Exercise has several health benefits, from improving moods and increasing energy levels to boosting self-esteem and reducing the risk of several diseases and health conditions. And research indicates that you're more likely to stick with an exercise routine long-term if you find and participate in physical activities that are enjoyable too. But you don't have to get a gym membership to adequately exercise. Instead, you can do it in the comfort of your own home with a full body home workout. Continue reading to learn how.
Depending on the exercises you choose, the intensity, and the frequency of your full body home workout, it can be effective. However, consistency is needed to yield solid results, so it’s important that you make exercising a habit. According to an article in Sports Sciences For Health, home-based exercise can improve flexibility and lean body mass and maintain body fat percentage, general muscle strength, and physical performance.
If you have Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS), which is the non-Addison's form of adrenal dysfunction, where your body's stress response is unable to keep up with life's chronic stressors, then a low impact home workout could be helpful in strengthening your muscles and body overall. The key is to design your at-home full body exercise program in a way that prevents burnout and adrenal crashes. Always keep in mind how you feel after you exercise, and if you feel tired that means it's too taxing on your adrenals. AFS disrupts the proper metabolic functioning of the Bioenergetic Circuit of the NEM stress response, and if you overdo it, you will only worsen symptoms. Your exercise program should aim to restore balance, strength, and energy levels.
Because it is so important to build a routine to make exercise effective, before we consider which full body exercises to do, first we'll look at steps to stick with it for the long haul.
Having specific, actionable goals is the beginning of a lasting exercise routine. That means knowing when, where, and how you plan to meet your exercise goals. Your exercise goals should be concrete and things that you can build on. Also, be realistic with your goals and have a clear plan of action. A specific goal could be that you want to be able to jog for 40 minutes by the end of the month. Your aim could be to run 15 minutes the first week, 20 the second week, 30 the third, and then 40 minutes the fourth week.
Before you start your exercise program, be it a full body home workout or some other routine, establish why you want to exercise in the first place. Your motivation may be to lose weight, to look better in your clothes, or to improve your health. You could also consider the positive feeling that you gain from exercising. This motivation could be the thing that drives you to continue exercising.
To build flexible exercise habits, avoid rigid exercise programs, and try not to aim for perfection. When it comes to the timing of your exercise session, being flexible can motivate you to continue doing your workouts regularly. Shunning rigidity can allow you to keep up exercising even when you run into a hurdle on the road.
Exercise shouldn’t be a drag. Make it enjoyable by pairing it with an activity that you find fun. This could be watching your favorite TV show as you workout or listening to an energizing music playlist. For some people, fun could mean exercising with a friend or listening to a podcast. Research suggests that people usually repeat the activities that they enjoy. According to an article in Frontiers in Psychology, engaging in physical activity that is enjoyable improves health and well-being, and facilitating continual novel stimulus results in a boost in engagement that helps people stick to the activity over time.
When you start your full body home workout or any other exercise activity, be patient. Making exercise a lifelong habit takes time. It can take weeks or months, so don't expect changes overnight. The key is to be consistent, even when it seems like it's not getting easier. Eventually, doing your workouts will seem natural and automatic. You'll find that you have made it into a habit because you were patient with yourself.
If you have a dumbbell at home, you have the tool to start your full body home workouts. It can be effective if done right. In just 30 minutes, you can work out your entire body, with no hassle. You can use a set of dumbbells to perform classic exercises in a short period. These basic exercise moves can work your abs, arms, back, chest, legs, and shoulders. Before you begin any exercise program, however, talk with your healthcare provider, especially if you have underlying health conditions such as adrenal fatigue.
With any exercise session, you want to start with a quick warm up. Dynamic movements or light cardio for 5 minutes is usually sufficient the get the blood flowing and your muscles warm and ready for your workout
Experienced exercisers can do two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps, with the dumbbell weight that you feel is most manageable.
