How to make the best out of this current Covid-19 situation is a popular topic right now, simply because we have no other choice! The dumbbells are sold out literally everywhere online and the choice for online workouts is amazing! It is safe to say people are trying to form some sort of exercise routine at home. If you are trying to keep your workouts going at home here are a few tips that may help you get the most out of each workout and progress like you would out with lockdown.
1. Make a schedule
While we are all adjusting to our new “lockdown” routines it i important to maintain some form of routine. For those working from home this may be easier, however there still remains the lack of scheduling to go to the gym, or meet up with friends etc. Making a daily schedule can be the most productive way to get things done, including organising when you will workout. Writing down when you will do your workouts is more likely to form that commitment, and we need this help more than ever when the days are rolling in to one!
2. Vary your workouts- Strength. Yoga. Pilates. Cardio
This one is especially important if you have a favourite sport or fitness class and are suddenly in the position you cannot attend or do it like normal. Cross-training is essential to maintain strength throughout the body and now more than ever we need to stay strong with this enforced reduction in activity by staying at home. We have the great opportunity to take a different class now or seek out different teachers worldwide as there are so many online options. See how yoga can compliment your running, or pilates could help your posture or gym work. If you wish to join me for Pilates, LIVE classes are currently every Sunday & Thursday 7-8pm, and Friday 1-2pm. Send me a message to register. Or you can try a Pilates At Home workout here.
3. Add weight/resistance
This is a difficult one if the dumbbells and other strength equipment are still sold out online. Now that the initial shock is over there may be re-stocks done and you can purchase a few dumbbells for home. I ordered from Physical Company and they seem to have a good stock control throughout this pandemic. Instead of dumbbells, try also looking in to kettlebells, or resistance bands. What about a big gym ball to challenge balance on? The home version is the use of tins of beans, bags of sugar etc. All will add resistance to your workout and can be used to challenge you.
4. Increase intensity
But if you can’t get hold of any equipment, don’t worry. The exercise intensity can be elevated hugely without using anything at all.
- Try adding extra repetitions. For example if you were doing 3 sets of 10, try changing this to something like 4 sets of 12. This change in volume will place your muscles under extra load and develop strength for you.
- Add end range pulses. For example if you were raising your leg up and down in a side abduction, on the last rep keep the leg elevated and then complete small pulses for a 10-15 count. This will fatigue the muscle at the end range, which is often the range that we miss in our workouts too.
5. Overload the muscles
Try increasing the number of exercises you complete for each muscle group to overload them. This may be useful for where you would previously have increased the weight in the gym for a few key exercises instead. For example, if you were training the glutes instead of performing just squats, RDLs, and hip thrusts, which may have been your staple gym plan with heavier weight, you could also add in single leg squats, single leg RDLs, single leg hip thrusts, step ups, 4-point kneeling glute presses etc.
I’m trying to keep all these tips going through my own workouts and so far I have had great results. I feel I am achieving my goals, and pushing myself with my strength work, whilst exploring other options from online to intersperse my schedule with yoga practises and exercise ideas from others.
Keep the positivity going and use this time to craft out a workout schedule that works for you that may leave you stronger or more educated than before this madness began.
