At home workouts are the most time efficient, hassle free and zero intimidation ways to get fit, but many have the genuine concern of lack of space.
Let’s face it, the square footage of houses and apartments is getting smaller with every new development (at least for us city dwellers). Large workout spaces or empty spare rooms dedicated to fitness may not be in our budget.
But space shouldn’t hold you back from getting fit and it’s NEVER a legitimate factor for missing a workout. You just need a bit of creativity and a concrete plan.
In fact, one of the things I love most about healthy living and fitness is it’s the perfect concoction of empirical science and artistic creativity. With a little imagination anything, anywhere and anytime becomes your very own fitness playground.
For those who don’t find the charm in fitness program creativity, you’re in luck! I have enough passion in this area to share my imagination with you.
For today’s small space workout I use an area of the house almost everybody has.. the living room!
Small Living Room Workout:
For this workout the only fitness equipment you’ll need is your couch, futon or living room chair: Make sure it’s backed against a wall or stable enough to hold your weight.
If you have a coffee table you’ll need to move it out of the way. Move it into the kitchen or push it to the side.
This workout has 7 moves, each move is performed for 1 minute. Transition as quickly as possible to the next exercise. Write down how many reps you perform after each exercise and try to improve your numbers as the weeks progress.
Below is the exercise routine for beginners and advanced.
If you are intermediate and would like a half way alternative for one or more of the exercises leave a comment below and I’ll provide you a great alternative.
Advanced Small Space Workout:
Up Down Triceps Presses
This exercise tones and tightens the back of your arms while simultaneously working your core. Although it looks harder to place both feet on the couch, that displaces the weight on your lower half making it easier for your arms to move. Try doing the exercise on your knees first. If you have added space then do a full plank without your feet being elevated on the couch.
- Get into a plank position. Knees against couch and torso lifted
- Your elbows are under your shoulders, palms flat on floor
- Push palms into the floor, straighten arms lifting elbows off the ground
- Then lower elbows until you’re almost touching the ground.
- Repeat for 1 minute
One Leg Side Squat:
When it comes to at home workouts, you may not always have the option of enhancing tone and definition to your legs by adding weight. By only working one leg you increase the use of posterior gluteus muscles and leg muscles. This successfully takes your workout to the next level by using your body weight instead of actual weights.
- Stand facing parallel to your couch (looking left or looking right)
- place the leg closest to your couch straight out to your side on the cushions.
- slowly bend the leg further from the couch. Push your bottom backwards so your knee remains over the toe
- tighten your stomach and keep your chest high
- Then stand straight
- repeat for 1 minute. Switch sides
Pike Push ups:
Pike push ups are great for shoulders, upper body and core strength. Caution: if you have shoulder issues modify this move (modification is in video). You still elevate your body but the hands remain under shoulders reducing added pressure on the shoulder joint.
- Place your feet on your couch and hands on the ground.
- Lift your bottom towards the sky and contract your stomach tightly
- Bend your elbows as you bring your forehead is almost touching the ground
- then straighten your arms. keep your bottom up throughout the entire exercise
- Repeat for 1 minute
One Leg Couch Burpee:
This one leg version of the infamous burpee gets your heart racing, focuses on speed, flexibility and balance. While performing this exercise notice how the weight shifts from your feet into your hands, increasing tone and strength in both your upper and lower body.
- stand facing away from the couch. Your back towards the couch
- Place one leg on the couch. tuck your tailbone under and stand tall
- Bend your front leg, place your hands on the ground
- Displace your weight into your hand, lift your front leg up and place it on the couch
- Repeat for 1 minute. Switch sides
Plank with Reverse arm fly:
While this exercise tones your shoulders and arms it also elevates your core workout to a whole new level. As you elevate your arm, your body will want to turn in the direction of the movement. Contract the core tightly and don’t let your hips turn.
- Begin with your feet on the couch and hands underneath your shoulders
- Lift your knees off the ground so you’re in a plank
- Lift one arm off of the ground. Keep your hips square to the ground
- Extend your elevated arm to the side then return to beginning position
- Repeat for 1 minute. Switch sides
Jump and Twist
Your heart will beat fast while you perform the jump and twist. Hop both legs up and twist all in one powerful movement or, for greater emphasis on leg definition, hop and twist with more weight on one leg.
- Squat down low. Knees shoulder width apart
- Bend your knees low then jump up as you twist your body to face the opposite direction
- Keep your torso (abs) engaged.
