3 Easy Home Workouts to Tighten Your Body

When people think about workouts to lose weight they often think about strenuous cardio sessions at the gym. But there are easy home workouts that you can do in the comfort of your living room that can tighten your body as well.

Each of these at-home workouts focuses on strength training. Building muscle through strength training helps to boost your metabolism. And your strong muscles help your body look tighter and more fit. So, put on some comfy clothes and start one of these easy workout routines today.

In this starter workout for your arms legs and abs, you’ll learn how to work the large muscles with simple body weight exercises. You don’t need any special equipment to complete this workout. You can do the exercises together in one workout session, split them up throughout the day or add them to the end of a simple walking workout to burn calories.

• Push-Up. Perfect form is essential when you do a push-up. Start with the push-up variation that you can complete with good technique. Progress to the next level when you can do 10 repetitions with good form.
• Lunge. Start by doing a set of simple back lunges. Use a wall or a chair for balance if necessary. When you can do 10 lunges on each leg without support, try the front lunge or another lunge variation.
• Squat. The squat works the major muscles in your lower body and helps to shape a sexy butt. Make sure you perform a squat with your feet at least hip distance apart. Hips sink behind you as if you are sitting in a chair. Do two sets of ten squats.
• Plank. A plank exercise strengthens the abdominal muscles and the muscles that support your back and promote good posture. Begin by holding the plank position for 15 seconds. As you get stronger, progress to 30 seconds and eventually 90 seconds.

These exercises can be added to the basic bodyweight exercises above. You’ll need a set of dumbbells to complete this intermediate session. The workout helps to shape lean, strong arms and continues to build on total body strength.

• Biceps curl. Stand with feet hip distance apart with one dumbbell in each hand. Maintain good posture as you raise and lower the weights by bending at the elbow. Do two sets of ten repetitions. Increase the amount of weight when you complete the sets and have enough energy to do more.
• Lateral raise. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Palms should be facing in, towards the midline of the body. Raise your straight arms to shoulder height and lower slowly. Do two sets of ten repetitions.
• Triceps kickbacks. Use a chair to get into the proper body position to perform the triceps kickbacks. Make sure that you extend the arms slowly and return to the starting position with control. Complete two sets of ten repetitions.
• Bent row. To get into the proper position for a bent row, tilt forward from the hips so that your chest is facing the floor and arms are hanging beneath you. Pull the arms up toward your chest as if you are rowing a boat.
• Wall squat. You may be ready to take the squat exercise from Workout #1 to a new level. Try this variation. Stand with your back to a wall and sink your hips down to a sitting position. Let the wall support your back. Hold the position for 30 seconds. As you build strength, challenge yourself to hold the wall squat for one minute.

You can also add dumbbells the exercises in strength workout #1. For example, hold one dumbbell in each hand as you do a set of lunges or squats.

In this last workout for weight loss, you’ll use more advanced equipment such as bands and an exercise ball. These tools add an element of instability that will help you develop your sense of balance. You’ll find the inexpensive equipment at most local sporting goods stores.

• Stability ball push-up. If you can complete a standard push-up with good form, try performing the exercise with your lower body on the ball. Start with the ball under your knees and as you get more comfortable with the exercise, move the ball closer to your feet.
• Banded side step. Step on the middle of the band and pick up one handle in each hand. The band should be looped under your feet. Now step to the side with your right foot while keeping your left foot on the band. This should be hard because it requires the band to stretch. Do five steps to the right and five steps to the left. Rest and repeat.
• Lunge with overhead extension. Step forward into a lunge position and put the middle of your band under the front foot. With one handle in each hand, raise the arms into an overhead press while sinking into a deeper lunge. Return to the starting position and repeat. Do five repetitions on each side.
• Lat pulldown. Sit on the ball and grab onto the band over your head. Pull the bands down on either side. You’ll feel the large latissimus dorsi muscles in the middle of the back work to perform this exercise. Raise to the starting position and repeat.

To create a balanced exercise program, do a strength training workout 2-3 times per week. And remember, as you build muscle, the number on the scale may increase or stay the same. But you’ll see changes in the way your clothes fit, in the way your body functions throughout the day, and in the way you look. In the end, those are the things that really matter.