Gym closures have had many of us on edge, however, there are still plenty of ways to stay fit, active, and healthy from the safety of our own home. Josie Small sheds some light on these alternative fitness regimes.

As we’re already aware, COVID-19 has led to a lot of changes to the everyday lifestyle, and this includes the government restrictions forcing the temporary closure of gyms and fitness facilities for our own health and safety precautions. This has lead to a lot of dread and anxiety for many gym junkies.

Exercise, in general, can help with your mental (as well as your physical) health, with many people going to the gym to release endorphins and to distress, or even to unwind after a huge day. Seeing as these changes are set for an uncertain period of time, we’ve compiled some alternative workouts (tried and tested by your Yaks truly) that can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home, with very minimal to no equipment required.

1. HIIT Circuits

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a circuit full of short bursts of intense exercise with low-intensity recovery periods, ranging from 10 to up to 30 minutes in duration. It can involve a whole range of exercises, with bodyweight exercises highly recommended, especially if you are very limited to gym gear at home. HIIT is ideal if you’re dreading a workout but you want a quick sweat sesh before bingeing ‘Tiger King’ for the rest of the day. It is known to help raise your metabolic rate and aid with fat loss and muscle development.

The best thing about HIIT is that it is on your terms – sure, you can follow an Instagram tutorial, but you can also make up your own workout to suit your conditions and physical needs, which gives you that sense of freedom. Get creative with weights! Don’t let the lack of accessibility to equipment get in your way – use cans, heavy books, fill bags up, do what you need to do to get the best out of your workouts without spending an excessive amount of moola.

2. Fitness Apps

Want to workout but you need to stay accountable? Maybe you need a fitness app!

The SWEAT app by Kayla Itsines may be just for you. SWEAT caters mostly to females, as Itsines runs the Bikini Body Guides programmes that consist of 28-minute workouts, targeting improving the overall fitness and strength amongst women. The app itself allows you to be in control of the workouts, as while you are training with your preferences, you can also log your training and eating, as well as take progression photos and connect with the BBG community to cheer each other on. From approximately thirty-cents a day, if you needed a sign to stay accountable throughout isolation, this may be what you are looking for.

The Centr app is also a hit favourite. Ran by celebrity Chris Hemsworth, this app also consists of a variety of exercises with world-class trainers – such as HIIT, boxing, yoga, strength training, and MMA to suit your needs – as well as meal plans to help you stay on track and be healthy. With Centr you can get a free seven-day trial if you’re wanting to just try it out, and the membership plans start from approximately $10 a month, which essentially means you’re only spending 33c a day.

3. Tik Tok

As we all know, Tik Tok has blown up in the last year. Not only does it provide us with hours of entertainment – especially more so now that we are in isolation and have nothing better to do – but did you know that it can also aid our health and fitness?

There are countless dances to learn, along with a few party tricks, and some cool, quick and easy workouts, too! (As well as some nifty health food hacks that you may feel like you need to know now). Not only that, Tik Tok is known as a content sharing platform, so you’re also able to share your own workouts for other people to be inspired by! If you want to see more in your feed, simply switch up your preferences, and get ready to be inspired!

Check out our own Tik Tok Workout here.

4. Fitness Marshall

Want to do a workout that doesn’t actually feel like a workout? Not really vibing with Tik Tok? Maybe Fitness Marshall is the answer! The creator of Fitness Marshall, Caleb Marshall, encourages people to get up out of their seats and dance in order to work out. Essentially, this makes the dreaded feeling of needing to work out but not wanting to diminish, as people from around the globe swear by this in order to obtain their fitness goals. Not sure where to start? Lookup The 10 Best Fitness Marshall Workouts to get familiar with how it’s done!

5. Make up your own challenges!

Still not feeling motivated? Why don’t you and your housemates host fitness challenges? Kind of like drinking challenges, but instead of “Take a shot when/if…” you can change it up to “Do 10 squats every time…” (Or, you can just drink – it’s isolation, there are no rules).

Examples include:

5. • Do 10 squats every time you hear someone says ‘Coronavirus’.
   • Do 10 push ups every time you see a Coronavirus ad.
   • Do 10 sit ups every time the Prime Minister comes onto the tv.
     

6. Lastly: Get them tunes a poppin’!

Nothing says motivation more than good tunes! Looking for the ultimate playlist to get you pumped for your sweat session? Our Yaks have your back, sharing the best tunes that keep them stay motivated to work out! Check it out:

Feature Image: Pixabay via Pexels, no changes made.