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We all know how important exercising is for our health.
It can lower our risk of diseases and is great for our mental health, our stress levels, and our sleep quality. But it can be difficult to get in our required physical activity when we’re in quarantine.
You can’t go to the gym, you can’t go for a walk/ a bike ride/ jogging, you can’t go swimming/ dancing/ boxing or any of the usual things you like to do.
The good news is there’s still a lot you can do from the comfort of your own home!
I’m going to give you some easy at-home workout ideas that can easily fit into your schedule. These are pretty simple exercises that are suitable for beginners— if you’re a gym junkie this is not the place for you!
These exercises can be done without equipment, but you can buy some cheap weights from the internet if you want some extra resistance. You can also do them on a yoga mat (super cheap option here) for more comfort, but that’s totally optional.
Start off your at-home workout with a warm-up
Here’s a quick warm-up routine to do before exercising.
- Start by walking/running on the spot (make sure you have shoes on!) for a few minutes.
- You can then do some knee-lifts (around 20) and heel-to-buttocks (around 20). For knee-lifts, bring your right knee up until it forms a right angle with your hips. Keep you back straight and your abs contracted. Do the same with your left knee. For heel-to-buttocks, touch your right heel to your bottom while keeping your back straight and your abs contracted. Do the same with your left heel.
- Next, tilt your neck to the right, then to the left. You can also do an entire head roll. Repeat around 10 times.
- Then, you can do some shoulder rolls: roll your shoulders forward 10 times, and backward 10 times, while letting your arms hang loose.
- You can also do some arm circles (around 20): stretch out your arms to your side and do some forward circles, gradually making them bigger and bigger. Do the same thing with backward circles.
- Finally, you can do some wrist and ankle stretches. Put your hands together and make little circles to the right. While you do that, lift your right ankle off the floor and make little circles to the right. Then, do everything to the left: left wrist circles, and left ankle circles with your left ankle.
Now that you’re all warmed up, here are some easy exercises to mix and match (or you can do all of them if you wish!)
Upper-body exercises
- The forearm plank: Put your elbows under your shoulders, hands facing down, legs extended straight behind you, resting on your toes. Hold it for at least 30 seconds, and longer if you can.
- The side plank: From the forearm plank position, turn to your right side. Your whole body should face the same direction, with your right elbow and both your shoulders aligned. You can put your left hand on your hip. Hold for at least 30 seconds, then repeat on the left side.
- Push-ups: You can do these on your knees if holding up your whole body is too difficult. Start with 10, and do more as you get better. You can also do these against a wall, at arm-length from the wall.
- Sit-ups: Simply lie on your back, knees bent, and sit up. Try not to rest on the floor when you go back down. Do at least 20.
Lower-body exercises
- Lunges: Stand with your feet parallel. Step forward with your right leg, and bend your knee over your toe. Your left knee should be bent close to the ground. Stand back up by pushing on your right foot. Repeat 10 times, then do the same thing with your left leg forward. You can do these while holding dumbbells for extra effectiveness.
- Squats: Stand with your back straight, your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly turned out. Lower your bottom to the height of your knees. Make sure that your knees don’t cave in and remain aligned with your ankles. Come back up, and do at least 10. You can do this while holding a kettlebell for extra effectiveness.
- Wall sit: Lean against the wall, your feet shoulder-width apart. Slide down with your back against the wall, as if you were going to sit on an imaginary chair. Hold the position for at least 30 seconds, and longer if you can.
- Bicycles: Lie on your back and put your feet in the air. Bend your knees and make a vigorous bicycle motion with your legs for at least a minute.
- Bridges: Lie on your back and bend your knees, soles of your feet on the floor. Raise your hips to make a straight line between your knees, hips, and shoulders. Go back down without resting on the floor. Do at least 10. You can do these while holding a kettlebell or dumbbell on your hips.
Other exercises
- Mountain climbers: Start in a forearm plank but extend your arms. Bring your right knee under your chest, your toes barely touching the floor. Put your leg back and do the same with the left leg. Switch between each leg while picking up the pace. Do so for at least a minute.
- Jumping-jacks: Stand with your legs together and arms at your sides. Bend your knees slightly and jump into the air, spreading your legs shoulder-width apart and raising your arms above your head. Jump back to your original position and repeat at least 15 times. You can also do walking jacks if this is too difficult for you: just do the same thing without jumping but still energetically.
- Jump-rope: this does call for a jump-rope. If you don’t have one already, here’s a good cheap and adjustable rope. Hold the handles with your fingers and place the rope behind your legs. Turn the rope over your head and jump as it goes under your feet. Jump rope for at least a minute.
Finish your at-home workout by stretching
As a dancer, stretching is my favorite part of the exercise routine! It’s important to stretch out your muscles after working them up. Here a few simple stretches to finish off your at-home workout:
- Leg stretch: From a standing up position, try to touch your hands to the floor. Touch your shins or ankles if you’re not able to reach the floor. Hold for a minute.
- Lunge stretch: Kneel on your left knee, with your right foot on the floor, knee bent. Lean forward, trying to push your left hip toward the floor. Hold for at least 30 seconds, then switch sides.
- Shoulder stretch: Sit with your knees bent and soles of your feet on the floor. Hold your hands together behind your lower back. Straighten your arms and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 3-5 seconds, release, and repeat 10 times.
- Butterfly stretch: Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together, knees bent. Hold your ankles and slowly lower your body toward your feet while pressing your knees toward the floor. Hold for a minute.
- Back stretch: Lie on your stomach, legs straight out behind you. Prop yourself on your forearms, elbows aligned under your shoulders. Lift your chest back until you feel a stretch in your lower back. Hold for 30 seconds.
Don’t hesitate to check out some more at-home workout ideas here:
To sum up…
It’s important to continue to exercise even during quarantine.
Hopefully, you found some of these at-home workout ideas to be helpful. You probably knew a lot of them already but I find it helpful to have them all in one place!
Don’t hesitate to mix and match, to do them for longer, or to add some weights once you feel comfortable.
Good luck!
Here are a few more resources during these difficult times:
-Lucie
If you’re interested in nutrition, its impact on our health, and the science behind it, you should definitely read How Not to Die. In this book, Doctor Michael Greger, founder of Nutrition Facts, examines the top causes of death in America and explains how your diet can prevent— and in some cases even reverse— them. His advice is all backed by science and he writes in a very clear and entertaining way. This book isn’t a list of what you already know. It will teach you the keys to living a long healthy life, in a simple and practical way, and without spending fortunes on supplements and pills!
PLUS if you want to take it a step further, you can check out the How Not to Die Cookbook to implement the advice easily!
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I'm Lucie, the nutritionist behind Edukale! If you'd like to learn more about me, click HERE !
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