COVID-19 Made Me Workout At Home

So your gym is closed or you no longer feel comfortable going out due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no problem! It’s time to workout at home. You don’t need expensive equipment to give yourself a great workout. You can use your body as your sole exercise tool. You could purchase some dumbbells and a resistance band to use in conjunction with your bodyweight exercises to add another layer to your workout. I do recommend the latter - go big, you deserve it!

Gym plans ruined by the pandemic? Never fear - we have some home workout tips and exercises to easily and painlessly get you the workout you desire!

A great workout starts with a plan. Knowing what muscles to work and what order to place them in is key. Now that you are at home, you no longer need to worry about people stealing or hogging equipment and will be able to use a circuit training format. Yes, circuit training. It is a wonderful way for you to maximize your time and allow you to fit 20 to 40 minutes of exercise into an already busy schedule

Let’s start by selecting our muscle groups. The focus will be on compound movements, a type of exercise that works 3 or more muscles at one time as well as contributes to optimal posture and body mechanics. These are the calorie burners. For this workout, we will select movements that work the muscles of the upper back (lats/traps), the muscles of the legs (quads/hamstrings) and the famous core muscles (abdominals/lower back). This will work as an outline for your workouts. Everything else is aesthetic - still important, but not as essential. Let’s select a DB or band row for the upper back and bodyweight squats for legs, which will create a metabolic disruption, a fun way to say you will start to feel an increase in heart rate, breathe heavier, increase your core temperature, and hopefully start sweating.

Finally, a movement for your core, which in this case will be basic abdominal crunches. That is your first circuit and you are going to perform 2-3 sets of 12 - 20 reps. It should look like this: one set of a ROW followed by one set of a BODYWEIGHT SQUATS, and one set of CRUNCHES. Rinse and repeat. Focus on using good posture with each exercise and breathing throughout. Especially remember to exhale on the exertional portion of the exercises.

2-3 SETS (2-3 times through)

DB or band row 15 reps
Squat 20 Reps
Crunches 20 Reps
Next circuit: high plank with same knee to same elbow (really just a static hold of a push-up position) followed by DB or band Shoulder press, followed by kneeling opposite arm-opposite leg extension (better known as bird dogs).

2-3 SETS (2-3 times through)

High plank knee to elbow 20 reps (total)
DB or band shoulder press 12 reps (draw belly button into your back)
Kneeling opposite arm / opposite leg 20 reps

Last circuit: lunge or step up, calf raise, and abdominal crunch with rotation (aim elbow to opposite knee but its not necessary to touch elbow to knee).

2-3 SETS (2-3 times through)

Lunge/step up 20 reps (total)
Calf raise 20 reps (total)
Abdominal crunch with rotation 10 reps each side

You do need to make time to stretch as well. Personally, I like to stretch at the beginning of the workout and foam roll at the end. I recommend that you stretch your lower back, hamstrings, piriformis, hip flexor, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, upper back, chest, and neck.

Please remember this is a sample workout, really just an exercise in proper exercise selection and exercise grouping. Make sure you use proper posture and body mechanics, and most of all, be consistent. If something hurts, stop and consult your physician. Physician Promise is here when you need us.