Home Workouts

So I'm not exactly fit, my workout generally consists of biking to and from work and whatever I'm doing at work (I.E heavy lifting items in excess of 30kg or shunting washing machines that weigh from 72kg to 92kg). I've started (literally just started working out at home) doing situps, push ups, squats and lifting dumbbells. I don't fancy forking out for a gym membership so I'm curious what your tips to home workouts are. I essentially want to improve my core, abs and arms (My legs are already quite well muscled and defined and will focus on those when everything else is up to scratch). So yeah, any tips to getting a bit more defined, muscular and healthier whilst working out at home preferably without forking out for home gym equipment would be greatly appreciated :D

I myself have a gym membership. Best thing I've ever paid for tbh.
When I'm feeling too lazy to head to the gym I have 2 different workouts I like to do.
One is a set of 12 exercises which I spend 30 seconds on per exercise then do a 10 second rest in between each exercise.
(Jumping Jacks, Wall sits, push-ups, Abdominal crunches, step ups, squats, tricep dips, planks, high knees while running on the spot, lunges, pushups and rotations and side planks)
The second is a repeated 4 week daily workout plan ranging from 1-3 exercises a day. Mornings usually consist of a run, brisk walk or bike ride, afternoons the same or push ups, sit ups, pull ups etc.

It's much easier to get a gym membership but I wouldn't recommend getting any expensive equipment at home but I recommend you buy a chin up bar and hang it on the top of your door and do them in the morning or when you're having a fitness session and I think you should just carry on doing the exercises that require no use of equipment but I would consider buying the gym membership and going there for about three times a week.

I lack motivation at home.
When I do some fitness things at home though, it usually involves toning and yoga.

All I do at home is squats and they're pretty effective

I just have 50kgs on weights at home which I lift on a bar which only really works my chest and arms. I used to do sit ups and go jogging but stopped for no reason. I need I start again lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgaVNfun2kc
something like this but not so brutal perhaps lol

buy a barbell and deadlift.

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Originally Posted by ndy

buy a barbell and deadlift.

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i knew you'd answer this i just thought you'd be more informative

Jillian Michaels 30 day shred is gd, but it's not very long. But you already seem quite active so idk how it would fair with ya

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Originally Posted by AlexJRiley

So I'm not exactly fit, my workout generally consists of biking to and from work and whatever I'm doing at work (I.E heavy lifting items in excess of 30kg or shunting washing machines that weigh from 72kg to 92kg). I've started (literally just started working out at home) doing situps, push ups, squats and lifting dumbbells. I don't fancy forking out for a gym membership so I'm curious what your tips to home workouts are. I essentially want to improve my core, abs and arms (My legs are already quite well muscled and defined and will focus on those when everything else is up to scratch). So yeah, any tips to getting a bit more defined, muscular and healthier whilst working out at home preferably without forking out for home gym equipment would be greatly appreciated :D

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Originally Posted by Police

I just have 50kgs on weights at home which I lift on a bar which only really works my chest and arms. I used to do sit ups and go jogging but stopped for no reason. I need I start again lol

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Be very careful when lifting heavier weights, my back is virtually destroyed from years of lifting too much without the proper support. I'm having to take a month off myself to try and rest it.

I'd like to start off by saying gym membership would really be worth it. As you may know the weights machines are built to target specific muscle groups and you'll notice more of a change IF you decide to join a gym in the future.

Doing what you're doing at the moment will be sufficient if you're looking for a smaller change. I think if you could find a way to do pull-ups at home that would be really good for your arms and shoulders/back. I used to use chairs - like kitchen chairs. I'd be able to bicep curl chairs slowly so it was more of a challenge I also used to hold two chairs (one in each arm) and bring them horizontal with my shoulders (I still do the same exercise at the gym when I do with dumbells) I progressed onto my barbell set from Argos and then to the gym.

Probably the best advice I'll give you if you want to see more of a gain is to eat more. One of the main problems people get is they just don't eat enough. I always used to eat protein after my workouts - I started off with eating a pack of ham :P but I progressed onto protein shakes.. but I've been off them for well over a year as you can get the protein you need from everyday eating.

My back suffers from playing hockey anyway haha. I know how to lift weights properly now and I won't get lift anymore than I need to, I don't need to strain myself. People that lift with their backs and not their legs and silly :P

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Originally Posted by Zak

Be very careful when lifting heavier weights, my back is virtually destroyed from years of lifting too much without the proper support. I'm having to take a month off myself to try and rest it.

I'd like to start off by saying gym membership would really be worth it. As you may know the weights machines are built to target specific muscle groups and you'll notice more of a change IF you decide to join a gym in the future.

Doing what you're doing at the moment will be sufficient if you're looking for a smaller change. I think if you could find a way to do pull-ups at home that would be really good for your arms and shoulders/back. I used to use chairs - like kitchen chairs. I'd be able to bicep curl chairs slowly so it was more of a challenge I also used to hold two chairs (one in each arm) and bring them horizontal with my shoulders (I still do the same exercise at the gym when I do with dumbells) I progressed onto my barbell set from Argos and then to the gym.

Probably the best advice I'll give you if you want to see more of a gain is to eat more. One of the main problems people get is they just don't eat enough. I always used to eat protein after my workouts - I started off with eating a pack of ham :P but I progressed onto protein shakes.. but I've been off them for well over a year as you can get the protein you need from everyday eating.

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Originally Posted by Police

My back suffers from playing hockey anyway haha. I know how to lift weights properly now and I won't get lift anymore than I need to, I don't need to strain myself. People that lift with their backs and not their legs and silly :P

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I tried everything to protect my back but it seems I got an injury a while back that I never addressed and kept working through it.. now I wish I hadn't :(

I do quite a bit of heavy lifting at work, so im used to carrying heavy weights for about 50 feet for around 20 seconds or so, so thats not exactly something im looking to improve on, I think I'm looking for for a bit more definition so I look quite a bit less weedy (I don't look unmuscly, but im not exactly bulky) and looking more to improve overall stamina.

When I suddenly had lower back pain, the first thing I did was go to my doctor. Exercising has been sometimes hard but I'm looking forward. Home workouts I'm doing are: i.e. jumping jacks, squats, leg lifts, crunches, mountain climbers, hip raises, wall sits, lunges, push-ups, calf raises...