Toning Exercises at Home

To perform toning exercises at home, you will need some knowledge and motivation to do the exercises at home. If you are looking forward to seriously take up a workout routine at home, you may want to invest in an aerobic step box and some weights. I will advice you to use filled water bottles or sealed tins of soups, etc. as weights, instead of dumbbells. If you have a stair case at home, the first step of the stair case can be utilized as your step box as well.

Toning Workouts at Home
Most of the free hand exercises, which are done in a gym, can also be done at home as well. Before we turn towards toning exercises at home, I would like to remind you that since, you are doing the workout at home, it does not mean you skip the warm up. Warm up is essential for any exercise routine. Also, do not forget to do the stretches at the end of the workout. You may want to read on toning exercises without weights.

Thigh Toning Exercises at Home
These exercises will have to be done minimum three times a week, to get the desired toned thighs.

Lunges: This is a multi-use exercise. It works almost all the muscles in the legs and tones them up as well. Here is how to do this wonderful exercise. Stand in a open space and keep about shoulder width distance between the legs. Now step your right leg forward with a giant step. Keep your hands on your hips, so that you are able to balance your weight. If you have weights in your hands, place your hands in line with your hip joint. Slowly lower your body, so as to form a right angle at the knee and your right thigh should be parallel to the ground. Using the muscles of your leg, slowly come up and repeat this exercise for 1 set ^* in the beginning and then gradually you can increase the number of sets.
^{* - 1 set will have 15 repetitions.}

Squats: This is a very good exercise to tone your quadriceps and hamstring muscle. When you do this exercise, you have to pay special attention to your knees, as there are chances of you injuring your knee, if your posture is not correct. Take shoulder width distance between your feet and extend your arms in front of you. Slowly lower your torso, as though you are about to sit on a chair. As you do this, make sure your knees do not go further than your feet. Hold in this position for 5 seconds and slowly come back to the starting position. Start off with 1 set initially, only to increase the number of sets gradually. Read here more about toning exercises for thighs.

Inner Thigh Toning Exercises at Home
Women are known to have heavier inner thighs. However, with right exercises, they can also be toned easily.

Inner Thigh Squats: You can choose to do this exercise either using the step box or on a flat floor. The results of both of them are more or less the same. Stand with shoulder width distance between your feet and duck toes outside, i.e. your heels should face each other with your toes on the outside. If you find it difficult to balance, you can support your back against a wall. In case, you choose to do this exercise on the step box, step one foot on the step box and duck toe both the legs, as I have mentioned above. Now like mentioned in the squats, lower your torso, till your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold in the position for a few seconds and then return back to the starting position, to repeat the exercise for 1 set initially. If you do this exercise, you will have to repeat this exercise with the other leg on the step box for 1 set. Read about thigh exercises, here.

Inner Thigh Lateral Raises: Sleep on one side on a mat, for example, on your right side. Fold the leg at the knee, which is touching the ground and support your neck with your right hand. Now slowly lift your left leg and make big circle with it in the air, both clockwise and anti-clockwise. Repeat this for 1 set and then change sides and repeat on the other side as well.

Leg Toning Exercises at Home
Here are some exercises to get toned legs.

Step Ups: You will have to use the step box for this exercise. If you do not have a step box, you can make use of the first stair of a stair case. Step the right leg on the step followed by the left leg. Now step down with right leg first and then the left leg. In the next iteration, step up with left leg first and step down also with left leg first. Repeat this exercise for 15 counts for each leg.

Heel Raises: You can do this exercise to get well toned calves. As a matter of fact, calf muscles respond faster to exercises. You will need to take support for this exercise, you may make use of the window pane. Face the window pane and take support, now slowly raise your body, till the weight of the body is balanced on your toes. Hold in this position for a couple of seconds and return back to the starting position. Start with 2 sets, then you can increase the number of sets gradually. For more information, you may want to read toning exercises for legs.

Arm Toning Exercises at Home
There are many arm toning exercises, which you can easily do at home. Let's read about them further.

Bicep Curls: If you have weights at home, you can use them or use sealed tins. Hold dumbbells in both your hands and tuck your elbows on your waist. Alternately, fold your hand and bring it towards your shoulders. Release and repeat with the other hand. You can start off with 1 set and then increase the number of sets and also the weights.

Tricep Extensions: These exercises are also easy and help in toning the triceps. Hold a bottle filled with water in one hand. Lift up your hand and let the bottle be behind your head. Slowly extend the hand up in the air and bring it down, to repeat the exercise for 1 set. Then change sides and repeat the exercise on the other hand.

For more information read stomach toning exercises. Combine these toning exercises at home with some cardiovascular exercise. You can choose to jog or march on the spot or skip with a rope. All you will need is, to spare about half an hour to 45 minutes three times a week for these exercises.