Keeping to a regular exercise routine will help sustain your physical health but studies have shown that it also alleviates anxiety, low self-esteem and a negative mood. Being stuck indoors does not mean that you must sit still; you can build various challenging workouts to keep busy and active. Various smartphone apps can help with your workout if you need some inspiration, or you can read on for some challenging exercises to try if your local gym remains closed. 

HIIT Training

High intensity interval training is easily sustainable at home and easy to change up when you get bored or too accustomed to your workout. It can be combined with strength training or yoga to achieve great long-term results. As each workout can last between 30 seconds to 3 minutes, it can be incorporated into your lunch break if working from home. This type of training improves endurance and speeds up the heart rate for optimal heart health. Start by jogging on the spot to warm up, move on to squats or lunges, then try burpees or push-ups.

The workout can be tailored to target the areas you want to build. You can also incorporate some strength training into your workout by using small dumbbells. Always make time for a warmup to ensure there are no injuries and also ensure you rest between each exercise period as HIIT exercises can be relatively intense.

Strength Training

Building a mini version of your regular gym can be a great way to ensure that you keep up with your exercise routine. Equipment such as dumbbells are ideal for strength training and can replace some of the strength gym equipment if used correctly. Weightlifting and resistance training has been shown to improve bone density and increase aerobic capacity. Studies have also shown that those who train with weights have improved blood sugar control than those who do not.

On days when you are extra tired or don’t feel like doing intense cardio workouts, you can lift weights to tone up instead. Ensure you are sitting on a stable surface (not the sofa) and stream a video to try some different moves. Start with a weight you are comfortable lifting 12 to 15 times to ensure that you do not over-exert yourself too soon. Ensure you are balanced and try to breathe in and out without holding your breath when you are lifting to avoid fatigue.

Dance Exercise

Workouts don’t have to be dull, they can be fun when you try and incorporate some dance into them. Dance workouts are particularly great for older adults as they improve co-ordination, increase brain activity and increases life expectancy. It can also be done with your partner at home. Older adults can try some ballroom dancing to keep active. Jazz and tap are more fast paced but will help burn calories for those who are training to lose weight. Younger adults may want to try and learn a new type of dance such as ballet or even Zumba, which can keep you fit and flexible. It is more technically difficult therefore will require some commitment to learn. Intense contemporary dance training is great for the core and will increase agility, co-ordination and strength.

Yoga and Meditation

Being home a lot can take its toll on your mental health, particularly if you are used to visiting the gym or attending exercise classes. Yoga and meditation have many mental health benefits as well as physical benefits which is why this type of exercise is often favored by those with anxiety and depression. Yoga relieves muscle tension, calms the nervous system and reduces stress.

It has even shown to be beneficial in those with schizophrenia when combined with drug therapy. It is ideal for people of all ages as it is not overly strenuous and it requires only a mat and a video making it easy to do at home. Beginners should start simply to avoid pulling any muscles or causing injuries. The Child’s Pose relaxes the muscles surrounding the spine and is an easy pose to begin with.

Other poses to move into are Downward Facing Dog if you can. This pose should be avoided if you have wrist problems or high blood pressure. The plank is slightly more difficult but builds upper body strength. There are many great videos online to help guide your yoga workouts.

Working out at home is inexpensive and improves physical and mental health. It can be difficult to get motivated to exercise at home but keeping your workouts interesting and different will help keep you in a healthy routine and mindset.

You May Also Like:

Related Images:

The post 3 Ways To Challenge Yourself Working Out At Home appeared first on FitNish.com.

Nobody says that you have to be a member of a gym in order to stay fit. You can do it exactly in your living room if you wish, or even build a garage gym or turn a spare room into a home gym. So, if you want to stay fit while staying at home, here is how you can achieve it. 

1. Find a Designated Fitness Space

Even though you’re not going to the gym, it doesn’t mean you can’t have your own mini gym at home. This is a good idea since you don’t want all of your gear to be lying around the entire house and create a mess, clutter, and potential tripping hazard.

So, before you start getting the gear, think about what space you can use for your workout. It can be a spare room if you have one, you can set it up in the garage if the conditions allow it or even set it up in your backyard. The choice is yours, just make sure you have enough space for all the equipment to be stored and that you have enough legroom to perform your exercises. 

2. Get the Gear

Before you start spiraling about the amount of money you think you have to spend on your at-home gym, take a deep breath and take it easy. Yes, equipment costs, but if you know exactly what you need, you can spend way less than you’d expect. If you’re a beginner, it’s probably best to invest in a smaller set of dumbbells and resistance bands.

However, if you want to work on your cardio more, consider a stationary bike or a treadmill if you have the room for them. Also, if you’d like something more intense and want to throw some punches you can look into tools for boxing at home, and work both on your cardio and strength. Just think about the type of training you need and would like, and plan your equipment accordingly. Plus, you can always find second-hand weights at a much more affordable price. 

3. Make a Workout Plan

In order to work on your entire body properly, you should establish a workout plan.

You can have 3 exercise sessions a week to start off with, and make sure that you dedicate each segment of training to a specific part of your body. No need to over complicate things. One day can be for your upper-body strength, one for cardio, and for lower-body strength.

The choice is yours, but don’t forget that every workout should have a warm-up, some stretching/cool down in order to avoid any injuries. 

4. Establish a Schedule

When going to the gym at a specific time of day, it’s easy to respect the schedule and never miss a session. However, when working out at home, it’s easy to get a bit lazy and constantly reschedule your workouts or simply postpone them. So, if you make a schedule and even put it in your calendar, it will be a bit easier to stick to your workout routine.

Decide on the days of the week beforehand to dedicate to exercising and pick the time and set it. It can be as simple as a 30-minute workout at first, but then you can move on to an hour a day. 

5. Stream Online Workouts

If you find it hard to work out alone, you can easily find many online workouts that have pre-recorded and live streams in groups. This way, you won’t be alone and it would be easier to follow the schedule. Also, you can download some apps to help you track your progress and goals and keep you motivated to work out more regularly. 

As you can see you don’t have to go to an expensive gym in order to work on your fitness. You can easily set up a small workout corner right at home and stay motivated and fit almost every day!

Photo credits:

• Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
• Kari Shea
• Iga Palacz
• Ayo Ogunseinde
• Jakob Owens

You May Also Like:

Related Images:

The post The Fit Five! 5 Simple But Effective Tips On How To Get Into A Fitness Routine At Home appeared first on FitNish.com.