Staying active can have a really positive impact on your health and your mood. Even though the gyms are shut, there’s loads you can do from home using just your own bodyweight. Assuming you don’t have any medical reason not to do this, we’ve got 4 types of workout for you to consider. Remember to always warm up before any exercise.
If you are unsure whether you are able to do these exercises because of a medical condition please discuss with your GP.
Four ways to stay fit at home:
1. Get outside. Current guidance about how much time we can spend outside and where varies depending on where you live in the UK. However, we are all allowed to go outside to exercise at LEAST once a day so try to make the most of it. You could go for a run, walk or bike ride. This exercise will improve your fitness and help with your overall wellbeing. For example, getting some natural sunlight for 15 minutes each morning helps you sleep better.
2. Bodyweight workouts. Bodyweight workouts use your own bodyweight to exercise. There’s no need for any equipment and this kind of training helps to build lean muscle and uses a range of different muscle groups. Using your own bodyweight, you’re less likely to pick up injuries than if you were using extra weights. Movements like squats, lunges, push-ups, sit ups and wall sits are some of the most common bodyweight strength exercises. You can find links to some workouts at the end of this article.
3. HIIT at home. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a type of aerobic exercise or power training. It focuses on bouts of explosive strength and/or cardiovascular exercise interspersed with periods of rest. You can use many of the same movements you’d use for bodyweight workouts, so again, no need for equipment. There are loads of benefits to HIIT workouts. They’re great at burning fat and building muscle, as well as good for your heart and overall fitness. Joe Wicks is currently using HIIT workouts for his national PE classes, which test not only kids but the grown-ups too! There are helpful links at the end of this article about HIIT workouts.
4. Flexibility Workouts. If you don’t feel like doing too much, simple flexibility exercises can be really effective. Quite simply, flexibility exercises are anything that stretches your muscles and helps your body stay flexible. Having good flexibility improves the ability of a joint to maintain movement and can help you continue to carry out everyday tasks and your ability to do other exercise. They can also help you relax and de-stress. Workouts can be anything from a few simple stretches to Yoga and Pilates workouts. There are links to a few recommended workouts at the end of the article.
Remember, doing any exercise, even if it’s only a few minutes a day, will have a positive effect on your overall health and wellbeing. It may help give you a new focus whilst you stay at home. There are links below to workouts you may wish to try.
There are a number of workouts you can consider if you want to improve your fitness: Please note that although all are free, some are ad-supported.
