People all over the world are currently adjusting
to working from home. Most are taking the opportunity to skip their workouts. Just because the gym is closed though, it doesn’t mean you have to abandon any hope of fitness for a few weeks. As well as working from home, you can be working out from home.
Most regular gym-goers have likely seen the abundance of classes and Zoom-hosted sessions on offer at the moment. However, these collective experiences aren't for everyone. If you're the type who keeps their headphones in blasting a carefully designed workout playlist while you’re at the gym then these group sessions might not be doing much for you.
Working out from home is pretty doable. You can still get a full and proper session in, you’ve just got to be a bit more creative and do your research.
Strength training usually depends on having access to the equipment to push yourself. It might seem like this is difficult from home unless you have some free weights to hand, which most who pay for a gym membership have never invested in!
You can get a decent strength training workout at home though. The best solution to keep your normal workout routine is to transcribe your normal workout schedule and plan into the home.
These are the ways you can get some training in without having to purchase any extra equipment:
- Body Weight Exercises - Bodyweight exercises like these can be swapped out for your normal exercises. Use a reference like this to keep your form right, and make sure you're replacing your normal workout with exercises that hit the same muscle groups. You may have to increase reps and sets to achieve the same effects as intensity strength training though.
- Use improvised weight - Improvising weights using whatever is to hand can have some benefits. However, if you're using an improvised system like this you need to be careful of your form. Using the wrong thing in place of weights can run the risk of performing the exercise wrong and getting hurt.
Cardio at home is a little trickier. After all, it is pretty hard to replicate a good run or cycle in a smaller living space. Running laps of your house is hardly a good substitution. These are some great forms of cardio you can do at home though. These are some exercises you can do in a circuit to keep your fitness ticking over while you're at home:
- Lunges
- Squats
- Planks
- Bridges
- Jumping Jacks
- High Knees
Workout videos like these can be really useful for seeing how to perform some exercises if you’re unsure. You don’t have to work out along to the video, but it is useful for getting the basics down.
Working out at home is doable, but it does lack some of the benefits of a gym. If you’re finding yourself stuck in, then these tips should help you stay on top of your routine:
Music - A well-created workout playlist has been found to have a real effect on your performance. Remember to keep the music pumping.
Keep Appointments - Sticking to your normal routine of working out on particular days and times is going to really help you keep the habit intact until you can get back outside.
Separate Space Where Possible - if you're working out at home, try to work out in a different space to where you physically sit to work or eat! This compartmentalizing will help you recreate that little boost you get from a good workout at the gym.
Showers - Just because you're working out at home, that doesn't mean you should neglect hygiene!
