A global pandemic that requires people to stay indoors means that you may be limited to working out at home. No matter what you may think, you don’t need a gym or any specific space to get your workout done in. You also don’t even need a large house or even a large room to get a workout done in. Even if you live in a cramped micro-apartment, or if you rent a room with friends and working out in the common area is not that appealing to you, Fitness Coach, Jolene Cherry, has got you covered on some workouts than can be done anywhere — even in your tiny studio apartment. While these are difficult times, with some adjustments, you can live a great life.
Try these five workouts that are perfect for small spaces and will keep you fit and toned even while on lockdown.
- Mountain Climbers: These can really help up your cardio game. You don’t need much more space than two lengths of your body. To get started, get in position for a push-up. Then, take one step forward and repeat with the alternate foot. Try doing this as fast as possible for one minute at a time. Repeat at least three times to get your heart pumping.
- Yoga: This is a personal favorite method of utilizing small spaces for a great workout. Some of the best positions to get into if you’re confined to not a lot of room are Warrior I, Warrior II, sun salutations, lotus position, Navasana, Trikonasana, and Virabhadrasana — to name a few. This is a great routine for us!
- Handstands Using the Wall: This is an awesome exercise for lengthening and strength. Use the wall as a prop for a handstand. You’ll be able to hold it much longer than if you weren’t losing the wall, allowing you to build strength and lengthen those muscles.
- Wall Squats: All you need for this workout that seriously works your glutes is yourself and a wall. Press your back against any wall of your choice and hold a squat position– sliding down the wall until your knees, ankles, and hips are all making a right angle with the floor. Try to hold it for a minute or two at a time, depending on your level. This is a simple yet very effective move.
- Push-Ups, Lunges, Crunches, Squats, Jumping Jacks: These are the workout basics, but you can still get a great body pumping workout by doing a circuit of these moves. All can be done in a small space. For the lunges, you can either do standing lunges that require less space or walk around the room you’re exercising in and do the lunges. Do enough of each so that you can feel the burn, but not so many that you cannot maintain perfect form or start hurting yourself.
COVID-19 has forced us to adapt and do things a little differently in all aspects of life. Working out is one of them. Hopefully, this list shows you that you don’t have to have a gym or even a lot of space to get a good sweat in.
About Jolene Cherry: Jolene Cherry is a yoga teacher, a passionate health advocate, and an environmentalist. When she is not working, she likes to travel, hike, and enjoy the best espresso in town at the Spella Caffe. She also volunteers at Yoga in the Park and is a big dog lover. While it’s important to exercise your body, you must also exercise your mind to find harmony, and be careful about what you eat to fuel both your body and your mind – this is Jolene’s guiding principle in everything she does.