With the COVID 19 pandemic looming large upon us people are stressing on good health like never before. Quarantining, social distancing and maintaining good personal hygiene are the suggested measures for its prevention. Gyms, hotels, schools etc have been closed down until it is brought under control. Building immunity is crucial hence home workout is the best way for fitness enthusiasts to follow their routine uninterrupted.

This post took a while but looking at the current situation it couldn’t be better timed. Nutritious food along with the right physical activity is the only way to keep our mind and body healthy. Check out these simple workout ideas that can be done in the comfort of your home or without entering crowded areas.

Walking

Walking is one of the easiest and cheapest workout that a person of any age can do. It increases pulmonary and cardiovascular fitness thereby reducing risk of heart diseases and strokes. It helps build muscle strength and improves balance and posture. 30 minutes of walking everyday can immensely help in reducing your body fat too.

I would suggest treating walking like an exercise and concentrating on your breath and speed even if you have company. You can track your steps, time or distance and plan your workout accordingly. Walking+jogging is another popular form of exercise.

Skipping

Skipping is included in HIIT and is a great way to improve your stamina and endurance. It is one of the best full body workout and helps build agility, bone strength and coordination. It also makes your legs stronger. Hop jump, skip jump, double jump, etc. are some of the styles you can try out.

Skipping happens to be one of my favourite exercises. Even as an overweight kid I learnt it way back in school and still include it in my fitness routine. It helps burn calories in much lesser time and is my go-to after cheat days.

Squats

Squats are a crucial lower body workout. Apart from burning calories and strengthening muscles squats make your lower body stronger thus making physical activities easier for you. They’re good for your joints and improve mobility and flexibility. They also help improve blood circulation and digestion. There are many variations and you can do them with weights too.

I remember crying my eyes out every time my gym trainer made me do squats. My thighs hurt like crazy and I occasionally found it difficult to walk. However, after my leg muscles showed visible change in only a month I now perform them regularly. The discomfort is indeed worth it.

Plank

Plank scares almost everyone and rightly so. Even though its benefits are unmatched by any other form of exercise it requires continued effort and dedication. It works on your core and strengthens your stomach muscles. It increases metabolism and reduces mood swings and stress. It can also reduce back pain provided you know how to do it right.

When I started doing planks I had a lot of abdominal fat. It burned and at times made my muscles shiver a bit but I carried on. Thankfully, I’m in a better position physically now and am working on improving my hold timing. As of now I can hold for about one and a half minute.

Workout with kids

Workouts at home can mean having your kids around which may affect your focus or schedule. Instead of getting deterred use this time to bond and educate them about the benefits of fitness. Butterfly, toe touch, simple stretches or warm up exercises are good to begin with. Have competitions and lose out to them for fun. This will also help set a good fitness example for them to follow later in life.

While my kids respect my workout time they’re a distraction at times with their constant quibbling. However, I’m happy that Angel now remembers that my cardio days are generally followed by abs or upper body. A Jr has started coming to the gym with me too. One day at a time sure makes a lot of difference!

This is my third post in the #FitnessWithVarsh series. Please do leave your comments and suggestions about this post!