Creative ways to exercise during pandemic
Our Recommendations for Getting Fit on a Budget
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought our fast-moving world to a standstill. Whether you’re a fitness fanatic or casual gym-goer, the thought of picking up a dumbbell covered in germs is enough to make anyone cringe.
You might be wondering how you’re supposed to go about this whole at-home workout thing.
Find workouts through online videos and apps.
The internet is chock-full of free exercise videos. From yoga to Zumba to circuit training that you can do in your backyard. Test out a few exercises to find a series program or instructor that you like.
Walk, run or bike outside
Everyone could use a little fresh air. Hit the pavement in your neighborhood and challenge yourself to walk, run or bike a number of minutes or miles. If you’re an experienced fitness buff and you’re really looking to ramp up your heart rate, opt for hills or try a running-based HIIT workout. And, yes, it’s possible to keep this up even in the cold winter months.
Focus on bodyweight movements.
Now’s the time to incorporate bodyweight exercises into your workouts. These tried and true movements include things like pushups, squats, lunges, planks, and burpees. Pick a few different movements and create a circuit workout by completing as many reps of that one movement as possible in one minute. Repeat this for 15 to 20 minutes.
Utilize items around your house
Run up and down your basement stairs, use a chair for triceps dips, or grab cans of soup or a gallon of water as a weight. Just jumping over a shoebox a few times can also be an effective burst of cardio.
Involve your household
If you have kids, try to encouraging them to do pushups with you or organizing a backyard obstacle course. Also, never underestimate the power of playing tag with them or get the whole family involved in a backyard soccer game. These are all great ways to make memories with your family and burn off some stress and anxiety.
Start your home workout without breaking the bank, with these inexpensive types of equipment
Setting up a home gym can be pricey and requires lots of room. Fortunately, there are other options for your at-home exercise within a budget. Here are a few of our recommendations:
Jump Ropes:
A very simple and affordable tool. Well known as a great calorie-burner. It strengthens the upper and lower body and burns a lot of calories in a short time.
Resistance Bands:
A good quality resistance band set can really tone your body for good, with the right training plan.
Pull-up Bars:
As You probably know already, Pull-ups are simply the staple in upper body workouts! All You need is a good quality pull-up bar with the desired weight capacity.
Suspension Trainers:
Suspension Trainers are must-have tools for any home gyms. They provide users with enduring, professional-grade workouts for all fitness levels.
Exercise or Stability Balls:
They are large, vinyl balls you can use to strengthen and stretch your body, improving core stability and balance
Kettlebells:
A kettlebell looks like a cast-iron cannonball with a handle on top. They come in various weights. You’ll use them as you do things like lunges, lifts, and shoulder presses.
AB Rollers:
It’s a great little tool to build your core muscles. Using an ab roller is a direct core exercise that works your deep ab muscles.
Step Platforms:
Step platforms have been around for decades. Step platforms are versatile, adjustable, and come in different sizes to accommodate storage needs and fit your physical size.
credit: health.clevelandclinic.org/