For optimal health, adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as swimming, gardening or cycling, in addition to participating in muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). However, only about 25% of the population meets these guidelines on a regular basis, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
If you’re struggling to achieve your physical activity goals, developing an at-home workout routine may help. Continue reading to learn more about working out at home, including potential benefits and risks and some of the best exercises to get you started.
What Is an At-Home Workout?
At-home workouts include exercises you can perform from the comfort of home. While this stipulation may seem limiting, many exercises require minimal equipment and space, including ones focused on strength, cardiovascular fitness, balance and flexibility.
Who Should Work Out at Home?
Working out at home can be suitable for most people. Two-thirds of U.S. adults who exercise said the COVID-19 pandemic made them somewhat or strongly realize they didn’t need a gym to stay fit, according to a 2021 survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the fitness app Freeletics.
Working out at home might be a great option for you if you:
- Work from home
- Have a busy schedule
- Can’t afford a gym membership
- Don’t have a gym conveniently located near you
Working out at home doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing experience, either. “I like the combination of working out in the studio environment and working out at home,” says Cat Kom, a certified personal trainer and founder of the virtual fitness platform Studio Sweat onDemand, regarding her hybrid approach to fitness.
3 Best At-Home Workout Exercises
Despite some limitations, there are countless exercises suitable for home workouts. When creating a routine for yourself, Kom recommends including a blend of strength, cardio and mobility training. The following are three expert-recommended home exercises.
Push-Ups
Target area: The push-up is a classic exercise that works the muscles in the chest, shoulders, arms, core and legs. What’s more, push-ups feature both regressions and progressions, meaning you can modify their difficulty depending on your current ability.
How to do it:
- Begin in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your legs stretched out straight behind you. Your fingers should face forward or slightly inward. Contract your core muscles and legs so your body is stiff.
- Slowly lower toward the floor by bending at the elbows. You can keep your elbows tucked into your sides or flare them out slightly. Keep your core and leg muscles engaged so your body remains in a straight line—your hips should not sag or lift.
- Once your chest touches the floor (or hovers just above it), push back up to the starting position, keeping your head and spine in a straight line, to complete one rep.
Modifications: To make a push-up easier, perform the exercise with your knees on the ground or with your hands on a countertop, recommends Hodges. To make it harder, Hodges suggests changing the tempo by lowering your body slowly and then exploding upward quickly.
Squats
Target area: Another classic exercise to add to your at-home repertoire is the squat, says Kom. Squats primarily work muscles in your lower body, including your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves.
How to do it:
- Start in a standing position with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Hinge at your hips and bend your knees, lowering until your thighs are parallel with the floor (or as close as your range of motion allows). Keep your feet flat on the floor and your ankles and knees parallel without collapsing inward.
- Return to the standing position to complete one rep.
Modifications: To make the squat easier, perform a partial squat, keeping your thighs higher than parallel with the floor, or hold onto a solid support like the back of a chair for balance. To make it more of a strength challenge, hold an object, such as a dumbbell, kettlebell or jug of water, in your hands while you squat. To turn squats into a cardio exercise, try a jump squat. In this variation, instead of standing up out of the squat, push off your toes to explode into a jump before moving straight into the next squat.
Jumping Jacks
Target area: This gym class standby gets your blood pumping. Jumping jacks not only challenge your heart, improving your cardiovascular health, but also work muscles all over your body, including your calves, hamstrings, quads, deltoids and core. Use jumping jacks as a warm-up, as part of a circuit or in between strengthening exercises.
How to do it:
- Start by standing with your arms at your sides and your feet together.
- Jump your feet out wider than your hips and bring your arms above your head simultaneously.
- Return your arms to your sides as you jump your feet back together to complete one rep, staying on the balls of your feet and maintaining a slight bend in your elbows as you continue through your set.
Modifications: If a regular jumping jack is too difficult or you’re looking for a low-impact option that still increases your heart rate, try stepping one foot out to the side at a time, raising both arms above your head each time you step out, instead of jumping. Meanwhile, you can make jumping jacks more difficult by landing in a squat position as the feet jump out.
Benefits of At-Home Workout Exercises
Aside from convenience, at least 40% of the OnePoll survey respondents said some additional benefits of working out at home include:
- Feeling more confident in trying new fitness activities
- Flexible workout timing
- A wide workout variety
- Improved mental health
- Not feeling judged by other gymgoers
Potential Risks of Working Out at Home
Your living room or garage can be a great place to exercise, but it’s not the same as having a fitness professional nearby. “If you don’t have a coach or a trainer watching your form, you could be doing some things wrong, which could increase your risk of injury,” says Keith Hodges, a certified personal trainer and founder of Mind in Muscle Coaching in Los Angeles. Attending in-person training sessions prior to establishing a home workout routine may help you become more confident in the quality of your movement when exercising.
While it’s generally safe to work out at home, you may want to consult your doctor first if you have a chronic condition, such as arthritis or high blood pressure, according to the CDC. Physical fitness is safe and recommended for most people who are pregnant, but talk to your health care provider to ensure your fitness routine is safe for your individual health needs.
Mitigate any home workout risks by ensuring there aren’t hazards nearby, such as a rug you could trip over or something you could bump into in your garage. Wear the appropriate shoes or go barefoot, but skip socks or house slippers, which could lead to slipping.
