How to Train at Home: Try This Full Body Workout

If you have been stuck at home due to social distancing measures over the past couple of weeks due to COVID-19, you aren't alone. Many races have been canceled or postponed and for some countries, there are restrictions of not being able to even go outside for a walk or run. If you are getting a bit stir-crazy and want to find ways to stay fit and healthy for both your mind and body, there are several types of different home workout programs you can try without needing much equipment except for a pair of sneakers, and your body weight.

The Build-Up Workout

While there are numerous different home workouts to try, this 20 minutes all-in-one full-body routine incorporates mobility, balance, cardio, and strength with its only required equipment is your bodyweight. This routine is good for all levels as there are ways to modify the exercises.

The program is relatively easy as there are 10 exercises in total and only 4 repetitions are required, but there is a catch. We start with exercise 1 and do 4 reps, but before moving onto exercise 2, we repeat exercise 1 and do 4 reps again then perform exercise 2 and do 4 reps. Before moving onto exercise 3, we start at exercise 1 again and do 4 reps, then exercise 2 and do 4 reps, then exercise 3 and do 4 reps, and so on building on each exercise until we get to the 10th exercise. Hence the name, The Build-Up Workout. 

Let's begin...

1. Inchworm

To begin, start in standing with feet hip-width apart. Start to reach your hands towards the floor, letting your knees bend if you need to while you reach. Begin walking your hands out along the floor in front of you until you reach a high plank position. Briefly hold to plank before walking the hands back towards your feet. Slowly begin to stand by rolling your spine back up over your hips until you are back in the standing position. Repeat for 4 repetitions. 

2. Push-Up

After performing the exercise 1 the Inchworm, repeat the exercise 1 the Inchworm again before moving onto exercise 2 the Push-Up. In a high plank position, move hands slightly wider than shoulders and start to lower the chest towards the floor as the elbows bend out about 45 degrees away from the body. Then push the chest away from the floor while extending both arms straight. Repeat for 4 repetitions. If you have difficulty in the high plank, modify with both knees bent and on the floor to attempt the push-ups.

3. Side-Plank Hip Drops

Before beginning exercise 3 Side Plank Hip-Drops, repeat exercise 1 the Inchworm, exercise 2 the Push-Up. Begin on your right side, with feet stacked on top of one another and your forearm under your shoulder. Lift the bottom hip into the air putting your body weight into your feet and forearm. Drop the hip back to the floor and repeat the lifts for 4 repetitions. Do this same exercise on the opposite side for 4 repetitions before moving onto exercise 4 Plank Alternating Arm Reach. If you have difficulty maintaining the side plank position, modify to try the exercise on bent knees with knees resting on the floor instead of feet. 

4. Plank Alternating Arm Reach

Start with exercise 1 the Inchworm, exercise 2 the Push-Up, exercise 3 Side Plank Hip Drops on each side before doing exercise 4 Plank Alternating Arm Reach. From a high plank position, engage the abdominals to keep the back flat and minimizing the pelvis from rotating as you lift one arm out straight in front of you. Alternate with the opposite arm, doing 4 repetitions on each arm. If you have difficulty holding the high plank position, you can modify by dropping to both knees bent and on the floor.

5. Tricep Dips

Start again with exercise 1 the Inchworm, exercise 2 the Push-Up, exercise 3 Side Plank with Hip Drops on each side, exercise 4 Plank Alternating Arm Reach and then begin exercise 5 Tricep Dips. Begin on your back with your knees bent and hands placed on the floor under your shoulders. Lift your bottom in the air, extending your arms straight with weight in feet and hands. Keeping your bottom in the air, bend your elbows behind you lowering your back towards the floor. Straighten your arms to lift the body back up and repeat for 4 repetitions. To modify, keep the bottom closer to the floor with a greater bend at the knees as you bend and straighten your arms.

6. Squat

You're halfway there! Go ahead and repeat exercises 1-5 before doing exercise 6 the Squat. Start in standing with feet at hip-width or just a slightly wider with toes facing forward. Keeping a straight back, begin to lower your bottom by bending your knees as if you were going to sit down as you keep the weight in the heels and your knees back behind the top of your toes. Using your glutes, squeeze them as you straighten the knees to come back to standing. Repeat for 4 repetitions. To modify, don't go as low into the squat position.

7. Reverse Lunges

Repeating the process of performing exercise 1-6, then move onto exercise 7 Reverse Lunges. Begin in standing with feet hip-width apart. Place the right foot behind you and lower the right knee towards the floor to a 90-degree angle, keeping your back straight. Come back to standing position by pushing the weight into your front heel. Repeat alternating sides until you do 4 repetitions on each leg. To modify, do not drop as low into the lunge.

8. Single Leg into Warrior 3

Time to work on a little balance! Go ahead and repeat exercises 1-7 before doing exercise 8 Single Leg into Warrior 3. Start by standing on one leg and bend the knee of the raised leg. Keep your core tight start to bend forward at the hips, keeping a straight back as the raised leg begins to straighten behind you, keeping the foot and hips facing the floor. Bend the raised knee to come back to standing single-leg position. Repeat for 4 repetitions on one leg then repeat for 4 repetitions on the other leg. If standing on a single leg is challenging, modify by holding onto the wall or a chair. 

9. Shoulder Push-Up

Almost to the finish, go ahead and repeat exercises 1-8 before doing exercise 9 Shoulder Push-Up. Go into a downward dog position by starting in high plank and then pushing your bottom up towards the ceiling to form a triangle with your body. From this position, let your elbows bend as your start to lower your head to the floor. Push the arms straight back to the starting position. Repeat for 4 repetitions. To modify, let the heels come up from off the floor and don't drop as low into the push-up.

10. Low Burpee

You've made it to the final exercise! Are you feeling the sweat yet? If not, this small cardio burst should do the final trick. Go ahead and do all exercises 1-9, then start exercise 10 the Low Burpee. Begin in a wide and low squat with the feet slightly turned out and hands on the floor in front of you and shoulder-width distance. Hop both legs back into a high plank position. Then hop the feet back to the wide and low squat and lift the hands, remaining in the low squat. Repeat the hops back and forth for 4 repetitions. If you need something with less impact, try stepping back and forth from the squat to high plank instead. 

If you want to sweat a bit more go ahead and repeat the full 10 exercises for 2 more rounds. Did you feel the burn? Which exercises were the most challenging for you?