- Alternatively jump with emphasis on the grounded leg as the other leg elevates slightly
- as you make impact with the ground press both feet firmly into the ground
- continue for 1 minute
Dip and Leg Raise:
This exercise creates firm arm muscles and contracts your low abs and legs too. It takes away the boredom from traditional dips while giving you even better toned muscle results.
- Sit on the edge of your couch, legs extended, feet flat on floor.
- Place your hands on the couch cushions and roll your shoulders back
- Place weight on your hands as you slide your bottom off of the couch.
- Bend your arms and lower your bottom towards the ground
- then straighten your arms as you push into the couch cushion with your hands
- At the top of the movement extend one leg out straight.
- As you lower yourself down lower your leg too.
- Alternate legs each time your body is at the top of the movement
- Repeat for 1 minute
Beginner Small Space Workout:
Beginner Plank On knees:
Before you begin to add arm variations such as the up/down triceps presses in the advanced option, you first need to be able to hold a full plank for at least 1 minute. This beginner’s plank variation creates core strength, shoulder strength and endurance so you’ll be able to master more advanced exercises in the future.
- Facing away from couch, place your palms on the floor and elbows under shoulders creating a 90 degree angle with your arms
- Knees against couch and torso lifted
- Focus on your breath. With every exhale squeeze your tummy tightly
- Hold for 1 minute
One Leg Side Squat:
This exercise stays the same for all levels. The only difference is how far you sit down. If you’re feeling off balance don’t bend your leg at all. Focus on balance. This still works the stabilizer muscles in your legs and gives you a great leg workout but gives you the time you need to focus on balance too.
- Stand facing parallel to your couch (looking left or looking right)
- place the leg closest to your couch on the cushions.
- slowly bend the leg further from the couch. Push your bottom backwards so your knee remains over the toe
- tighten your stomach and keep your chest high
- For balance hold the side of the couch. Pay special attention to long and tall posture
- Then stand straight
- repeat for 1 minute. Switch sides
Top of Sofa Push ups:
Use the top of the couch to tone your upper body, gain endurance, before adding the incline that pike push ups demand. Once the back rest of the sofa seems easy, move your hands to the cushions on the couch.
- Facing sofa, place your knees on the ground and hands shoulder width apart on the sofa cushions
- Contract your stomach tightly as you bend your elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades together
- then push your hands into the cushions as you straighten your arms
- Repeat for 1 minute
One Leg Couch Lunge:
This exercise tones and tightens your legs while simultaneously creating endurance and balance. If you feel unstable at first don’t bend your front leg and simply get used to the sensation.
- stand facing away from the couch, back towards the couch
- Place one leg on the couch. Tuck your tailbone under and stand tall
- Bend your front leg as you keep your front knee over your ankle
- Then push with your heel as you straighten your front leg
- Repeat for 1 minute. Switch sides
Reverse Arm Fly and Hold:
Begin by doing one shoulder motion alone before adding a complicated plank to the mix. Here you can focus on shoulder definition, strength and endurance so when you add a plank to this workout you’ll avoid injury and focus on maximal tone.
- Stand tall with your legs shoulder width apart
- Tip from the hips and bow keeping a straight line from the top of your head to your bottom
- Extend both arms towards the ground palms together
- Then extend both arms to the side and squeeze your shoulder blades back
- Hold and squeeze for a two seconds
- Then bring palms together once again
- Repeat for 1 minute
Squat Twist:
Squats are the basis of all fitness programs. They tighten the bottom, protect our knees against injury and sculpt our legs. This beginner variation adds directional movement which trains our ligaments and tendons around the knee to work efficiently in various directions.
- Squat down low, knees shoulder width apart
- Then as you rise, place your weight on one foot and pivot to the right.
- Immediately squat low again
- Then rise and pivot back to original position
- Squat low before rising and pivoting to the left, then squat and back in center
- You’ll notice you create a semi circle of squats.
- continue this semi circle squat pattern for 1 minute
Dips:
Arm wiggle (the wobbly part of our lower arms) can be significantly diminished when we tighten our muscles. This exercise combats “arm wiggle” by toning the backs of our arms. If you’re an office worker or spend time at a desk, this exercise also stretches out tight chest muscles creating an exercise that simultaneously stretches and strengthens.
- Sit on the edge of your couch. Place your hands on the couch cushions and roll your shoulders back
- Place weight in your hands as you lift your bottom off of the couch.
- You feet are close to the couch. The further out you place your feet, the harder the exercise
- Bend your arms and lower your bottom towards the ground
- then straighten your arms as you push into the couch cushion with your hands
- Your torso glides along the couch as you sink down and push up
- Repeat for 1 minute