Ten Tips to Help You Keep on Top When Busy

We all know how hard it can be to stay in shape and get down to the gym whilst contending with jobs, a busy social life, family and more TV than you can shake a stick at which is why we’ve come up with 10 simple tips to keep in shape at home so you won’t have to sacrifice any Netflix!

1. Teeth Brushing Squats – Cardio is essential when it comes to staying fit and healthy, but muscle strengthening is just as crucial and can even aid weight loss, so don’t discount it just because it doesn’t make you work up a sweat! High up on the list of muscle strengthening exercises are squats.  These are great for firming up your legs and bum. You can even try these by sitting and standing up again from a chair if you find free standing squats too difficult. Another brilliant way to add these to your daily routine is while you brush your teeth – that’s two whole extra minutes of squats you could fit in per brush!
2. Kitchen Dancing – Short bursts of high intensity movement can be just as effective as a thirty minute jog. Why not try thirty second bursts of dancing followed by forty-five second rest periods repeated for five minutes. Gradually build on this time as you get more used to this type of exercise. Put your favourite tunes on and let loose like no one’s watching – let’s be honest; everyone loves a kitchen dance!
3. TV Triceps – Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair, with hands next to hips. Slide your bottom off the edge and bend elbows to ninety degrees. Be sure to keep your back close to the chair, and then push back up. Do ten to twelve repetitions. Why not try this while watching your favourite TV show?
4. Take the Stairs – As an alternative to jogging on the spot, jog up and down your stairs. The incline as you go up the stairs makes it more difficult than a static jog which in turn burns more calories. Just be careful if you’re in socks or on the carpet – we don’t want any slips!
5. Anywhere Abdominals  – It’s possible to work out your transverse abdominals (the muscles that wrap horizontally across the abdomen) anytime, anywhere. To try this out, firstly lie down on your back with your knees bent as you would for a standard ab crunch. Take a breath in, and on the breath out, think about pulling your belly button to your spine. Once you get the hang on this lying down, try it standing up. Hey – you can do this at home, at work, standing up, sitting down, it’s a brilliantly subtle way to engage and strengthen this area of the body!
6. Kettle Boiling Lunges – If you want to work on your legs, then lunges are the way to go and why not do them as the kettle boils. Stand tall with your toes facing forward and your feet about a foot apart. Step your right foot forward then bend that knee at a right angle with your thigh parallel to the ground. Then push off the ground with your right foot, coming back to the starting position.  Do the same with your left leg and repeat as many times as you can. For the best results, do three sets of ten in total. This is also a great idea when brushing your teeth!
7. Wall press ups – Press ups are great for toning and strengthening the chest, triceps, forearms and shoulder muscles. If you have difficulty doing a full press up, try these wall press ups before you jump in the shower. Stand just over an arms length away from the wall, keep your feet shoulder-width apart and place palms on the wall, shoulder-width apart also. Aim for three sets of fifteen. Lower yourself to the wall and push back up again in a controlled manner. The further away you are from the wall the harder it gets, so be mindful when starting out and see what feels comfortable at first!
8. TV Crunches – For those of you who prefer the more traditional approach to toning the abs, crunches are perfect – especially if you want to be able to see the TV! Make sure your alternating elbow and knee touch as you do them to ensure that you’re reaching far enough.
9. Garden skipping – Not just a childhood past time, it’s also a good way to get in some cardio. It’s especially great at home as you don’t have the long distances associated with jogging and it’s an interesting alternative to a static jog. Try doing it first thing in a morning for 10 minutes. All you need is a skipping rope and enough space so you don’t hit anyone!
10. And Finally… we couldn’t have top tips for getting fit at home without mentioning ourselves – InstructorLive! Workout in your living room first thing in the morning or while the kids are alseep during the day or in the evenings – anytime anywhere, it’s that simple.