Just because we’re all locked inside, doesn’t mean that our health and fitness routines need to be chucked out the window. We may not be able to go to the gym for weight training, but there are a few home workouts that can do the trick while in confinement.
Of course, there are two parts to exercising – completing the activity and recovering from the activity. We’ve all seen the “doing” part and not really seen so much of the “recovering” part.
Here are workout routines for each muscle group that you can do at home with some recovery tips to keep you in tip-top shape.
Abs
Abs are a major part of our core as they stabilise your torso and are involved in nearly all basic movements like walking, bending, sitting, standing, lifting and more, and so it’s extremely important to keep them nice and strong while we’re trapped inside. We recommend doing this tough 10-minute workout routine that will target your whole abdominal core. The routine consists of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for each of these movements:
- Ab Crunch
- 90 Degree Crunch
- Single Leg Crunch (20 seconds on each leg)
- Bicycle Crunch Reverse
- Crunch Side Plank / Side Plank with Pulses (left side)
- Side Plank / Side Plank with Pulses (right side)
- Up Down Plank
- Plank with Knee to Elbow
- Plank
- Full Body Crunch
You can follow along with The Body Coach TV‘s full routine below.
Lower Body
For so many people, the lower body is simply not an area of focus when it comes to working out. All they want to do is biceps, chest, and abs. Although those are key muscle groups, the legs mustn’t be pushed aside. Why? Because a strong lower body also helps with stability and gives you a stronger back and core. A well-trained lower body also helps with proportionality – meaning that you won’t have that bigger upper body and teeny lower body (it just doesn’t look right). Follow this 15-minute workout split up in two circuits with movements including squats, single-leg hip raises, wall sits, reverse leg raise, lunges and more that are sure to get your lower body burning.
Follow the workout courtesy of MadFit below:
Upper Body
Now it’s time to focus on the chest, back, triceps and biceps. Having a strong upper body helps with posture when standing and sitting and reduces the risk of injuries, improves speed, balance, and strength. This intense 10-minute routine from Anabolic Aliens involves:
- Close to Wide Push Ups
- Reverse Snow Angels
- Plank Ups
- Lying Bicep Leg Curls
- Side to Side Push Ups
- Skullcrushers
- Pulse Rows
- Wrist Curls
- Angled Downward Shoulder Push Ups
- Superman Hold
Follow the whole routine below.
Full Body
Want to knock out a quick full-body workout without focusing on any particular body part? Opt for this 20-minute routine courtesy of Pamela Reif that gets your heart pumping and your muscles working.
Follow the routine below.
How to recover
Now that you’ve completed your workout, it’s time to recover. This process is equally if not more important than the actual working out. If you don’t recovery properly, your muscles won’t be ready to work again soon after the stress it’s endured and your muscles won’t repair damaged tissue efficiently.
There are devices from Theragun Percussive Therapy that provide at-home whole-body relief to recover faster and relieve physical and mental tension. These devices have been used by professional sports teams, physical therapists, and a number of celebrities including Mark Wahlberg, Kim Kardashian, Kristen Bell and athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo.
Here are Theragun’s top tips for recovering at home:
1# Find some stretching space
Space can be a rare commodity when working out at home, so it’s important to tailor the warm down to the environment. Dynamic stretches are best for warming up, but it’s the static stretches that help your muscles recover in the warm down. Stairs are great for stretching the Achilles, The edge of your couch or bed is great for stretching hamstrings and you can’t go wrong with lunges. Similarly, devices like Theragun can relieve muscle tension and stimulate blood flow without needing open spaces to stretch out.
2# Use recovery apps
A little lost without an instructor-led warm down? Recovery Apps, like the Theragun App, provide a wide range of different recovery techniques that target specific muscle groups, with easy to follow instructions.
3# Take cold baths
At home, minimise lactic acid build up and reduce swelling with a cold bath. Research suggests 11-15min in cold water is all you need for the best results.
4# Stay hydrated
Keeping your fluids up is essential to a quick recovery. Being at home often means people are a little more lacklustre on water intake than they would be in the office. So keep a marked water bottle with you around the house to ensure your always topping up on H2O.
5# Rest when your body needs it
The flexibility of being at home can mean more time on recovery. Tailoring your rest days for when the body needs them is much easier to do at home than when you have a busy schedule to stick to.
6# Pump the tunes
Listening to music feels like something you do during a fast-paced cardio session. But studiesshow slow-tempo songs can help reduce your fast heart rate and lower blood lactate. No need to feel embarrassed about blasting Savage Garden’s Truly Madly Deeply!
Check out Theragun.com for more information on its devices.
