How to Successfully Adapt to an At-Home Workout Routine
By: Ben Greene, CSCS, CPT, YMCA of Parkersburg
In these times of quarantine and isolation, people are experiencing an array of emotions such as anxiety, confusion, boredom, and restlessness. But at the end of the day, you can only control what is in your control. One of those things being your own fitness. While your own physical capabilities may not be the most important aspect of your health, especially right now, it is still a very important pillar within your own physical and mental health.
Here are 5 key aspects for successfully shifting your workout routines to at-home workouts.
Simplicity = Consistency. Keep your workouts as simple as possible for your respected fitness level. The more simple and straight forward your workouts, the easier they will be to get through, and the more likely you will be to repeat them. There is nothing more discouraging than being excited to start a new routine and realize that you don't understand it and have trouble completing half the exercises.
Replicate your gym routine at home. Adjust your gym routine the best you can while at home. If you are used to exercises like the bench press and squat with either free weights or machines, simply replace those with push-ups and bodyweight squats. You can even use everyday items around your house to replace the weights from the gym. Items such as small pieces of furniture, water jugs, bags filled with heavy objects, or even a partner can be enough to continue with many of your current exercises. This familiarity will help you stay consistent in your transition to an at-home workout routine.
Become consistent, then experiment. Before you start that new, trending at-home routine, give yourself at least a week of trying your best to replicate your gym routine to at-home. Start by laying down your foundation of consistency, and then adopt the new routine. That way if the new routine ends up not working for you, you already have a foundation to fall back on.
Time to work on small weaknesses. Utilize this time away from the big weights and machines to work on the small weaknesses most people experience like flexibility, mobility, and stability. This is the perfect time to work on increasing your flexibility and mobility without having to worry about getting down on a dirty gym floor. If you find bodyweight squats becoming too easy or boring, try out some single-leg lower body exercises. This will increase resistance and improve lower body stability.
Turn your workouts into an event. If you are stuck inside a crowded house and find yourself needing some time alone, this is the perfect time to sequester yourself to a part of the house and get 30 mins to an hour alone. If you find you are in some desperate need for some social interaction, either get the other people in your house to do the workouts with you or set up a video chat and do the workouts along with your friends.
So remember to keep things simple, be creative to add resistance, and prioritize consistency over the cool new trends. If you have any questions regarding adapting to an at-home routine, feel free to reach out to me at ben.greene.cpt@gmail.com.