5 Easy Indoor Exercises When You Don’t Want to Hit the Gym

You’re not alone if you don’t always have time to go to the gym and exercise. Some people don't like to do any heavy lifting while at home. Moreover, there are times when your schedule just doesn’t allow it — especially if you work long hours or attend classes several days per week.

In these situations, it can feel impossible to squeeze in a workout, but fortunately, there are ways around this problem. The following indoor exercises are perfect when a trip to the gym just isn't possible or feasible.

---

Best Indoor Exercises

Here's a look at five such exercises:

#1 Plank

A plank is a great way to work the core and shoulders. It also strengthens the back, so you can even do it at home if you don’t have access to a gym or fitness center.

To get started:

• Lie on the floor face down with your forearms on the ground under your shoulders (think: like when you would do pushups).
• Keep everything else still as possible — don't let your hips sway side-to-side or poke up into the air — and hold for as long as possible before taking breaks.
• Try doing three sets of 30 seconds each day till you've built up enough strength in that area.

---

#2 Stair Climbing

Stair climbing is one of the best exercises for the heart and muscles. It's also a great way to burn calories. Stair climbing works both the lower and upper body and helps improve coordination, balance, and endurance too.

Here's how you do this exercise:

• Find a set of stairs with at least ten steps.
• Walk up the stairs slowly for about three minutes (at a rate where it feels natural).
• Walk back down again at the same speed for another three minutes before resting for one minute so that the heart rate returns to normal before repeating the cycle once more.
• That will give you 30 minutes total of total stair climbing each day without even realizing it.
• If needed, adjust these times so they're right for you — it might take longer if you're an older person or have certain medical conditions like diabetes or heart disease that limit mobility or endurance levels.

---

#3 Leg raise

The leg raise is one of the most basic and effective exercises you can do. It targets the core and is easy to perform.

To do a leg raise:

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent at 90 degrees.
• Engage your core by pulling in the abs and bringing them toward each other (think: corset). That will help support your lower back so that it doesn't bend backward when you lift up into position.
• Take a deep breath in while lifting both legs off of the floor till they're straight up in front of you — not locked at all but just straight with no bend in them at all — exhale as you slowly lower them down again.
• Do not lock out or stiffen any part of this movement; keep everything relaxed as much as possible. You should feel it working through every single muscle from head to toe.

---

#4 Jumping jack

Jumping jack is an easy exercise that can be done anywhere. You can do it to increase heart rate, strengthen leg muscles, and improve circulation. The best part? You don't need any equipment either.

It's done as follows:

• Jump and clap your hands together above your head, and bring them to the sides of your body and repeating the move.
• Try doing 20 repetitions at a time with one-minute breaks in between each set of 20 jumps.

---

#5 Push-up

The push-up is an excellent exercise for building upper body strength and is a good cardio workout too.

To do a standard push-up:

• Get into the plank position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and toes tucked under.
• Keep your back straight and core tight throughout the movement. (If you can't get into this position on an elevated surface like the floor, try doing wall planks.)
• Bend at the elbows to lower yourself towards the ground til your nose nearly touches it; don't let it touch.
• It should be as high as your eyes or lower chest or abs region instead so that you don't strain yourself too much while doing them slowly with proper form over time (just keep practicing). That helps make sure you;re maximizing effectiveness without straining unnecessarily or injuring yourself during reps no matter how long you take between sets.

---

Takeaway

We hope that the aforementioned exercises will help you get moving, whether they’re indoors or out.

Remember that sometimes the best exercise is the one that works for your body and schedule. So it’s important to try out different options till you find something what feels good and keeps you moving.