6 simple at-home exercises to keep you active

Lockdown is challenging for everyone, whether you’re a gym bunny or always on the go. We’re going to be living a pretty sedentary lifestyle for the foreseeable, so here at 6 simple exercises to help keep you active, mentally and physically!

It’s surprising just how little we move when we’re stuck indoors. With shops, restaurants, cinemas and offices closed, we’re not going to be getting enough exercise unless we start to incorporate activity into our new stay-at-home routine!

1. Stretches

If you just fancy moving your joints, doing simple stretches in your living room is enough to help you avoid stiff joints and maintain good blood circulation.

• Stretch when you wake up.
• Follow a yoga routine.
• Get up and stretch throughout the day.

2. Lifting

I’m not talking about heavy dumbbells here, there are plenty of things lying around your home that you can use to practise gentle lifting. Maintaining strength is important especially if your daily steps are decreasing due to the lockdown.

• Place a pair of oven gloves over the front of each of your calves and put a tin can in each pocket. Then, gently lift your legs up and down.
• Use cans as dumbbells to work on your arm strength. With your arms outstretched, lift your hands to shoulder height and lower slowly to your sides.
• Try packets of rice, flour or bottles of liquid if you want to increase the weight!

3. Take the stairs

A great way of increasing your heart rate is by running up and down the stairs! (Unless you live in a bungalow). Set aside 10-15 minutes every day to see how many times you can run up and down the stairs, try and beat your personal best.

• Warm-up by stepping up and down using the first step and gradually work your way up the stairs.
• Use the bannister as support.
• Wear supportive shoes to improve your balance and strength.

4. Meditate

Meditation exercise is good for the mind and helps manage your headspace. Meditation is the practice of training the mind to a state of mental clarity, helping you deal with stress, depression and anxiety.

• Try breathing techniques.
• Lay down and listen to soothing sounds such as waves or rain.
• Download a meditation app on your phone.

5. HIIT session

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a form of interval training that consists of short periods of intense exercise with short periods of rest in between.

• Check out some online resources in our blog over here.
• Take your training session outside and feel the benefits of nature.
• Try it with a friend over video chat and motivate each other.

6. Gardening

Gardening provides you with a workout without you even knowing and if you enjoy gardening, even better!

• Mowing the lawn adds to your step count while working on your back muscles. You can burn up to 280 calories an hour.
• Carrying water cans and pushing a wheelbarrow, are all great ways to tone up your arms and shoulders.
• You’ll be doing lots of squats and working the glutes while pulling out the weeds!