Home workouts

Home workouts remove almost every excuse. There is no travel time, no membership fee, no one watching, and you can do them in your pyjamas if you want. The trick is to keep them simple, short and regular. This section gives you ready-made circuits and the know-how to build your own.

How home circuits work

Most of our workouts use a circuit: a handful of exercises done one after another, each for a set time (say 30 or 40 seconds), with a short rest between, then repeated. Circuits are efficient because they work the whole body and keep your heart rate up, and they are easy to adjust: work longer or rest less to make them harder; do the opposite to make them easier.

A balanced circuit includes:

• A squat or sit-to-stand for legs and glutes.
• A push such as wall, incline or knee push-ups.
• A pull or hinge such as band rows, dumbbell rows or glute bridges.
• A lunge or step for single-leg strength and balance.
• A core move such as a plank, bird dog or dead bug.
• Something to raise your heart rate such as marching, jogging on the spot or step-ups.

The guides

10-minute workouts: three quick circuits for days when time is tight.

No-equipment workout: a full-body bodyweight routine with easier and harder versions of every move.

Resistance band workouts: how to choose and use bands, and a full-body band circuit.

Dumbbell workouts at home: choosing weights, the key moves and a simple program.

Setting up your space

You need a clear patch of floor about the size of a yoga mat with room to step and reach, a mat or towel, and a chair or wall for support. Wear supportive shoes for jumping or stepping moves, or go barefoot for floor work on a mat. Keep water nearby and open a window.

How hard should it feel?

Moderate intensity means you are breathing harder but can still talk. Vigorous means you can only say a few words. For strength moves, the last couple of repetitions should feel challenging but doable with good form. If your form falls apart, stop the set, rest and pick an easier version.

Progressing over time

Once a workout feels comfortable, make it harder in small steps:

1. Add a few repetitions or seconds per exercise.
2. Reduce the rest.
3. Add a round.
4. Choose a harder version of the move.
5. Add resistance: a band or heavier dumbbells.

Change one thing at a time and give your body a couple of weeks to adapt.

Safety first

• Warm up for 2 to 5 minutes and cool down afterwards.
• Choose easier versions whenever you need them. There is no prize for suffering.
• Stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness, and seek medical advice.
• If you have a health condition, injury or are pregnant, check with your doctor about which exercises suit you.
• Keep the floor clear of trip hazards, pets and toys.

Mixing it with cardio

Home strength circuits cover the muscle-strengthening part of the guidelines. For the aerobic part, add brisk walking, cycling, swimming, dancing or anything that gets you a bit puffed. See walking for fitness.

Make it a habit

Pick two or three regular times each week, put them in your calendar and treat them like any other appointment. Keep your mat visible. Pair your workout with something you enjoy, such as a favourite playlist. Read more in staying motivated.