The 30 minute home workout that will help you get fit

Winter’s that time of year when everything seems to slow down - except for the amount we eat. Comfort food is the order of the day and it’s oh so easy to pack on a few extra kilos and add some spare padding around the middle. 

But you can keep those kilos at bay by getting your groove on with some fun home exercises that will help you burn fat and get fit. Ok – so maybe not all of them are that much fun, but they are definitely do-able for all ages and sizes, so why not get started today! 

You don’t need to invest in a home gym to get a top home workout – but if your prefer training with equipment why not check out our flexible mini-loans to find out how easy it is to fund your new home gym equipment. Once your loan is approved, we can usually get a payment into your bank account within 24 hours so you can start shopping for your new equipment now! 

For a complete, full-body, 30-minute exercise at home regime, run through these 10 exercises from start to finish and then repeat. 

1. Cat Arch - Start on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders, your knees in line with your hips and your knees and feet hip-width apart. Begin with a straight spine and then arch your back, pushing your spine upward, exhaling and pulling in from your belly button. Hold the position for 10 – 15 seconds then relax downward. Repeat 6 times.

2. Superman - Lay face down on a mat or towel, with your arms stretched out in front of you. Raise your arms and legs off the floor by 10 – 15 centimetres, keeping both as straight as you can. Hold for 10 seconds then lower your arms and legs to the ground. Repeat 6 times.

3. Supine Bridge - Start on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. If you can, lift your toes off the floor, so only your heels are planted. Slowly raise your hips towards the ceiling so that your body is in a straight line from knees to hips to shoulders. Squeeze your glutes tightly and pull in from your belly button - hold for 10 seconds then return to the starting position. Repeat 6 times.

4. Bodyweight Squat - Squats are a great exercise to lose weight because they use the big muscles in your legs to really get your heart pumping. Stand with your legs slightly wider than hip distance apart, with your toes turned outwards slightly. Engage your abdominals by sucking in from your belly button. Keeping your back straight, squat down as if you were about to sit on a chair. Try to get down to the point where your thighs are parallel with the ground. Return to the starting position and repeat 12 times.

5. Lunge  - Start with your feet together then step or lunge forward with your right leg, trying to get your heel to hit the floor before your toes. At the same time, drop your left knee towards the ground until your right thigh is parallel with the ground. Your left knee should be pretty close to the ground and at this point your right knee should be in line with your right ankle – if it’s further forward than this, take a bigger step out next time. Push off with your right leg, returning to the starting positions. Repeat with the left leg and then perform 12 repetitions on each side.

6. Jumping Jacks - Stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Simultaneously jump upwards, spreading your feet out wide and raising your arms above your head (think of yourself as a starfish at the top of this movement). Repeat for 2 minutes. 

7. Push Up- On your hands and knees, place your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. The further back that you place your knees, the harder this exercise will be, and if you can do it on your toes, even better. Keeping your abdominals muscles contracted, slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest until your chin reaches the ground, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 12 times. 

8. Triceps Dip - Sit on a chair and then slide your bottom off the seat.  Hold yourself up with your arms straight on the chair seat, keeping your body close to the chair. Bend your elbows (keeping them pointed directly behind you, not flaring out to the sides) so you dip down. Hold for 2 – 3 seconds then straighten and repeat 12 times. 

9. Plank - Place your forearms on the ground with your elbows aligned below your shoulders, and arms parallel to the body at about shoulder-width distance. Come up onto your toes so your body forms a straight plank position.  Hold for one minute if possible. 

10. Cobra- Lie on your stomach with your hands positioned directly under your shoulders and facing forward. Extend your legs pointing your toes away from your body. Gently exhale and press your hips into the floor and pull your chest away from the ground while keeping your hips stable. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds, then relax and lower back down to the floor.

Need some inspiration to get started? Summer bodies are made in winter and summer is just around the corner – so it’s time to get off the couch (unless you’re using it for your triceps dip) and get moving!