Workouts at home?

[justlooking]

skipping is a really great energy burner

some basic inexpensive things for your home gym
- medicine ball
- mat (for ab exercises, stretching, etc)
- some weights (the heavier the better. don't waste your time doing light weights)
- a resistance band

lifting weights is THE best thing you can do to shape your body and keep strong. the more muscle you have the more energy you burn when you're not exercising.

cardio will not shape your body. You will lose weight (provided your diet is also good) but you won't tighten the bits you probably want to.
Your idea of using your stairs for cardio work is great though. Remember to keep your heart rate up.

The best way for your body to get fit is to just keep challenging it. Which means you also have to change up your routine every 6-8 weeks or so.

good luck! there's some great information on the internet if you want to look up specific exercises.

 

[Erin]

^ That's some great fitness information there. All true... except... I do believe that cardio will shape your body. Running/stairclimbing/jumping rope is GREAT for your legs and have shaped mine incredibly well.

Also, bellydancing to a video - now THAT'S a great workout. I used to do that during college and it kept me in excellent shape (but that was only used when I didn't feel like going to the gym - primarily on the weekends).

 

[SirSunday]

cardio will not shape your body. You will lose weight (provided your diet is also good) but you won't tighten the bits you probably want to.
Your idea of using your stairs for cardio work is great though. Remember to keep your heart rate up.

i agree with most everything you've said, and it is true. with respect to cardio, my triathlon friends would disagree. if it's land cardio (running, biking, etc.) you'll feel it in your abs and lower torso. will it shape it? a little, but it'll burn fat and trim you down. as you've indicated, alternating the types of workouts will provide that benefit...if it's water cardio (swimming), it will make more of an impact on your legs. also, you don't need to rely on free weights or machines for lifting, calisthenics where you use the weight of your own body for resistance (i.e. pushups) will shape more muscle groups simultaneously.

 

[justlooking]

I agree with both Erin and SirSunday.
and i agree that bellydancing is a fabulous thing to do- it's a fun way to get fit
and of course using your own body weight is a cheap and underutilised method

i think i should reword what i said about shaping your body ... weights are a great way to re-shape in a sense. For example, if you're pear shaped, you can create stronger shoulders and lose poundage and tighten the thighs. Of course squats are find but for real big changes you should do heavy weights whilst squatting (i've forgotten the term for this particular exercise lol, but it involves a barbel on your shoulders haha). this is just an example.

ok, it's late so i will post some links tomorrow... e.g. i just read a straightforward piece posted by someone about the benefits (efficiency) of doing weights before cardio