Individuals wishing to get stronger, develop more coordination and increase stability and flexibility as well as develop strong, healthy muscles can easily exercise at home. Exercising at home doesn't require any special equipment and can be done with your own body weight as resistance. However, to maintain strength increases and benefits, individuals should try to exercise at least several times a week, as benefits may erode if a person doesn't exercise for several months, says the Web of Life from NASA, as well as the National Institute on Aging.
Chair Stand
You can strengthen the abdominals and legs, no matter your age, by performing what is known as the chair stand, says the Web of Life from NASA. Place a small pillow in the base of a chair and sit on the edge or toward the middle of the chair, leaning slightly back so that you're in a half-recline position.
Concentrate on keeping the back and shoulders straight and aligned. The shoulders should be touching the top of the back of the chair. Feet should be firmly planted on the floor about shoulder distance apart. When you're ready, cross the arms of over the chest and lift yourself upright, using your abdominal muscles to pull yourself forward. Then, using only the legs and abdominal muscles, rise to a standing position. Try to do this exercise at least three times.
Double Leg Abdominal Press
You can work the legs, abdominals and pelvic floor muscles by performing the double leg abdominal press, says the Mayo Clinic. Lie on your back on the floor, knees bent and feet flat on the floor about hip distance apart. Keeping the head and shoulders on the floor, suck in the abdominal muscles, contract the buttocks and raise the legs off the floor--one at a time if you need to--until they are at 90 degree angles to the hips. Place your hands on the knees and then push the hands against the knees while at the same time pressing the knees to the hands. Hold the contraction for a count of three.
Basic Calisthenics
Calisthenics are a form of exercise that can be done with your own body weight. Some prime examples of calisthenics exercises that help strengthen and tone muscles are lunges, knee bends, squats, push-ups and crunches or sit-ups, says Body Building. Push-ups work the arms, shoulders, back and abs. Forward and back lunges work the thighs, hamstrings, buttocks and calves, while squats work the thighs and buttocks. Sit-ups and crunches work all the abdominal muscles. Start with three to five of each of these exercises, depending on strength and current fitness level and then increase repetitions as you grow stronger.
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