Today's blog is part 2/2 of my favourite 6 daily at-home exercises that will give you the most return back for a small daily time investment. If you missed Part 1 then check out the link below before reading on:
4. Chair pose
For a 'simple' pose that can be done literally anywhere at any time. Chair pose or 'Utkatasana' (to the Yogi's amongst us) strengthens the thighs, ankles, shoulders, glutes, hips and back - Wow! A real 'bang-for-your-buck' exercise. Start with 30s holds and add 5-10s each week until you can hold 60s+ without shaking
Coaching tips for an effective chair pose are:
- Aim for a 90 degree squat (or close to)
- Keep your chest up,
- Maintain tension in the lower back
- Squeeze the shoulder blades
- Keep the arms raised by the sides of your head
- Control breathing throughout
5. Back-Bands (Bridging)
Back-bends are one of the best bodyweight exercises for core and spinal health
Back-bends done properly are a naturally 'corrective' exercise. In simplest terms, this means that it will stretch one set of muscles (anterior) while it strengthens another (posterior). Because of modern day working habits (desk) and posture (forward) - backbends are a fantastic inclusion to a daily exercise program for almost everybody - I can't think of a downside in practising these daily. The above video is 5mins long and is an excellent starting point for anyone trying these out for the first time. Be warned - these are not easy!
Start with 20s holds at the variation that allows you the most control and build up towards 45-60s hold under complete control.
6. Pistol squat
The above video (from Al Kavadlo) is an excellent 2mins visual of 3-4 sensible progressions to train before trying to hit your first full pistol squat. As well as adequate relative lower body strength, you will need excellent mobility of the ankle and hips to perform this well. Determine which regression to start with and commit to 20-30 reps per leg each day. Focus on impeccable form and don't rush through to "gets the reps done" - the goal here is technique mastery not calorie burn!
The pistol squat is one of the most stand-alone bad-ass exercises. Here are some additional benefits of using unilateral exercises:
- Core Stability training effect on every rep
- 2x reps (right and left side) which can be useful for increasing Volume, Muscle endurance and fat loss in training programs
- Useful for Correcting strength imbalances
So that's my top 6 at-home exercises, how many of these do you practise already?
Over the past 2 posts I've purposely avoided the popular bodyweight exercises like push ups, glute bridges, Squats and lunges simply because they are everywhere and don't need another mention (yet!). Follow the above 6 exercises daily and the basics will become easier very quickly. Always train with control, don't rush your reps and always train with progression in mind.
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