Do you want to feel healthy? How about having more energy? What about adding more time to your life? It’s time to get moving. And since most gyms are closed right now, today we’re discussing how you can get sweaty from home.
Everybody benefits from a good workout. Exercise controls your weight. The more intense the workout, the more calories you burn. Maybe you relied on the gym for workout guidance before the pandemic. So now make sure to consult with a professional before starting to avoid any injuries.
There are easy ways to begin getting active — use the stairwell rather than the elevator. Or don’t park directly in front of the store. And most importantly, do some of the exercises below to stay healthy and fit from home.
Running
Running is great exercise for all ages. And it’s something you can do with almost no equipment. Just throw on some workout clothes, grab your headphones, and get running.
A study split 53 adults into two groups. One group completed high intensity exercise four to five days every week. The other did yoga and balance workouts. The higher-intensity exercisers had huge improvements in their heart’s performance. Bottom line: some stiffening in the heart may be forestalled or even reversed with regular cardio.
HIIT
Talking about cardio, HIIT is another type of exercise that is great for the heart. This type of high intensity exercise is fabulous for helping women build healthy bones as they age. And it is a phenomenal activity for calorie burning and weight loss.
You might have previously only done HIIT at the gym. But you can adapt this from home. Just design your own routine with what you have available.
Maybe you have one station of jumping rope, another doing pushups (or modified pushups), and a third doing squats. Do each exercise for 60 seconds. After all three stations, rest for 60 seconds, and repeat.
Tai chi
If there’s something that most of us need during COVID lockdowns, it’s stress relief. So balancing in the peaceful movements of Tai Chi can be a great supplement to higher intensity activities. Tai chi consolidates a progression of graceful, flowing movements that are performed slowly while breathing deeply.
Tai chi is open to a wide range of individuals of all ages and fitness levels. It’s especially useful for older individuals since we lose balance as we age. However, people of all ages should give this a try.
Walking
Walking is a very underrated exercise. Studies show that walking for at least 30 minutes — even at a moderate or leisurely pace — can benefit the brain and body.
One study shows that walking for 30 minutes seemed to strengthen connectivity in an area of the brain that is linked with memory loss. Furthermore, a pilot study about serious depression found that only 30 minutes of walking for 10 days was enough to create a clinically relevant decrease in depression.
If you don’t walk regularly, Harvard scientists suggest starting a walking routine with 10 min treks and working up to 30 or hour-long hikes.
Swimming
Are you one of the lucky ones who has a home pool? It’s not just for the kiddos. Swimming is considered one of the best exercises.
Swimming is useful for people with joint pain since it’s less weight-bearing. According to researches, swimming can improve your psychological state and helps you feel better. Water aerobics is another choice that assists you with burning calories and toning.
So stop using the fact that you’re stuck at home as an excuse to not work out. You’ve got options. Now go get moving!
