With so many of us stuck in our homes, or indoors in general, it can be hard to find the motivation, or even the tools to get a good workout in. For those of us looking to maintain our figure, or even drop some pounds while we are quarantining, it is important to try to stay active. Better yet, it is important for everyone to stay active, as exercising can help with stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental challenges associated with what is currently going on.
Calisthenics are a great way to get into or stay in shape. In fact, many people use calisthenics as their normal exercise routine. By using different exercises to target each muscle group, you can have a full body workout without leaving your home or your yard, in a short amount of time.
1. Upward and Downward Facing Dog- This is a common yoga exercise and is a great way to get your body warmed up before a workout or cooled down following one. Lay flat on the ground face down. Take a deep breath, push your hands against the ground to push your chest up while keeping your legs flat on the ground. Hold the pose for several breathes. On the last exhale, lift your bottom up to form a 90-degree angle with your body while keeping your feet and hands flat on the ground and your head between your arms. Stay in that pose for several breathes. On the last exhale, bend your knees to the floor so that your knees are under your hips and your hands are under your shoulders.
2. Planks- Planks are one of the best exercises you can do to work out your core. Lay face down on the floor. Prop yourself up with your forearms and keep your elbows directly below your shoulder. Remember to keep your body straight. For beginners, try using a straight arm with your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
3. Wall Sits- This is a great way to focus on your lower body as well as your core. Find a wall, then squat down into a sitting position with your back against the wall and your legs in 90-degree angles.
4. Mountain Climbers- Ready to get your heart rate pumping? Mountain climbers are a unique exercise that can get your heart rate up and work out your entire body without needing machinery or a large space to move around. Start in a push-up position and alternate bringing your knees to your chest.
5. Push-ups- This classic exercise focuses on your upper body strength and your core. To work out different muscles doing this exercise, try doing them on an incline and decline as well.
6. Sit-ups/ Crunches- This is another classic exercise that targets your abdominals. To increase difficulty try doing them with your legs up at a 90-degree angle. Or you could try air bike crunches where you alternate touching opposite elbows to knees.
7. Squats and Lunges- This exercise really targets your thighs and your gluteal muscles. Remember to keep your feet shoulder width apart and keep your heels flat on the ground when squatting.
For lunges, step forward with one leg lowering your hips until both legs are bend at 90-degree angles. Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle and your back knee doesn’t touch the floor. Rotate legs.
8. Leg Lifts- As you may have already noticed, many of these workouts focus on your core, and leg lifts are one of the best ones you can do. Lay flat on your back and lift your feet 6 inches off the ground. For a change you could also try switching your feet from opened to closed every 10 seconds.
9. Burpees- Burpees are a great exercise that workout the whole body and even gets your heart rate up! Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, then bend your knees and lower your body into a squat. Place your hands on the floor and shift your weight onto them, then jump your feet back and get yourself into a plank or pushup positions. Then jump your feet back to land just behind your hands and rise up to jump explosively in the air. Repeat!
10. Tables- Sit down with your hands and feet on the floor. With your arms behind you, prop yourself up by lifting your hips as high as you can, and squeezing your glutes and shoulder blades as hard as you can.
There are several different ways to approach these exercises, you could try doing each one until exhaustion, breaking them up into different repetitions and sets, or a mixture of both. There are a ton of other non-weight exercises you can do; however, everyone is different, and some may find other exercises more successful than others. Try looking up other exercises and make a workout guide that fits you and your needs best.
With the spread of COVID-19 causing global concern, rest assured that all of us at MHG are here and ready to answer your insurance questions and concerns relating to the virus. For specific information on how COVID-19 affects your insurance coverage, please call us or visit your insurance carrier’s website.