If you find yourself struggling to make it to a workout class or the gym, find comfort in your own home as you complete a cost-effective workout.
Working out at your home, you will find that you save time from traveling and you get the same great results. Over time you can obtain the equipment you need, but as you begin, you only need adjustable dumbbells and a flat bench. There are three basic workouts, each targeting a specific body part. That means you only need to work out three times a week to achieve the muscle tone and shape you want. However, you do not want to perform the workouts on consecutive days. Give your body enough time to recover.
Before any workout, you need to stretch properly. Focus on stretch the body part you are working out that particular day, giving adequate attention and time to that body part. You will feel the pain if you skip your stretches. You also want to complete at least 10 to 15 minutes of cardiovascular exercises. Walk around the neighborhood, do some jumping jacks, and get your heart rate ready for a good workout.
The first day you should focus on your chest, shoulder, and triceps. Work on your pectorals (chest muscles), deltoids, trapezius, and triceps using your dumbbells. Lie on your flat bench and complete two warm-up set of 10 to 15 repetition of the flat dumbbell press exercise with a lower weight. Then, increase the weight of the dumbbell and complete two sets of the same exercise, doing eight to 12 repetitions. You want to follow this same pattern doing various exercises, like dumbbell flyes, overhead dumbbell press, dumbbell upright-rows, and overhead tricep extensions. Once you have completed each of these exercises, complete three sets of abdominal crunches, performing 15 to 20 repetitions in each set.
The second day, focus on your back and biceps. For a complete back and bicep workout, you want to complete exercises such as lat pull-downs, bent-over dumbbell rolls, and alternative dumbbell curls. Just like day one, you will start each exercise with a lighter weight, performing 10 to 15 repetitions for each set. Then, increase the weight of the dumbbells and perform two sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. Complete your second day workout with three sets of reverse crunches, performing 15 to 20 repetitions in each set.
The third day you should focus on legs. Squats are the perfect exercise for working out most of your body, with an emphasis on your quadriceps, buttocks, hamstrings, and adductors. While performing your squats, use dumbbells. Compete two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions with lighter weights. Then, move to heavier weights of 12 to 15 repetitions. That will complete your upper leg workout. Then, focus on your calves with standing calf raises. Compete two sets of 12 to 15 repetitions. Complete your third day workout with three sets of 15 to 20 bicycle crunches to help tighten your obliques and abs.
