You might love working out and showing off your toned body in the gym. However, when it comes to hitting the gym during summer, you just don’t feel like stepping out. After all, who would want to go out in the scorching heat? The gym is certainly not your only option for building a strong and toned body. Choosing to work out at home is becoming popular as many people are opting for convenience, privacy, and flexibility. You can do this low-impact workout at home with minimum equipment like a pair of dumbbells (if you want to take it up a notch) or a yoga mat. That’s it!

 

Avinash Mansukhani, body recomposition and transformation specialist at Fight The Sunrise Fitness, Mumbai, shares five exercises that are great for gaining strength, toning muscles, and building stamina.

 

Related story: 5 Easy Exercises You can Do At Your Desk

 

Time: 20 minutes

Reps: 10 Each

Repeat Circuit Twice

 

1. Push-up: Sculpt your upper body, chest, shoulders, and triceps with push-up exercises. It also primes your core muscles and glutes.

 

 

Make it easier: Assisted Knee Push-ups

• Place your palms at a shoulder-width distance on the floor. Lower your upper body towards the ground. Rest on your knees as you bend your elbows to lower down.
• Press through your palms, engage your core as you straighten your elbows to lift your upper body keeping your shoulders straight.

 

Make it harder: T-Push-Up with Dumbells

• Keep dumbbells on the floor parallel to each other, shoulder-width apart. Get into a plank holding the dumbbells.. Keep your legs apart and rest your toes wide on the floor. Shoulders above your wrist joints.
• Tuck your ribs in and engage core muscles, lower down as elbows make an angle of 45 degrees. Look ahead. As you press yourself back up, raise your right hand grasping the dumbbell upwards to make a ‘T’ shape.
• Lower down and repeat with your left hand.

 

Related story: How To Do A Perfect Pull-Up

 

2. Squats: Strengthen the lower body, improve knee joint flexibility and build strong glutes.

 

 

Make it easier: Assisted Squat

• Stand with your toes pointing ahead, feet hip-width apart.
• Move hips back, bend knees, and lower down until thighs are parallel to the floor. Imagine you are sitting on an invisible stool.
• Press up your heels and return to the standing.

 

Make it harder: Squat Jack

• Stand with your feet together.
• Jump and land with your feet wide in squat position. Repeat
• Lift your chest and put your weight on your heels. Jump to bring your feet back together by engaging your glutes.

 

Related story: The Perfect Push-up Technique For Beginners

 

3. Lunges: Tones legs, glutes and core muscles.

 

 

Make it easier: Assisted Lunge

• Stand with your right leg approximately 1-2 feet in front of your left leg. Keep your torso straight and bend the knee and lower your body.
• Ensure the right knee is parallel to the floor, left or back knee is bent towards the ground and maximum weight on your right foot.
• return to the standing position by exerting pressure on your right foot. Repeat on the other side.

 

Make it harder: Dumbbell Lunge

• Put your right foot on an aerobic step or something which is enough to bear your weight. Hold dumbbells on both hands.
• Engage your core and move your right knee forward and left leg back. Lower until just one inch above the ground.
• Return to standing. Repeat on the other side.

 

Related story: Mix Your Workout With Martial Arts

 

4. Glute bridges: Build strong glutes, hamstrings and improve posture.

 

 

Make it easier: Supported Glute Bridge

• Lie on your back, rest your hands on either side and place your palms on the ground.
• Bend your knees by placing your feet on the floor. Tighten your abdomen and glutes and raise your lower body from the hips creating a straight line.
• Hold for 20-30 seconds. Now, lower the hips and return to start.

 

Make it harder: Marching Glute Bridge

• Lay flat on your back, rest your palms on the ground. Bend your knees at 90 degree angle.
• Squeeze your glutes, lift your hips and extend one leg. Ensure your body weight is on your back and your chest, stomach and thighs align horizontally. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
• Lower your hips back on the ground. Repeat on the other side.

 

Related story: 8 Simple Chair Yoga Poses

 

5. Dips: Sculpt triceps, deltoids (shoulder muscle), pecs, and rhomboid muscles (upper back).

 

 

Make it easier: Tricep dips with bend knees

• Sit on the edge of a bench, steady chair, bed, or table. Hands beside your hips, holding on to the surface.
• Extend your legs forward, elbows at 90 degrees and keep them apart, lift your body and lower the hips to the ground.
• Bend elbows at 45 degrees. Push yourself back slowly till your hands are straight. Repeat.

 

Make it harder: Two Chair Tricep dips

• Position chairs facing each other approximately 2 feet apart. Sit on the edge of one chair and hold the edges with both hands.
• Place your feet on the other chair and lift your glutes off the ground. Lower your upper body slowly until your elbows are at 90 degree angle.
• Bring yourself back and repeat.

 

Exercise caution to prevent injuries from accidental fall

(a) While performing this exercise ensure chairs are sturdy and your grip is firm. to prevent injuries from accidental fall.

(b) Avoid this exercise if you have back pain.