Exercises to Stay Fit While Working From Home

As the novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in Canada and across different countries, many employees have been made to retreat to the safety of their homes to work remotely. Offices have closed down and moved their operations online as part of the social distancing measure to prevent the spread of the virus.

Working from home may offer a number of benefits, but when you’re 24/7 it’s easy to descend into a sedentary lifestyle. When your daily office commute is from your bedroom to your living room, you know you need to create a structure for your day and integrate exercise into your routine.

If you’re eager to stay fit and healthy at the height of this pandemic, here are some exercises you can try while at home.

But First, Warm-Up

Regardless of what home exercises you decide to do, start every routine with a good warm-up. You don’t have to tire your body out when doing so, just give your body about 5 minutes to get your muscles into the groove and increase your heart rate.

Warming up primes your entire body to perform exercises properly, preventing the risk of injury. Doing arm circles is a good warm-up exercise as you begin your home workout. You can also run in place, do jumping jacks, or some air punches and kicks.

Here’s an example of how a personal warm-up routine looks like:

• Jump rope – 2 to 3 minutes
• Jumping jacks – 25 reps
• Bodyweight squats – 20 reps
• Lunges – 5 reps each leg
• Hip extensions – 10 reps each side
• Hip rotations – 5 each leg
• Forward leg swings – 10 each leg
• Side leg swings – 10 each leg
• Push-ups – 10 to 20 reps
• Spider-man steps – 10 reps

Best Home Workout Routines to Try

Once you’re all warmed up, you can then choose from the list of exercises below.

Beginner Bodyweight

The bodyweight workout is ideal for individuals who want to shed off some weight without needing to go to a fitness gym. You can do this in your living room and anywhere else. Bodyweight exercises engage a number of muscle groups, pump up your heart rate, and significantly burn calories.

The routine consists of the following exercises:

• Bodyweight squats – 20 reps
• Push-ups – 10 reps
• Walking lunges – 10 each leg
• Dumbbell rows – 10 each arm (you can use a 1-gallon milk jug or equivalent weights)
• Planking – 15 seconds
• Jumping Jacks – 30 reps

It’s also known as a “circuit training” since the sequence of exercises is meant to be performed once and then repeatedly. On average, 3 sets of this routine (including warm-up and cool down) will take about 25 to 30 minutes.

Advanced Bodyweight

If you’re looking for a little challenge, the advanced bodyweight routine may be right for you. The goals of this workout include burning fat, building muscles.

The workout is composed of the following exercises:

• One-legged squats – 10 each side (can be extremely difficult, only perform if in top shape)
• Bodyweight squats – 20 reps
• Walking lunges – 20 reps (10 for each leg)
• Jump step-ups – 20 reps (10 for each leg)
• Pull-ups – 10 reps
• Dips (between bar stools) – 10 reps
• Chin-ups – 10 reps
• Push-ups – 10 reps
• Plank – 30 seconds

As a word of caution, this sequence can be very demanding. If you can, try to go through the routine 3 times.

The 20-Minute Hotel Routine

Are you holed up in a hotel room but the hotel gym is closed? This 20-minute workout will give your body the training it deserves. Utilize the furniture you can find in your room when performing this workout.

This routine is categorized in 2 levels:

Level 1

– Bodyweight squats – 20 reps
– Incline push-ups – 15 reps (place your feet on the floor and your hands on edge of bed/desk)
– One-arm luggage rows – 10 reps (repeat for each arm, use your suitcase as your weight)
– Reverse crunches – 10 reps

Level 2

– Overhead squats – 25 reps
– Push-ups – 20 reps
– Inverted rows – 10 reps (you can use the desk in your room)
– Reverse crunches – 15 reps

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Just because you’re in the confines of your home doesn’t mean you can’t do High-Intensity Interval Training. All you need is a space where you can freely move around and a good amount of determination.

You can start off with HIIT with the following bodyweight exercises:

• Burpees – Stand straight, then squat down. Place your hands on the floor in front of you and kick your legs back so you’re in the plank position. Bring your legs back next to your hands. Jump up while raising your hands up into the air. Start with 3 sets, with 20 burpees each set. Rest for 2 minutes between sets.
• Push-ups – Give yourself 20 seconds to do as many push-ups as you can. Rest for 30 seconds then do it again. To make sure you’re executing proper form, here’s a guide on how to do push-ups properly.
• Pull-ups – Repeating the same idea for push-ups, do as many pull-ups as you can for 20 seconds. Get some rest then repeat for another 20 seconds.

HIIT is all about progression, so begin with that mindset in mind. Challenge yourself to advance in your intervals each week. If you feel like you could use some challenge to ramp up your workout routine, keep in mind the key aspects of HIIT:

• Frequency – The number of intervals in your workout
• Intensity – The level of difficulty in every interval.
• Time – The duration of each interval and resting period.

If the routine becomes too easy, you can increase the number of seconds for each set by 10. Strive for consistency when doing HIIT workout. Doing the workout once a week throughout the month is a good momentum to start with.

Tips to Combat a Sedentary Lifestyle

It can be a tough balancing act for some people with an endless to-do list, a house that needs constant cleanup, and kids who demand attention. However, difficult doesn’t mean impossible! It’s never too late to start an active lifestyle even with the pandemic going on.

Here are a few things the work-from-home crowd can do to stay in shape and stay healthy:

• Get up and move every 90 minutes. People need to move every 90 minutes to manage their energy levels and reduce the risk of work-related pains. This is essential in refreshing the mind in between tasks and to be able to stay productive. Stay off your workstation and make time to exercise regularly every week.
• Create a morning exercise routine. It can get tempting to slowly ease into your day when you’re working from home. Start your mornings with exercise and stick to a fixed time to do your workout sessions. Early morning exercises help energize your body for the day, resulting in an increase in productivity.
• Strike a work-life balance. Consider scheduling your exercises, breaks, downtime, and mindfulness habits like you would in an office set-up. Look for work-from-home best practices that allow you to work efficiently.

In case you need an expert who you can turn to for advice on the appropriate exercises to stay fit while on home quarantine, contact Be Strong Physio. We also provide physical therapy and sports physiotherapy services to ensure that you’re in perfect shape and free from any injury while doing the workouts. Call us now at (416) 792-6440.