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GYM GOERS HOME WORKOUT
By Charlotte Forde
With the current epidemic of COVID 19 it is quite easy to start
worrying about self isolation and the country being on lockdown, more
importantly how this can impact your mental and physical wellbeing.
Obviously, there will be a lot of things that you will need to prioritise
however you should never compromise your general wellbeing.
It has been said that people who suffer from chronic diseases such as heart
disease, asthma, cancer and diabetes may be more vulnerable to catching
the virus. As well as improving your fitness and strengthening your body,
exercise can also improve your mental health by releasing feel-good
hormones which produce a natural high. Therefore, by taking on 20-30
mins daily activity, you can regulate your well-being and state of mind.
Physical activity doesn’t have to be expensive and isn't necessarily going to
a gym, this is why I have designed an easy to follow home workout which
does not require any equipment. There is no need for dumbbells, barbells,
kettlebells or machines as this workout only uses body-weight exercises to
challenge your body and get your heart rate pumping, so even if you use this
programme to prevent boredom, completed at least 2-5 times per week you
should start to feel the difference!
WARM UP:
45 seconds work with 15 seconds rest for each of the below exercises.
Variations: Beginner - Increase rest periods, Advanced - Reduce rest periods
•
Jog on Spot: Engage your core and run lightly on the spot. Variation:
March on the spot.
•
High Knees: Stand up straight and place your feet about hip-width
apart. Place your hands palms down facing the floor, hovering just
above your belly button. Quickly drive your right knee up to meet your
right hand, bring the same leg back to the ground immediately and
bring the left knee up to meet your left hand. As you are alternating
knees, you want to do it with a hopping motion, staying on the balls of
your feet the entire time. Variation: Remove the bounce.
•
Heel Kicks: Stand tall and bring one heel off the floor towards your
glutes, the opposite hand comes up towards your shoulder like running
arms, then switch to the other side and repeat. Variation: Step Curl
•
Sprints on Spot: Begin by running lightly on the spot, then gradually
increase your speed until you are sprinting. Stay light onto your toes,
with your hips back and heels up.
•
Jumping Jacks: Jump up and spread your feet beyond hip-width apart
while bringing your arms above your head. Jump again, lowering your
arms and bringing your legs together. Variation: Half Jack
•
Plank Walk Out: Standing upright, with feet side by side facing
forward. Head up, shoulders back, and back straight. Begin to bend
over keeping the back and legs straight. Begin to walk your hands out
along the floor placing one in front of the other slowly until the hands
are directly underneath the shoulders. Return back to the original
position by reversing the movement.
•
Cross Mountain Climbers: Start in a traditional high plank position
- shoulders over hands and weight on your toes. With your core
engaged, bring your right knee forward under your chest with the toes
just off the ground towards your left elbow. Keep alternating sides.
•
Burpee: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms by
your sides. Lower into a squat position and place your hands on the
floor. Kick or step your legs back into a plank position. Jump or step
your legs forward to return to a squat position. Return to the standing
position.
70 wirrallife.com
MAIN CIRCUIT:
Repeat the circuit 3 times, completing 10-15 repetitions of each of the below
exercises.
•
Press Up: Start by positioning yourself on the floor with your face
down, your palms on the floor shoulder-width apart and the toes
touching the ground. When you're ready to start, push yourself up,
keeping your body in a straight line and your elbows pointed to your
toes.
•
Renegade Row: Start in a High Plank position. With your right hand,
push hard into the ground while pulling the hand to the waist with
your left. Lower the palm slowly and with control. Repeat on the other
side.
•
Squat: Keep your back straight, with a neutral spine and your chest
and shoulders up. Keep looking straight ahead. As you squat push your
hips back, focus on keeping your knees in line with your feet. Keep
your weight back through your heels.
•
Front Lunge: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Engage core and
take a big step forward with your right leg and start to shift weight
forward so the heel hits the floor first. Lower the body until the right
thigh is parallel to the floor and the right shin is vertical. Press into
the right heel to drive back up to the starting position. Repeat on the
other side.
•
Glute Bridge: Lie face up on the floor, with your knees bent and feet
flat on the ground. Keep your arms at your side with your palms down.
Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form
a straight line. Hold your bridged position for a couple of seconds
before easing back down.
•
Abdominal Curl: Lying face up on a mat with your back straight and
knees bent to 90 degrees. Keep your feet flat on the floor and place
your hands on your thighs, slowly curl up until your fingers touch your
knees.
•
Bicycle Crunches: Start by lying on the ground, with your lower back
pressed flat into the floor and your head and shoulders raised slightly
above it. Place your hands lightly on the sides of your head. Lift one
leg just off the ground and extend it out, lift the other leg and bend
your knee towards your chest. As you do so twist through your core
so the opposite arm comes towards the raised knee. You don’t need
to touch elbow to knee, instead focus on moving through your core
as you turn your torso. Your elbow should stay in the same position
relative to your head throughout – the turn that brings it closer to the
knee comes from your core. Lower your leg and arm at the same time
while bringing up the opposite two limbs to mirror the movement.
Keep alternating sides.
•
Plank (Hold the position for 30 seconds): Place the forearms on the
ground with the elbows aligned below the shoulders, and arms parallel
to the body at about shoulder-width distance. Ground the toes into the
floor and squeeze the glutes to stabilize the body. Neutralize the neck
and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot beyond the
hands. Your head should be in line with your back.
If it has been a while since you have exercised and/or you have health
issues or concerns, please consult with your doctor before starting a new
exercise routine.