Many of us are still stuck in our homes due to the pandemic, struggling to balance kids, work, stress, stir-craziness and physical wellness. Since last March, I’ve been using my basement, backyard, front steps, sidewalk and driveway as my own personal gym, but as a personal trainer with over 11 years in the industry, even I get bored and struggle with new ideas to keep myself moving every day. With COVID-19 still around, we’ll have to find some creative ways to exercise until life returns to some semblance of normalcy.
Here are a few tips and ideas to stay active if you’re working from home. All you need is your body and just a few minutes:
- Deskercize, anyone? Right now, I am sitting on a chair at a computer desk as I write this, but I don’t even have to stand up to get a little stretch in.If you work from a desk for most of the day, set a timer once per hour to do some neck circles, shoulder rotations, torso twists and wrist circles. Even simply standing up every once in a while is helpful and refreshing for your body.
- Up the ante. In addition to the chair stretches mentioned above, how about ending that stretching sequence with a quick jolt, like holding an elbow plank or setting a one-minute timer and doing as many push-ups as you can? These little mini-sets can add up through the course of the day if you do them often enough, and you’ll get a good workout without actually “working out.”
- Got a wall near you? Let’s use it. Push-ups on the floor might not be for everyone, but you can use a wall instead. You can also add on a quick , which is a great way to make sure your legs are getting some resistance training after a whole lot of sitting.My favorite stretch is also a chest wall stretch, perfect if you spend most of your day on Zoom calls or typing up a storm.
- Take a walk whenever and wherever you can. – Walking is one of the absolute best things you can do, always and forever. Any amount of time will do; just get some steps in at some point during the day.
I miss my gym desperately, but it’s possible to make use of what we have and adjust to do the best we can. Quick bursts of exercise and stretching around your home can make a difference for your body and your mind.
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