With the self-isolation that the world is facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are either using this time to be productive or are in a constant state of panic.
But we encourage you to remain calm during your quarantine!
If you are worried about your physical health there is nothing to worry about! It is likely that your local gym has been closed.
But you don’t need the gym. You can enjoy at-home workouts and get in shape during your quarantine.
This is a time to look after your wellbeing. This is not the time to lazily rest at home. In fact, this can be the perfect opportunity to look after your mental health as well as your physical health.
The Best At-Home Workouts During Quarantine
Take a moment to prepare your space at home. Set a schedule of when you will complete your workouts. Just as you would have the discipline to go to a gym, have the same discipline to head to your “home gym.”
Make sure you also follow the best practices to protect yourself from the coronavirus. Neglecting your physical health will make it harder to exercise.
Make sure you learn more about how to protect yourself.
Here are the best at-home workouts for you to do while in quarantine:
- Warm-Up
Before working out, you must warm-up first. You do not have to go overboard with this but it is a great idea to activate your muscles and get your heart rate up.
We first recommend that you stretch your body. Stand erect and raise your hands in the air and pull them upwards as if to touch the ceiling – or the sky if you are on your balcony!
After two minutes, try to stand on your tiptoes for at least a minute to stretch your legs – particularly your hamstrings.
We also recommend 10 reps of jumping jacks, bodyweight squats, lunges (5 on each leg), push-ups, and sit-ups or crunches.
- Basic Bodyweight
Now that you’re warmed up, we are going to do some basic bodyweight exercises.
Start with a plank for one minute. You should put your arms on the floor and stretch your legs. Make sure your back is not rounded. Hold this for a minute, making sure you breathe properly.
Next, we suggest doing the following exercises with 3 sets of 10 reps each. If you feel that this is too much, feel free to lower the number of sets or reps. Do not exceed this as there are more workouts coming.
Start with bodyweight squats. Then move on to push-ups and then sit-ups or crunches.
- Advanced Bodyweight
Now we will move on to advanced exercises using your bodyweight.
Do 4 sets of 10 reps each. Try your best to meet this goal and only go lower if you cannot handle it.
If you can, try one-legged squats. If this is too advanced, then stick to regular squats.
Then, move on to walking lunges (10 reps each leg). Afterward, do push-ups and then sit-ups or crunches.
Next, move on to dips. You can use the side of a bed or a sturdy chair for these.
If you have a sturdy bar, finish with pull-ups. If not, do inverted bodyweight rows.
Specific Workouts
Now we will look at workouts that target a particular area of your body or meet a goal (cardio, muscle-building, etc.)
- Cardio Burnout
Stand on one end of a room. Make sure there is an empty pathway to walk to the other end of the room. Walking from one wall to the next is fine, you decide how long you want the length to be.
Start with a duck walk. Squat and hold the squat for 10 seconds.
Then, move your right foot forward and then proceed with your left foot. At all times, you must remain in the squat position. Walk toward the other side of your room.
When you reach the other end, rest and then repeat to the other end. Try this for 5-10 minutes.
- Lower Body Joints
This is a great workout for increasing the strength of your joints in your lower body.
This is an intense workout that requires 4 minutes per exercise. After finishing each exercise, rest for 10-20 seconds, but not any longer.
Start with kicking each leg forward. Try to kick as high as you can.
Then, move onto the Skater Hop. Stand in place and move from side to side as if you were rollerblading.
Next, you will do the Crab Toe Touch. Lie on the floor and raise your leg toward the ceiling. Stretch and touch your toe with the alternate hand – i.e., touch your left foot’s toes with your right hand.
Then, do the Frogger for four minutes. You start in a push-up position and then jump your legs forward to your arms and stand up. Repeat this until the time is up.
- Abs
Of course, no workout could be complete without an opportunity to build those six-pack abs!
We recommend three rounds for this workout. Adjust accordingly to your capabilities. Your breaks between these exercises should be as short as possible.
Do each of these exercises for 30 seconds up to 1 minute.
Start with the Dead Bug. Lie flat on your back with your knees close to your stomach and your feet pointing forward. Keep your hands up in the air.
Alternate with pushing one leg forward and stretching the alternate arm backward. Then bring your leg and arm back to the original position.
After this, hold a plank position for a minute. Then, remaining in the plank position walk from one end to the room to another. If going from one end to another is less than 30 seconds to 1 minute, then walk some more!
Finally, end with a Bird Dog crunch. Start with the push-up position. Then place your knees on the floor. Alternate with stretching one hand forward and stretching the alternate leg backward.
After a full stretch, bring your arm and leg back to their original position and continue with the other arm and leg.
Stay Safe and Stay Healthy
During this uncertain time, we encourage you to stay safe. We also want you to stay healthy by eating right, following hygiene practices, and trying these at-home workouts.
Be sure to follow us with more updates on COVID-19 and how to look out for your wellbeing!
Make sure you also follow the best practices to protect yourself from the coronavirus. Neglecting your physical health will make it harder to exercise.