Get a total body work out at home

Posted under female workout

Here are simple moves you can do right at home. This total body work out offers a basic routine that targets the entire body. Exercise your chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs and abs in a short period of time. This is perfect for stay-at-home women who are familiar with basic strength moves yet seeks to do a simple home workout.

A word of precaution: seek medical advice before attempting any work out most especially if you have any injuries, illnesses or other conditions, and change any exercise that causes pain or discomfort.

Prepare your equipments before you embark our total body home work out. you need a barbell, dumb bells of various weights, an exercise ball, a weight bench, and an exercise mat.

Detailed instructions for each exercise can be found below (click on pictures and links).
• Warm up with 5 minutes of light cardio, or warm-up versions of each exercise.
• Beginners: Start with no weight for 1 set of 14 to 16 reps, or try a beginner workout.
• Intermediate/Advanced: Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps with enough weight so that you can only complete the desired number of reps.

Bench Press

Lie on a bench, step or floor, and hold a medium-heavy barbell straight up over your chest. Bend your elbows and lower the weight until elbows are at 90 degrees.  Press back up and repeat.

Target muscle: Chest

Lateral Raise

Hold light-medium dumbbells and, keeping elbows slightly bent, lift arms out to the sides to shoulder level. Lower and repeat.

Target muscles: Shoulders

Barbell Row

Hold a medium-heavy barbell and tip forward to 45 degrees, keeping your back flat.  Squeeze back to pull the weight in towards the belly.  Lower and repeat.

Target muscle: Back

Back Extension

Lie face down and squeeze the lower back to lift your chest a few inches off the floor.  Lower and repeat.

Target muscle: lower back

Hammer Curls

Holding medium-heavy dumbbells, perform hammer curls with your palms facing each other.  For added intensity, stand on one leg for a balance challenge, switching legs with each set.

Target muscle: Biceps

Kickbacks

Bend forward, keeping back flat and abs in, and hold light-medium weights, elbows bent.  Straighten the elbows to engage the triceps.  Lower and repeat.

Target muscle: Triceps

Deadlifts

Stand with feet hip-width apart, and hold weights in front of your thighs. Tip from the hips and lower weights towards the floor, keeipng your back flat and shoulders back.   Return to start and repeat.

Target muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, and back

Static Lunge

Stand in split stance and bend both knees, lowering into a lunge while keeping your front knee behind the toe.  Lift back up and repeat before switching sides.

Target muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes

Squats

Place a medium-heavy barbell on the upper back/shoulders or hold dumbbells in either hand.  Bend the knees and lower into a squat, knees behind the toes. Push back to start and repeat.

Target muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes

Ball Crunch

Lie down with the exercise ball under the lower/mid-back.  Squeeze the abs to lift the shoulders off the ball in a crunch.  Lower and repeat.

Target muscle: Abs

Bicycle

Lie on the floor and bring the knees into the chest.  Straighten the right leg as you twist the body, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.  Repeat on the other side in a cycling motion.

Target muscle: Abs

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