How you can exercise at home for free

The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization recommend 2.5 hours of aerobic exercise spread across the week plus a couple of resistance training sessions. They also suggest adults 65+ add balance and flexibility work.

You can cover several of these recommendations at once with a few dynamic, whole-body combinations using just your body weight for resistance. You might be surprised at how intense you can make it.

There are plenty of free fitness apps and online programmes you can follow. But if you want to be in control of how you’ll work your body, create your own. If you can, include moves where you go to the floor and back up, jump, or move in more than one direction. One way to structure your sessions so you keep working hard is with interval training.

Interval training

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense exercise with rest (or low-intensity) periods between. Since you only need to focus on one small chunk of exercise at a time, it’s often easier to keep up the effort. A timer that chimes at the start and end of each interval (such as the Tabata Timer app) is useful.

The aim is to go hard and fast during the work intervals. But you can lower the intensity to suit your fitness level by going at a slower pace.

Example workout

The workout below is just an example. You can choose any moves you like and merge several into whole-body combinations to make it more dynamic and interesting. Search online for ‘plyometric combination exercises’ or check out Redefining Strength on YouTube for some great demonstrations with explanations.

Warm-up (5-10 mins)

Get the muscles warm with activities like running on the spot, squats, situps and press-ups. Do anything you like, aiming to warm the whole body.

The workout (30 mins)

For each of the numbered sets below, complete 8 rounds of 20 seconds’ work with 10 seconds’ rest between rounds. So, for set 1, complete as many squats as you can for 20 seconds then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat for a total of 8 rounds.

After set 1, take a one-minute break before starting set 2 (burpees). Continue for sets 3, 4, 5 and 6.

You can tweak the intensity by adjusting the work-to-rest ratio, or changing the number of sets, rounds per set or breaks between sets. Customise it to you.

Set 1: Squat and kick

Feet a bit wider than hip width. As you squat, keep your eyes up and back straight. When you stand up, kick out in front. See how many you can do in each 20-second round.

Low-intensity option: Squat without the kicks.

— one-minute break —

Set 2: Burpees

Hands to the floor, jump your feet out behind you so your body is straight (squeeze your butt muscles). Jump your feet forwards, then jump straight up. Do as many as you can in each 20-second round.

Low-intensity option: Slow down and step each foot out, one by one. Then step each foot back towards your hands and stand up (no jump).

— one-minute break —

Set 3: Tuck jumps

Jump, lifting both knees together as high as you can in front. Do as many as you can.

Low-intensity option: From standing, thrust one knee as high as is comfortable in front, then put your foot back on the ground. Repeat with the other leg.

— one-minute break —

Set 4: Air punches

Make fists and keep squeezed tight. While one hand stays by your jaw, punch out in front with the other, aiming around head height. Keep a slight bend in the elbow to protect it. Pull the punching hand back to your jaw as you punch out with the other. Go as fast as you can.

Low-intensity option: Just slow the pace and pause between punches as needed.

— one-minute break —

Set 5: High knees sprinting

Run on the spot, lifting knees as high as you can. Go for it – fast as you can!

Low-intensity option: Walk or march on the spot, swinging your arms.

— one-minute break —

Set 6: Jumping jacks

From your natural standing position, jump your feet and arms out wide at the same time, then jump back to your natural standing position, arms come back to your sides. How many can you do in 20 seconds?

Low-intensity option: Instead of jumping, step side to side.

YOU’RE DONE!

5 tips for staying motivated

1. Prepare a few different workouts: Having a workout prepared in advance means you won’t have to stop to think what’s next while you’re exercising. A variety of options will keep things interesting.

2. Try new things: Keep things fresh and challenging by regularly trying different exercises and combinations.

3. Grab a buddy: Work out with friends and whānau, whether in person or by video. It’s more fun and you’ll be less likely to skip a session or quit early.

4. Add music: Pick something energetic and you’ll smash out your workout in no time.

5. Recover: No matter how fit you are, your body needs rest. That’s when it repairs itself and gets stronger in response to your workouts. The day after a hard session, do some light exercise or stretching, or take a total rest day.