Are you one among those who used to be a regular gym visitor to be fit? Do you always believe gym is the only platform to be fit? Well I was one among those who used to miss gym during lockdown and was wondering how to keep myself fit and its then when I realised that being fit does not necessarily need one to have expensive gym membership or equipment’s. One can be fit even by being at home. The below list of things can help one to experience fitness being at home to certain extend.
1. Yoga mat and Music:
If you are one among those who practice yoga regularly at fitness centre and miss it during lockdown, then why not practice the same being at home at your own space. A pleasant Music mixed with a pair of different yoga asana and pranayama can help you release your stress level, improve flexibility, build core strength, improve respiratory disorders and other internal organ functioning, etc.
2. Pair of Water Bottle:
This is an easily available equipment at any house which one can use as a substitute for dumbbell. A pair of 1 litre water bottle filled with water or sand can help you use it as dumbbell to perform the same exercise what you used to perform with those light weight dumbbell at gym. Senior citizens after the age of 60 finds it difficult to lift heavy weight and start losing strength, stamina and flexibility, they can use this as an equipment to perform exercise being at home without causing any injuries to their body with the help of water bottle.
3. Resistance Band, Loop Bands or Dumbbell:
These are some of the equipment I used during lockdown to perform intense exercise being at home. Resistance Band and Loop Bands used to help me to replicate exercise such as Cable Chest Fly’s, Triceps Push Down, Lats Pull, Seated Cable Rows, Abductor machine exercise, Hip Abductor exercise, etc., and with the use of Dumbbell as an add on to my routine I was able to perform exercise such as Chest Press, Weighted Squats, Dumbbell Rows, Biceps exercises, Hamstring curls and so on.
4. A pair of shoes:
Are you one among those who loved being on Treadmill, Elliptical and Static Cycles to perform cardio exercise at gym and wonder what to do when you have NO access to it now? Well, what if I say you can still replace it with a pair of running shoes! Yup that’s right, one thing I realised during lockdown is, if you are serious about being fit, you can convert your surrounding into a better place to work out. Running in an open space is best way to build your cardio vascular strength because when you run on open environment your body try to maintain the speed automatically based on the condition of the road. Not just that you can also use cycle and go out with your friends or family on a long ride, this way you not just work on your stamina but also build a strong relationship with your family and friends. Climbing stairs is replacement of Elliptical machines, and doing cardio exercise like Jumping jacks, Burpees, Mountain climbers and other forms of exercise can also help you to work on your cardio vascular system.
5. Walking:
Most people ignore this powerful routine what our ancestors used to follow to move from one place to another. Modern generation believe lifting weights and doing intense cardio is the only way to be fit, however if you don’t focus on being active for the rest of the day and just be at one place, keep eating clean food and have good sleep, maintain your stress level, without moving your body, then you shall not achieve your fitness goal as expected. Light Walking for a mile or more after consuming meal with your family can not just help you build your relationship, but also maintain your blood sugar level, cholesterol, improve digestion and burn calories as well. Walking every one hour or walking for atlest 10,000 steps a day can also help your improve your heart health, improve your joints, better blood circulation, helps to maintain weight and so on.
6. Body weight exercise:
Most people, especially one who is always travelling for business or jobs, might find it difficult to carry equipment or dumbbell with them or even have membership at gym. Even the one who lift heavy weights might at times find it difficult to lift their own body weights. Practicing exercises with own body weights like Push-Ups, Pull ups, Squats, Lunges, Aerobics, Running, Walking, Burpees etc., can help you overcome the restriction or finding excuses to not perform exercise.
Though you can be fit being at home, there is no harm nor am I against anyone joining gym to be fit. Doing exercises at gym has its own benefit like having exposure to heavy weight and different machines, doing workout with people of same mind-sets, etc., The main intension of this article was just to make people understand that you can be fit being at home even when you have no access or limited access to gym, and not find reasons to not perform your daily workout routine to be fit.
