Get in Shape From Home!

If you are anything like me, at the beginning of each year I create a resolution to "get in shape". Often times I start strong, but right when I start to get into the groove of things, "real life" takes over and I have to slowly reduce my hours in the gym.

Now that gyms are closed and the only way to workout is "from home", I decided to generate some ideas on how to get fit from the safe confines of your house. Here are 5 workouts that hopefully will give you some inspiration to get fit!

Yourself!

Basic household items

• Chair
• Stairs
• Heavy Textbooks
• Backpack

Stairs are a good way to get in some cardio and engage your glutes, hamstring, and quadriceps. This is a good warm-up exercise to get your blood flowing and heart rate up.

Choose a staircase in your home that has 15 or more steps. Start by walking up the stairs, and then walking down the stairs. On the second time up, walk slightly faster than you did before. Repeat the process of going up and down the stairs slightly faster than the time previously until you are jogging up and down the stairs at a comfortable rhythm. Do this exercise for at least 15 minutes.

This exercise is called the "chair plank". It is similar to the plank on the ground, but instead of placing your forearms on the ground you will place your forearms on the chair. This exercise will strengthen your abdominal muscles.

Pick a sturdy chair that does not wobble and has four legs. A wooden chair is preferable, but any chair will do. Place your forearms on the chair, and extend your legs with your toes on the floor.

Hold this position for one minute.

Have you ever heard of a "Russia Twist"? This exercise is similar except it uses a textbook. This workout will target your abdominal muscles and will help stabilize your spine.

Sit on the ground with your knees bent in front of you, and hold the textbook between both hands. Slightly lift your feet a few inches off the floor. Lean back so your back is at a 45 degree angle from the floor. Slowly twist your body to the left, and tap the textbook on the ground beside your left hip. Return to centre. Slowly twist to the right and tap the textbook on the ground beside your right hip. Return to centre.

Repeat the textbook twists for at least 10 minutes.

The incline chair pushups will primarily engage your chest muscles. It will also target your arms and shoulder muscles.

Grab a chair and place it in front of your body. Place your hands on the side of the chair and walk your feet back until your back is straight. Next bend your arms and lower your body as close to the chair as possible. Push your body back up to the start position. Repeat the incline chair pushups 10 times.

This exercise will engage your bicep muscles.

Fill your backpack with books or any other heavy objects lying around your house. Hold the backpack by the strap with one of your hands. Make sure your elbows are close to your torso and your palm is facing outwards. Curl the weight up towards your shoulder while keeping the part of your arm above your elbow stationary. Switch hands and perform the same steps. Do 10 backpack bicep curls for each hand.

Hopefully this tutorial gave you some inspiration to workout from home! You can also make up your own new exercises using items lying around. Perhaps fill a bucket with potatoes and use it as weights for lunges. Or open as many lids from a jar to strengthen your forearms.

I would love to hear other ideas you have to workout from home using household items!