We all know exercise is important but it’s fair to say it’s not always something we look forward to doing. As a personal trainer, I know it’s hard to find the time or motivation to do it – even though we know it’s good for us – so I’ve put together this guide to 10 easy at-home exercises to help.
The best part is that it will take just 10 minutes to do, leaving you plenty of time to get on with other things. Exercise is a brilliant wellbeing activity as it has been scientifically proven to make us feel better (and younger!). Regular exercise is also proven to build bone density, improve mobility and therefore protect against falls, and it helps prevent dementia.
The NHS recommends all adults aim for 150 minutes of exercise per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (or a combination of both). Adults over the age of 65 should do some form of activity every day, even if it’s light activity such as cleaning the house or moving around the home. Older adults should also do some form of strengthening exercises on at least two days a week.
There are so many options available for exercise, and my advice to anyone is find what you love doing and just do that! Exercise isn’t a punishment, it’s an opportunity to move your body, improve physical and mental wellbeing and do something your future self will thank you for.
As well as these at-home exercises, you could try any of the following:
Walking
Running (couch to 5k is a great app to get started)
Swimming
Learning how to use dumbbells
Learning how to use resistance bands
Easy At-Home Exercises: Where to start?
You don’t need to go all out, converting your garage into a home gym or buying bulky, professional-grade gym machinery in order to get a good at-home workout in. The 10-minute workouts listed below need minimal equipment or even none at all. You might also want to download a fitness app to help give you some extra guidance in your workout.
A good exercise mat or yoga mat always comes in handy for at-home exercises, and you'll want water and a towel on hand too.
Our favourite yoga mat
We love this highly-rated, extra-thick yoga mat that protects knees and comes with a strap to roll it up for carrying or storing away.
Pros
- Extra thick to protect knees
- Easy to roll and store
Cons
- The thickness of the mat can be a trip hazard, so be careful.
Is ten minutes of exercise enough for beginners?
You’ll often hear people claiming you can get fit in ten minutes a day. And indeed, this article has workouts that are all around ten minutes long. But here’s what I want you to know. Ten minutes of exercise, followed by 23 hours and 50 minutes of sitting or sleeping, is not going to make a jot of difference.
What will make a difference to your wellbeing, is ten minutes of exercise a few times a day, and/ or more daily activity. Here’s an example:
You wake up and do a ten-minute mobility routine. Mid-morning you do a bit of weeding in the garden, clean the bathroom and hoover downstairs. In the afternoon you meet a friend, take a leisurely stroll to a cafe and enjoy coffee together.
Suddenly, without really realising, you’ve racked up an hour of exercise when the only concentrated effort you’ve made is with the routine you did first thing.
Another tip is to start small and build slowly. If you’ve not exercised in a while, a ten minute walk without stopping is a great place to start. Add a couple of minutes a week and you’ll be surprised at how quickly your fitness transforms.
What exercise is best for beginners?
The one exercise I always teach beginners is how to squat. It has many benefits and is the movement pattern that we use more than any other. Every time you sit and stand, that’s a squat. But as we age, it can reach a point where we can’t sit or stand without holding on to something.
With your feet firmly planted, sit and stand from a sturdy chair (a dining chair is good for this). Don’t sit all the way back in the chair, just the edge, and as soon as you sit, drive your feet into the ground to stand up again. Repeat this for three sets of ten repetitions on at least 3 days a week. Long-term, when you can still get on and off the toilet with ease, you’ll be thankful you took the time to do this.
What is the easiest exercise at home?
As well as learning how to squat, easy at-home exercises include a lunge and, believe it or not, a push-up. Push-ups can be done against a wall, with your hands raised, or your knees on the floor. You'll get the benefits of working the upper body without trying to balance your bodyweight.
Another great option is a plank, as pictured. Start by holding in three ten-second bursts, with ten seconds rest between. Gradually increase the time you hold it and decrease the time you rest, until you can hold it for 30-seconds.
Ten easy at-home exercises to try
Resistance bands are a great way to get in a full body workout. They’re economical, take up virtually zero storage space, and can easily be carried in a bag for working out away from home. They allow you to go at your own pace and many top fitness personalities swear by them.
Low-Impact workout
Joe Wicks gained notoriety in lockdown with his home based workouts. He has a whole section of workouts for seniors on his You Tube channel. They're all around 10-20 minutes long, and all free. Why not try this low-impact workout first?
Full body strength workout for seniors
I am passionate about the benefits of strength training, and this is a great place to start. You'll need some light dumbbells (like this set from Amazon) or some cans or full water bottles.
10 Minute Core Workout
If you want to focus on building strength in your stomach muscles as well as the lower back and glutes, a core workout is a good idea. You'll need to be able to get down to the floor for this one, and it's a good idea to lie on a yoga mat.
10 minute Chair Pilates
Pilates is excellent for improving posture, mobility and strength, particularly in the core. But a lot of it involves floor work. This chair Pilates video is a great option if that's a difficulty for you - and even if it's not.
10 minute low-impact cardio walking workout
Cardio exercise is great for improving the condition of our heart and lungs. It can also lead to lower blood pressure and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. But a lot of cardio workouts involve running or jumping. This workout is perfect as it focuses on walking meaning it's low-impact and kind to the joints.
Medicine Ball Workout
Who knew working out with a simple ball could be so much fun? Although a medicine ball looks like a regular football, if you try to lift it, you’ll see there’s quite a lot more to it in terms of weight. You can always do this workout with a regular ball for a gentler intro to ball workouts but if you do want to buy one, we recommend this one from Amazon.
Ankle Weight Workout
Ankle weightsare by no means a new piece of exercise equipment but there is so much more you can do with them than just the famed Jane Fonda-style side leg lifts. This 10-minute ankle weight workout demonstrates some easy exercises that anyone can do. If you haven’t worked out in a while, you can have a go without any leg weights to start.
Low-Impact Step Workout
We’ve all tried step exercise at one time or another and the truth of the matter is, although it’s quite an old form of exercise, it’s highly effective. If you don’t have a stepper, you can use a small stool or the first step of your flight of stairs, but with caution, or take a look at this one on Amazon
Dumbbell Workout
Dumbbells are not only the best way to tone up your bingo wings and upper body, they can also provide some extra weight when doing exercises for the lower body, like lunges and squats, too. If you don’t have dumbbells to hand, a couple of cans of baked beans or small water bottles will do to get you started.
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Becky Fuller is a senior digital writer for Yours.co.uk. She is also a fully qualified personal trainer and strength coach, specialising in fitness and wellbeing for over 50s. Prior to joining Yours, Becky was a fitness writer for Saga, and a freelance entertainment and theatre journalist. Becky is passionate about helping people to move well and discover the many benefits of strength training.