long as you can — it should start to burn in your thighs! Time yourself, and try to beat your record each time.
Side raises: If you’ve got a sofa that’s long enough to lie down straight on, lie sideways with your hips facing straight and forward, legs extended and feet pointed. Bend your lower arm and rest your head in your hand. Draw in your tummy muscles to engage your core, and lift your top leg up as high as you can, keeping it straight.
Count the number you can repeat (aim for 15 to 20) before swapping sides. It’s a good way to work the muscles in the side of your butt, as well as your thighs. No room on the sofa? Try it on the floor instead.
Multi-Tasking Exercises That Help Keep You in Good Shape
There are lots of other occasions you can add in some extra movement, here are some of our favorites:
Make like a flamingo when you brush your teeth or boil the kettle! Standing on one leg will not only improve your balance but works muscles in your bottom, calf, ankle and foot. Don’t forget to swap sides.
Bring out your inner ballerina by tip-toeing around the house. It’s a good move for strengthening your arches and ankles, as well as targeting your balance.
Try some single leg raises to work your butt muscles. Standing straight, lift one leg out to the side, and quickly return it. Without putting your foot down, lift it again. Repeat until it starts to ache, and then do the same number on the other side.
How to Lose Weight and Stay Healthy Online
Quarantine made us all get more creative with our workouts to stay healthy and prevent unwanted weight gain. The great thing about online workouts is that many of them are free. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube all offer a range of workout videos, from beginner to advanced, fun dance-based exercises to cardio boosters. Unless you have some dumbbells handy, look out for those that don’t require gym equipment.
Have a browse and see what works for you — the great thing is that there’s so much choice out there you’re sure to find a workout series that you love.
The 10 Best Workout Apps
Another great way to stay motivated is workout apps. Again, there are absolutely loads available so you’ll be spoiled for choice. These are some of our favorites:
1. Daily Yoga
Daily Yoga offers more than 100 yoga and meditation classes, including a whole series of beginner-friendly tutorials. The community feature means you can chat to other users, ask questions and make new friends.
Ideal for those wanting quick and easy daily pilates workouts. Each workout is created from a selection of simple but effective pilates exercises making it ideal for beginners. Every exercise features clear images and detailed instructions ensuring all poses are performed correctly — vital for effective practice.
3. Endomondo
Endomondo is a free personal training app and website that makes fitness fun and helps you stay motivated. Get the most out of your runs, walks, rides, and other workouts by keeping track of your progress and setting fitness goals.
4. PEAR
PEAR features hundreds of unique workouts that include running, HIIT, treadmill, elliptical, spin, strength, yoga, and more. Each workout adapts to your performance, telling you when to speed up and when to slow down. The on-demand workouts can be performed whenever and wherever you want. There’s a free 30-day trial, which can then be upgraded to a subscription or continued as a free workout pack.
5. 8fit
This health and fitness app offers workouts, customised meal plans, and self-care guidance. With weekly challenges and personal progress tracking, 8fit helps you become healthier and happier by putting fitness and nutrition experts in your pocket.
6. Freeletics
Enjoy full flexibility with personalised workouts you can do at home, outside or in the gym. Freeletics is tailored to your fitness level and suitable for wherever and whenever you want to train. Your coach analyzes your fitness and goals. And the more you train, the more it adapts to you.
7. RockMyRun
If music motivates you, then this is the app you need for your workouts. There are loads of playlists to choose from, so you can soundtrack your run or workout to your favourite music. Sync with your phone to track distance (mi/km), total steps taken, steps per minute, heart rate and calories burned.
Get the most out of every minute of your workout with the Johnson & Johnson official seven minute workout app. 72 exercises and 22 additional workouts can be customized and modified to create more than 1,000 variations to help keep you motivated and moving.
9. Sworkit
No gym? No Equipment? No Time? No problem. This app makes it simple to workout at home or on the go. You choose the time – from 1 minute to 90 minutes – and Sworkit provides the variety, including strength training, stretching, cardio, yoga, and more.
10. Pilates Anytime
There are over 3,400 videos on all levels, all styles and on all equipment including an extensive library of zero-equipment Pilates workouts. The app also offers barre-Pilates fusion fitness challenges. And you can download these workouts and cue them up anywhere.
This article originally appeared on our sister site, First For Women.
