Summer is here and we are still cooped up at home. But that does not mean you have to let yourself go. You can still get the summer body you promised yourself, yes and that too without hitting the gym. Home workouts are an effective way to burn fat and banish the blues. They will pep you up, help you get toned and make you look like a million bucks and the best part, they can be done anywhere and at any time. To quickly get you into shape, all you need is 30 minutes a day of workout.
High-Intensity Interval Training is an excellent way to get your daily dose of adrenaline and dopamine. The workout is a series of exercises that are done at high intensity, one after the other in rapid succession. Exercises are done in short bursts of activity followed by a very short break. Once you are done with one exercise, you quickly move to the next one in the series and finish that exercise before pausing and moving to the next one. Perform each of the following exercises for 10-12 repetitions. After you finish one exercise, pause for 10 seconds and then perform the next exercise. Once you have done all the exercises, pause for 30 seconds. Repeat the circuit given below three times.
- Squats – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend the knees and lower your body. Continue till your thighs are parallel to the floor. Go deeper if you can. To come up, push into the floor and raise yourself to the starting position. Throughout the movement, keep your core tight.
- Lunges – Stand with your feet slightly apart. Place your arms on your hips for maintaining balance. You can even hold dumbbells in each hand and leave them by your side. Keeping your left foot rooted, take a big step forward with your right leg. Bend your left knee till it almost touches the floor. Your right leg should be parallel to the floor. Step back and repeat with the workout with other leg.
- Glute Bridge – Lie on your back and bend your knees, both feet flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart. Hands should be by your side. Pushing both feet into the floor and without moving your head, lift your hips off the floor. Clench your butt during this movement. Your thighs should form a straight line with your torso in this workout. Come back to the starting position.
- Donkey Kicks – Get down on your knees. Place your hands and knees on the floor with your torso parallel to the floor. Do not arch your back. In a controlled manner, lift the right leg off the floor and kick it back. Bend the knee and reach as high as possible behind you. Straighten the leg and bring it back to starting position. Do the same workout with the other leg.
- Mountain Climber – Your starting position is similar to a push-up. Elbows straight, legs stretched out behind you. Keeping your arms locked and in place, bend your right knee and bring it close to your chest. Step back and do the same with your left leg. Think of it as spot jogging where you lift one leg, return and do the same with the other. Find a pace that works for you.
- Ab Crunches – Lie on your back, legs stretched out. Arms by your side. Raise your head and torso and rest on your elbows. Simultaneously, lift your feet off the floor. Using your arms for support, bend both knees and try to touch them to your chest. Return to starting position. To amp up difficulty levels, lift your arms and hold them behind your head. You can even twist your torso and bring one leg back at a time.
- Plank – Lie down flat on your stomach, legs stretched out. Come up on your arms with the torso in a straight line with your legs. Rest your forearms on the floor and keep your torso tight. Hold this position for as long as possible.