Rest for 30-60 seconds between each set. For those with adrenal fatigue, if you need more rest before you begin your next set, add a bit more time.
Lie flat on your back on a weight bench and hold dumbbells up over your chest. Bend the elbows and lower the dumbbells until your elbows are at roughly 90-degree angles. Press the dumbbells back up and repeat.
One-Arm Row
Position your left foot on a step or platform and place your left hand or forearm on your upper thigh. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, keeping your back flat and abs tight. Hang the dumbbell down towards the floor. Bend your elbow and pull it up to a 90-degree angle in a rowing motion. Repeat for a full set of repetitions before switching sides.
Overhead Press
Stand with feet about hip-distance apart and keep your back straight. Hold dumbbells at ear level with the elbows bent with an overhand grip. Press the dumbbells up overhead keeping your core tight and back straight. Lower dumbbells and repeat.
Stand with feet about hip-distance apart and hold dumbbells in each hand. Bend your knees and lower into a squat as far as you can, keeping your knees behind your toes. Push back to the start position and repeat.
Begin with your feet about hip distance apart. Hold dumbbells with straight arms by your sides and stand tall. Take a long step with one leg forward and land with your front foot flat your knees bent. Your back heel should be raised. Lift back up to the start position and repeat before switching sides.
Lie on the floor on your back and bring your knees into your chest. Straighten your right leg as you twist your body, and bring your right elbow towards your bent left knee. Repeat the movement on the other side, moving quickly in a cycling motion.
An effective full body home workout can have several different exercises, but it should also include certain components. It should be quick and allow you to spend your time effectively. Also, the exercises you choose should emphasize mobility for a good range of motion, strength and power, and endurance for a healthy heart. These are several good examples.
The intensity that you work out at should be sufficient that you see gains or improvements. Intensity is the amount of energy that your body uses to perform your exercise activity. It’s essentially how hard your body is working when you are doing your full body home workout.
Exercise intensity can be low, moderate, or vigorous. Factors such as your health, physical limitations, fitness goals, and your current fitness level will determine the most appropriate exercise intensity for your specific needs.
For people with adrenal fatigue, exercise intensity will likely depend on the stage they are experiencing. If you have later stages of adrenal fatigue, find something less intense but still enjoyable that incorporates a lot of breathwork.
In general, for good health, the recommendation is to aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days.
Doing only full body workouts may be ok if you are only doing them a couple times per week, 3 to 4 times. It's not ideal to make the same full body home workout the exercise program that you do every day. Your muscles need enough time to not only recover (2 to 3 days to fully recover), but strengthen and grow. If you overdo it, you may end up doing more harm than good.
There are many exercise programs out there and a full body home workout has its advantages. It can improve strength, flexibility, and endurance. Your approach to exercise is important to developing it into a habit. However, one of the best things that you can do is to make exercise fun. This will help to motivate you and keep you interested for the long-haul. If you're struggling with adrenal fatigue and don't know what type of exercises to do, you can also check out Dr. Lam's Nutritional Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Program, which provides you education on the right type of exercise, food, and supplements to take in a detailed 30-day plan. It also provides comprehensive education on how to recover in the right way. Click here to start your health recovery.
Lakicevic, Nemanja et al. “Make Fitness Fun: Could Novelty Be the Key Determinant for Physical Activity Adherence?.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 11 577522. 15 Oct. 2020, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577522
Tsolakis, Charilaos, et al. "Effect of a Home-based Exercise Training Program on Anthropometric Characteristics and Exercise Performance during Covid-19 Quarantine in Young High-level Kayak Athletes." Sport Sciences for Health, vol. 19, no. 1, 2023, pp. 339-347, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-022-00979-0. Accessed 28 Feb. 2024.
You can make full body home workout a habit by establishing goals, being flexible, being patient, making exercise fun, and knowing your reason for exercising. Mobility exercises, strength and power exercises, and endurance exercises are all component that you can add to your workout program.
