How to get fit quickly at home

Fitness is a way of life, not a destination. However, if you’re a complete beginner, there are some steps you can take to ramp up your fitness levels, fast. Learn how to quickly and effectively get fit at home with these top tips and full-body workout…

Modern society is overrun with diet and fitness plans that promise instant results for anyone looking to get fit quickly at home. However, fitness shouldn’t be perceived as a ‘quick fix’ that you immediately give up as soon as you achieve your weight or body goals: movement is an essential part of life, and it’s crucial to make fitness a daily habit for long-lasting health and wellness.

While there is no real shortcut to phenomenal fitness levels, there are some simple tips and tricks that can help you to work out more effectively. In turn, this can help you to improve your health and fitness faster – but you do still need to put in the hard work! In the following workout, you’ll find some great at-home exercises, that are designed to:

Shape the top of your shoulders and strengthen the muscles that hold your shoulders to improve your posture
Create a smooth line around the inner arm and front shoulder area
Tone you underarms to give them strength and shape
Work your waist to create a leaner physique
Lift and firm your bottom and the sides of your hips

How to get fit quickly

If you’re looking to make your workouts more effective, try adding some extra resistance. We always recommend the use of extra resistance when doing toning exercises. Either use a pair of dumbells, or if you don’t have any equipment at home, try using water bottles!

The smaller water bottes are easy to hold, with a 500ml bottle being about half a kilo in weight and a good place to start if you are not used to working with weights. For the heavier ones, check you can comfortably hold it before buying them, but these will make a very big difference to the load you put on each exercise. The 1 litre bottle weighing in at 1 kilo is a good goal to reach. If you can use the 1.5 litre bottle, then you are ready to move on to weights in the gym.

Get fit quickly with this 10-minute at-home workout

This full-body workout is perfect for beginners who are looking to get fit quickly at home. The range of exercises are designed to target different muscle groups, to help you feel stronger and more toned from head to toe.

Before getting started, make sure you read the following tips, to ensure you get the most out of your workouts while staying safe.

Top tips to make this workout safe and effective:

If using weights, always start with the lightest and progress to a heavier one.
Follow the order of the exercises in the workout, as they are designed to flow from one to another.
You can do this 10-minute programme everyday if you want even faster results.
Combine this workout with a low-fat eating plan and plenty of aerobic fat-burning exercise if you wish to lose weight too.
The number of repetitions is given as a guide only. If you can do a lot more than stated, then try a heavier weight!
If you haven’t exercised before or have any medical concerns, check with your GP before starting on a workout programme.
Feel warm before you begin exercising with weights. A walk is a great warm-up!
Drink water before, during and after any workout.
If any of the exercises feel painful, stop.
Do not exercise if you feel unwell.
Always stretch the muscles at the end of a workout.

Exercise 1: Shoulder shaper

Stand up tall with feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent, holding the weights at your side (a).
Keeping the arms slightly forward of the shoulders lift out to the side to shoulder height with elbows slightly bent (b).
Pull shoulders down as you lift arms to work the posture muscles.
Lift and lower 10 times then rest and repeat another set.

Exercise 2: Inner arm shaper

Place the weights on top of the thighs with the back of the hands facing forward(a).
Bring both arms forward and up to shoulder height(b).
Keep the elbows slightly bent with the tummy in, body upright and without leaning back.
Do 10 repetitions then rest and repeat another set.

Exercise 3: Work your waist

Hold arms out in front at shoulder height and with shoulders down (a).
Pull the left elbow back to twist the waist keeping both hips facing forward and tummy pulled in tight (b).
Come back to the centre and then twist to the other side.
Do 10 repetitions then rest and repeat another set.
Progress to staying on the same side for 10 repetitions then change sides.

Exercise 4: Posture improver

Kneel on the right knee with the left leg at a right angle in front.
With a weight in each hand place the chest on top of the left thigh to support the back(a).
Lift both arms out to the side inline with the shoulders(b) to feel the shoulder blades squeezing together at the back.
Do 8 repetitions then rest and repeat another set.
Not only will this exercise help you learn how to get fit quickly at home, it will also improve your posture!

