Don't Let Your Tiny Apartment Get In The Way Of Your Beach Bod
Who says you need a lot of space or a gym membership to get in shape? You really don't need anything other than some motivation to tone your body and start feeling stronger. Most of these exercises can be embellished with hand weights or elastic bands if you have them at home; however, they're also effective without them. We recommend doing each exercise for 45 seconds, then taking a 15-second break in between. Here are the 20 best tiny apartment exercises for a comprehensive full-body workout.
1. Abs: Planks
To form a plank, get into a push-up position and just hold it. Make sure to keep your back straight and your abs engaged. You can also do this on your forearms if it's more comfortable.
2. Abs: Plank Dips
For plank dips, get in a forearm plank and dip your hips from side to side, just barely touching the floor each time. This is a great one for your obliques, or side abs.
3. Abs: Side Planks
Another great oblique exercise is the side plank. Put your weight on one hand and turn on your side, stacking your feet.
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4. Abs: Leg Lifts
Leg lifts are a simple exercise for targeting your lower abs. Lie on your back with your hands under your back to protect it and your legs straight out in front of you. Lift your legs straight up and lower them as close to the floor as possible.
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5. Abs: Full Sit-Ups
You probably remember doing sit-ups from gym class. Sit on your bum with your legs bent in front of you and your hands on your head with your elbows out. With control, lay your back flat on the ground, then come back up all the way.
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6. Arms: Push-Ups
Push-ups target your arms and abs. Get into a push-up position and bend your arms at least 90 degrees. The lower you go, the harder it is.
7. Arms: Pull-Ups
If you have a safe place to do pull-ups in your apartment, they're a great way to target your arms and abs. Even if you can't do a pull-up yet, simply hanging on the bar does wonders for the alignment of your spine.
8. Arms: Bicep Curls
To build your bicep muscle, take a weight with your arm extended straight along your body and bend it upwards so its near your neck. If you don't have weights, use elastic bands or anything that's heavy.
9. Arms: Tricep Dips
You'll need a piece of furniture like a bench or a couple of chairs for this one. With your hands on the platform and your body out in front, use your arms to dip yourself close to the ground.
10. Arms: Arm Circles
Arm circles are a surprisingly effective exercise for targetting your biceps, triceps, and shoulders. Simply extend your arms out like wings and make small, quick circular movements, then switch direction.
11. Glutes: Fire Hydrants
For this exercise, think dogs peeing. Stand on all fours and swing your leg out, bringing it to the same height as your body. Feel a burn on the side of your hip.
12. Glutes: Squats
Squats are a great exercise for targeting many parts of the body including the glutes, hips, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Stand with your legs spread out and sit your bum down close to the floor, then press back down.
13. Glutes: Hip Thrusts
Hip thrusts target the booty or gluteus maximus, the biggest muscle in your body. Lie on your back with you legs bent and lift your hips up to the sky.
14. Glutes: Lunges
To do a lunge, step one foot in front of the other like you're about to start walking and slowly lower so your knee nearly touches the ground, then press back up. Lunges target the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings depending on how wide you stand and where you put your weight.
15. Glutes: Kickbacks
Like with fire hydrants, stand on all fours and kick your leg back, lifting it as high as you can. This exercise targets all three gluteal muscles. If you really want to feel the burn, try it with a resistance band around your thighs.
16. Legs: Wall Sit
Wall sits target all the muscles in your lower body including the calves, quadriceps, and hamstrings. Simply sit against a wall as if there were a chair under you and hold for as long as you can. Feel the burn.
17. Legs: Step Ups
If you have a step or a box that holds your weight, step ups are a great way to target many muscles in your legs including the quads, hamstrings, and calves. Simpy step up on the box and step down repeatedly. They can be made harder by adding height or weight.
18. Legs: Side Leg Raises
For this exercise, lie on your side and lift one leg up and down. This targets the inner thighs, hip flexors, hamstrings, and core. You can also do this standing.
19. Legs: Squat Jump
Squat jumps are the perfect exercise for targeting many muscles in your lower body including hamstrings, calves, glutes, and quads. Get into a squat position then explode upwards, jumping as high as you can. You'll also get your cardio in with this one.
20. Legs: Split Squats
For this exercise, get into a low lunge then jump up and switch your legs in the air. This is a good one for your entire lower body as well as your core. It also puts your balance to the test.
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