While gym bunnies are showing withdrawal symptoms, people are panic buying free weights and any other exercise equipment only to leave it unopened somewhere in the garage having lost all the motivation on the way home from the shops, it's time to carry on with your gym routine at home. Do you feel stranded without a gym? Don't worry, below you'll find 5 tips how to exercise at home.
1. Use your body weight.
Have you been hitting the heavy weights in the gym but you still struggle with a push-up or a pull up? The comfort of your own home will allow you to practise the perfect technique for your push-ups without feeling judged by others. There's plenty body weight exercises but if you're struggling for ideas or looking for a workout tailored to your own goals, feel free to drop me a message and I'll be happy to create a personalised plan for you.
2. Give cardio a go
You've always been treating cardio as the necessary evil and you hate the treadmill with a passion? Now it's time to change your attitude and start enjoying outdoor cardio. Please follow the government guidelines: exercise alone or with members of your household, keep 2 metres away from others and stick to one outing per day. If you've never run before, make sure you take it easy, follow a training plan and have rest days to avoid any injuries that could potentially ground you for weeks.
3. Use what's available
Have you stocked up on baked beans? Six packs of water or something stronger? Use the tins, bottles etc as an alternative to your free weights. Although you might struggle to complete dead lifts or seated row, there's still quite a lot of to be achieved with items you've got at home.
4. Try a different activity
Have you always been working out in the gym and you have no idea what to do without your beloved dumbells, kettlebells and barbells? Maybe it's time to find a new activity you might enjoy? Does yoga seem to easy to give it a go? Or do you think pilates is not for you? Try a couple of new workouts, and you'll be surprised how demanding some of the poses are and how much of a challenge they are. If you won't like them, at least you've exercised, tried something new and you can move onto a different activity, until you find your new favourite.
5. Have some 'off-time'
Has gym time always had the priority over other commitments? Maybe it's time to enjoy some gym off time and focus on other aspects of your life? Your body and mind might welcome this unexpected break and you'll feel even more motivated to give your workouts 110% once the gyms are back up and running.