Simple Workouts You Can Do At Home That Are Still Effective
There’s a lot you can’t do when you’re stuck at home during the COVID-19 lockdown. Going to the gym is just one example.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t work out! On the contrary, there’s plenty of easy and effective workouts you can do in your own home (even if you live in a small apartment). With minimal equipment – all you need is a towel and comfortable footwear – you can still stay in shape and get a good workout.
The following are just a few noteworthy examples. Keep them in mind if you’re trying to stay fit while staying coronavirus-free:
Knee Push-Ups
You probably already know that push-ups are easy to perform regardless of how big or small your home is. They’re also very beneficial. They specifically help you build upper body strength while also burning calories.
However, you might want to try a non-traditional type of push-up for added benefits. An example would be knee push-ups. As the name implies, this move involves resting on your knees instead of your toes. Your goal is to perform a push-up while keeping the area of your body between your head and your knees straight. This twist on a classic move works out your core more than typical push-ups do.
Squats
Don’t skip leg day! Working out your whole body is key to getting in the best possible shape.
That’s why you should incorporate squats into your routine. They simply involve standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, extending your arms in front of you, and bending your knees and hips until you’ve squatted down so your upper legs are essentially parallel with the floor. Hold for a moment, then push up with your heels to return to the original position.
Want to add to the intensity? Jump up after returning to the starting position, instead of simply standing back up straight, and then squat back down.
Plank
A plank is a simple move you can perform while watching TV, listening to music, or enjoying any other relatively passive and entertaining activity.
That’s not to say planks are easy! To perform one, assume a traditional push-up position, then balance your body on your elbows and forearms, keeping it straight. Maintain this position for about 30 seconds, and your core will definitely start to feel the burn.
You should also transition to squats in which you rest on one side, balancing on the elbow and forearm of just one arm, then switching to another. This will ensure you give your core a truly thorough workout. As you get more comfortable with planks, try to increase your time to one minute for each position, and repeat at least three to five sets of the move.
Jumping Jacks
Don’t overlook the basics! Jumping jacks are a staple of school phys-ed classes for a reason: they’re easy to do, but they can burn a lot of calories and give you a decent cardio workout if you perform them long enough. In fact, a 150-pound person performing 10 minutes of jumping jacks (broken up into sessions, of course) would burn nearly 100 calories.
Yes, if you’re a fitness fan, not being able to go to the gym might be difficult. However, you can still stay in shape curing the COVID-19 lockdown. These moves will help you do so.