The coronavirus outbreak led to lockdowns for gyms, parks, theatres and for other several businesses. These measures of putting citizens under lockdown for social distancing is the only way to reduce contact between people and prevent spread of the virus. Gyms are one of the businesses that were forced to shut down during the pandemic and exercise enthusiasts wondered how they could do without them. But even as gyms in some states are starting to reopen, many people wonder if it’s safe to go.
The good news is that fitness experts say that even if you don’t have a dedicated workout space or fancy machines, you can still manage to get a good workout in your home. As doing regular exercise and staying healthy under normal circumstances is very important to ensure good quality of life, exercising at home should be considered.
Strength training refers to any exercise that uses resistance, either from your own body weight, free weights, or specialized machines. Body weight routines are one great way to go, and you can do them without any equipment or machines. There are a number of exercises you can do at home:
- Squats: Start by standing straight, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and your arms at your side. Keep your chest and chin up, push your hips back and bend your knees as if you’re going to sit on a chair. Make sure that your knees don’t bow inward or outward, drop down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, bringing your arms out in front of you in a comfortable position. Pause for one second, then extend your legs and return to the starting position.
- Push-ups: This is a basic exercise where you start with plank position, keep your body tight, shoulder pulled down and back. Bend your elbows and slowly lower your body and when your chest grazes the floor, extend your elbows and return to the start. Keep your elbows close to your body during the movement.
- Sit-ups: This is an effective exercise for the abdominal muscles. Lie down on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Keep your arms behind you head and slowly begin to roll up from your head, engaging your core throughout. Don’t strain your neck during the upward motion. When your chest comes close to your legs, begin the controlled phase back down to the starting position.
- Bent Over Row: Hinge forward at your hips. Pull a weighted barbell toward your torso while keeping your elbows close to your body and your back straight. Perform sets of six to 12 repetitions, performing each set to muscle failure to improve muscular strength and endurance.
- Burpees: This is an effective exercise for your whole body. Begin by standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms on your side. Put your hands on the front and start to squat down and as soon as your hands reach the ground, pop your legs back to a push-up position. Do a push-up and then get back to the starting push-up position and jump your feet up to your palms by hinging at the waist. Your feet must be as close to your hands as possible, landing outside your hands if necessary.
- Wall Sit: Lean on a wall in the house and sit against it as if it’s a chair with your legs at 90 degrees. Stand still in the position and hold. Back straight, stay in that position for three minutes. Once you get used to it, increase your time. Do it three times in the set of three.
One of the best things about exercising at home is that it can be done in your living room while watching television or listening to your favorite music. However, check with your doctor before you start any new exercise regimen.
