Physical Wellness Workouts to Do While Stuck at Home
By: Renu Venkatesh
As I’m sure you are aware, our times have changed, and many of us find ourselves spending more time at home. Perhaps like most people, when you are comfortable at home, you tend not to get any work done and instead find yourself binge-watching that show your friend has insisted you watch. Finding the motivation to workout at home is one of these added struggles. Today, we will talk about different ways to motivate yourself while also giving simple workout activities and apps to do yourself at home.
FINDING THE RIGHT MOTIVATION
It can be hard trying to get “your head in the game” and find the right motivation for you. It is essential to figure out what persuasion we need to stay on top of our work and avoid procrastination. Each person is different, but here are some things that I have found helpful when trying to find motivation in working out, especially at home.
1. Create a goal
Having a set goal in mind can give us the motivation to accomplish something. Even just having that feeling of striving to reach that goal is an excellent way of working hard for it. Creating a plan for yourself can be anything you want but should be specified so that you can create a good routine. For example, maybe you want to build muscle or increase your cardiovascular endurance. During quarantine, I made a goal to learn how to do the splits by the end of quarantine. Even though I haven’t reach that goal yet, it helped get me to make a routine of exercising and motivated me to work hard.
2. Make a workout calendar/schedule
The best way to regularly workout is to incorporate it into your schedule. If you are like me, you tend to have less motivation if there is no set plan or program, and you don’t feel like working out at home, especially when Netflix exists. When you have a routine and a set plan, it is easier to have a feeling of preparedness and control over the workouts, and it almost gives a sense of excitement for what is next on the calendar.
3. Workout with a friend
Doing anything with a friend is more fun! Even though we may not see as many people as we want to, having a friend who is doing the same workout as you or has the same goal can make it more motivating and fun. Having a friend will also help hold each other accountable when completing a workout routine together.
EASY WORKOUTS TO DO AT HOME
All of these workouts can be completed at home. All you need is a yoga mat or a towel and some water to stay hydrated.
STRETCHING:
Standing hamstring stretch
Lunge with a spinal twist
Butterfly stretch
Side bend stretch
Downward dog
TOTAL BODY:
Push-ups
Squats
Lunges
Burpees
ABS:
Crunches
Plank
Side Plank
Reverse Crunches
Sit-ups
ARMS & LEGS:
Jumping jacks
Banded lateral walk
Lunge with balance
Squat with heel raise
WORKOUT APPS
Here are some apps that I have found useful and that I enjoy using daily.
BLOGILATES: I love this app, and many others have said they have found it helpful. The creator is a fitness YouTuber who made an app with different videos of her workouts and even has a calendar with each workout video for the day. If you want to pay for a premium account, you can create your own calendars and personalize workouts to your needs.
FITBIT: A lot of people know or have their own Fitbit. This app helps to track your exercise and even connect with friends.
SWEAT: This app is rated #1 within the Apple app store. Personally, I have not used this app, but I have heard many people who have enjoyed the functions within it.
LEVELHEAD: I was introduced to this app in one of my classes. It is a meditation app that helps us think about our stresses and find motivation in daily work (not just physically).