Exercise 5: Waist shaper

Sit upright with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold the weights in each hand with palms up out in front at shoulder height (a).
With your tummy tight, lower slowly into a ‘C’ shape and drop the right arm down in an arc and up behind you, following with your head and twisting the spine(b).
Do 6 repetitions changing side each time and progress to 2 sets.
Alternative exercise: lie on your back with your knees bent and hands behind your head. Curl your head and shoulders off the floor, twisting to alternate sides.

Exercise 6: Underarm tightener

From the same position as exercise 4, pull your trunk upright with your left elbow on your left knee and the right hand holding the weight at waist level with the elbow pointing up and back (a).
Extend the arm back to straighten the elbow, locking it out and keeping the shoulders pulling down the back (b).
Keep the upper arm still and behind you as you bend and extend the arm for 8 repetitions.
Change arms and progress to 2 sets on each arm.

Exercise 7: Core strengthener

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart holding the weights out in front with the arms off the floor (a).
Pull tummy in tight and lift the head and shoulders off the floor, reaching arms out in front (b).
Chin is off the chest and shoulders are pulling down.
Support your neck with one hand if needed.
Do 10 repetitions then rest and repeat another set.

Exercise 8: Outer thigh and waist toner

Lie on your side with one arm extended, head on a towel and the underneath leg slightly bent.
Hold the weight on top of the top leg (a).
Pull the waist up away from the floor by pulling your tummy in tight and then lift your top leg and head away from the towel at the same time (b).
Roll the weight towards the knee as the leg lifts and do not relax the tummy.
Do 10 repetitions then change legs.
Progress to 2 sets on each leg

Exercise 9: Chest shaper

Lie on your back with a weight in each hand and held above the chest with elbows slightly bent (a).
Now breathe in and, at the same time, lower your arms to just off the floor.(b).
Then, as you breathe out lift the weights back above the chest keeping your elbows rounded.
Do 10 repetitions then rest and repeat another set.

Exercise 10: Bum lifter

Lie on your back with one ankle resting on the other knee and weights resting on the tummy area (a).
Pull the tummy in and in one swift movement lift the hips off the floor without arching the back (b).
Lower again under control.
Lift and lower 10 times then rest, change legs and repeat another set.

Cool down stretches:

When learning how to get fit quickly at home, it’s not all about the cardio and strength exercises. Stretching after a working is an incredibly important step in your fitness regime, as it helps your body to cool down and prevents achy muscles the following day, also known as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Finish off your at-home workout with these stretches…

Hip stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and take hold behind one knee with both hands.
Gently squeeze the knee closer to the chest to feel a stretch at the back of the hip.
Hold for 10 seconds then change legs.

Underarm stretch

From the same position as the last stretch, place the right hand behind your right shoulder and using your left hand gently press on the underarm to take your right hand further down your back and to feel a stretch in the underarm.
Hold for 10 seconds then change arms.

Outer thigh

Sit with both legs straight out in front and then bring the right leg across the left with the foot inline with the left knee.
Using the left hand on the outside of the right knee, sit upright and pull the knee further across the chest to feel a stretch in the right outer thigh.
Hold for 10 seconds then repeat with the other leg.

Upper back

Sit cross-legged with both hands clasped in front at shoulder height. Now press the upper back behind you as you press the hands further forward.
You will feel a stretch across the upper back. Hold for 10 seconds then release.

Chest stretch

Sit upright with your legs comfortably crossed.
Take both hands behind the hips on the floor and then pull shoulders back to feel a stretch across the chest.
Hold for 10 seconds then release.

Waist stretch

Sit tall with legs crossed and lift your right arm above your head.
Keeping your left hand on the floor for support, lean to the left with both hips staying firmly on the floor.
You should feel a stretch down the right side of the trunk.
Hold for 10 seconds then change sides.

Model: Sarah Warner of Sarah Warner Slimming & Fitness