Just because gyms are closed doesn’t mean you have to miss your workout. Staying home tends to mean more eating and less moving for many of us, but you have to stay motivated.

Home workouts are a great substitute for your gym sessions. There are a number of different types of home workouts/exercises:

1-Using your bodyweight alone

2-Using basic equipment such as Dumbbells, Resistance Bands/Tubes

3-Using everyday household items such as backpacks, water bottles, buckets and even brooms

It’s a good idea to start with basic bodyweight exercises and gradually add progressions and increase the intensity. This way, the difficulty levels are increased slowly which helps you break a sweat and strengthen your muscles while also avoiding injuries. You can add a mix of push-ups (regular and advanced), circuit training (a series of exercises in rapid succession with little or no breaks in between) and more.

How to work out your body’s upper, lower and core areas:

Home workouts can be categorised into 3 main groups: Upper Body, Lower Body, and Core. Read on for a step-by-step explainer on each focus area and how to exercise it.

Upper Body:

1. Push-Ups

Step 1 –Lay on the floor facing downwards, palms slightly more than shoulder-width apart in line with your shoulders. This is your starting position.

Step 2 – Brace your core and push your torso up from the floor with your hands. Thighs and Knees will also raise up.

Step 3 – Push yourself up till your elbows lock and your whole body is in a straight line

Step 4 – Lower your body and return to the starting position. This is 1 rep of the Push-up.

2. Pull-Ups

Step 1 – Raise your arms and grip the pull-up bar with both hands placed slightly more than shoulder-width apart

Step 2 – Pull your body up till your chin is above the bar

Step 3 – Straighten your arms and lower your body till the arms and shoulders are fully extended. This is 1 rep.

Lower Body:

1. Bodyweight Sumo Squats

Step 1 – Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out

Step 2 – Raise your arms in front of you for balance

Step 3 – Keeping your head and torso upright, inhale and lower your body as you bend your knees. Make sure to go down till your thighs are parallel to the floor

Step 4 – Hold for a second and with force, push your body up. Exhale at the top. This is 1 rep.

2. Bodyweight lunges

Step 1 – Stand with your torso upright, hands on your hips

Step 2 – Chest out, head up, knees slightly bent

Step 3 – Take a step forward with your left leg, sufficiently wide but not too much

Step 4 – As you step forward, bend your left knee and lower your right knee to the floor till it almost touches it. Left thigh should be parallel to the floor.

Step 5 – Push yourself up to starting position and now, take a step forward with your right leg. Repeat.

3.Core

Plank

Step 1–Lie down flat on the floor, face down

Step 2 – This is similar to the Push-up starting position but with elbows and forearm touching the floor

Step 3 – Keep fit slightly apart and come up on your toes

Step 4 – Tighten your core, relax your neck and hold this position for as long as possible. Remember to breathe normally.

Apart from physical fitness, it’s important to take care of ones mental and emotional well-being in times of crisis.

Keeping mind healthy during lockdown:

Yoga and Meditation are an excellent way to rejuvenate the spirit and keep calm, especially in such times.Simple Hatha Yoga poses (asanas) are a great way to stretch the body as well as relax your mind. Now’s a great time to incorporate Suryanamaskar into your daily routine. Suryanamaskar engages and awakens the full body. To get a really good workout from Yoga, try doing a series of Suryanamaskars in rapid succession. 10 minutes of Surya Namaskar daily helps burning 139 calories, which is more than what you’d burn even after swimming for 10 minutes. Surya Namaskar, also known as ‘The Ultimate Asana’, strengthens your back as well as your muscles and brings down blood sugar levels. It also improves metabolism and blood circulation (hence, a glowing skin) and ensures regular menstrual cycle for women.

With Fitness Freak Muqaddas Inam ( Instagram)