How to Structure At Home Workouts: COVID-19 Pandemic 2020

During this time of uncertainty it is easy to panic and feel overwhelmed. We need to look after both our mental and physical health right now. It is important to do what you feel is best for YOU during this time. If that is continuing to exercise and adapt to your new norm of at home workouts, keep reading for tips on how to structure them!

Your workouts actually contribute a very minimal aspect of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), so now is not the time to fret about “getting fat” or “losing all your progress.” Yes, if you have been lifting very heavy weights and now do not have that option, you will lose some muscle mass but it will be very easy to regain with dedication once life goes back to normal. 

In reality, it is your movement outside of your planned workouts that really contribute to your energy expenditure. It is all those walks and choosing to walk instead of drive places that we all say we don’t have time for that have a huge effect on calorie expenditure. If you never were active outside of your gym sessions, you really aren’t having to adapt much in terms of daily movement. 

Nonetheless, now is not the time to focus on aesthetics, but to focus on challenging ourselves with something new and to keep our mental health in check. 

At home workouts do not need to mean you are jumping around in your living room doing weird exercises that influencers tell you to do, all just to make you sweat. You can use this time to get stronger and to really push yourself to accomplish something new. You do not need to have equipment in your house to do this; you can use things such as kitchen chairs, couches, water jugs, suitcases, soup cans, etc. to form a really decent workout. 

Below are ideas to challenge yourself with at home workouts:

• Choose an exercise that you want to get stronger at and focus on that! Now is a great time to set performance based goals (pushup, handstand, rear foot elevated split squat, plank, etc.)

• Find yourself a sturdy bench, stool or chair. This will be a great option to use for exercises like: step ups, tricep dips, incline/decline pushups, hip thrusts, rear foot elevated split squats, bent over rows, etc.

• A broom can be used for: Shoulder mobility exercises, practicing the hip hinge pattern, assisting in balance work, and muscle building back workouts

• Manipulate your set and rep scheme. If you are used to using weights and you no longer have access to any, this will be crucial. You will likely need to perform more sets and reps of bodyweight exercises than you would if you were using weights

• Use pause reps, 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 reps, focus on the eccentric part of an exercise, triple contraction reps, etc. to really challenge yourself

  • Pause reps: focus on isometrically holding an exercise when muscles are contracted for a certain amount of time (ie 3-5 seconds)

  • One and a quarter or one and one half reps: Complete one full rep and then 1/4 or 1/2 of a rep and that will count as one full rep. (Ex: Squat, come up 1/4 of the way, squat, and come to standing. That is one rep)

• Focusing on the eccentric part of an exercise: Slow down the eccentric muscle contraction portion of an exercise to increase difficulty. (Ex: Take 3 seconds to lower in a squat)

• Triple contractions: Contract muscles 3 times in one rep (Ex: In a hip thrust, “pulse” three times at the top and then resume from starting position. This is one rep)

Combine some of these to really make an exercise more challenging!

I offer virtual training sessions and at home personalized programming to help keep you active, accountable, healthy, happy, and feeling confident.

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