With self-isolation, working from home keeping us in the house, and everyone a bit strapped for cash. Some people aren’t comfortable going to a gym. Nor afford membership of any sort. Or there are no sports clubs or activities that pique your interest, which makes exercising difficult.
Today, I’m going to give you some simple exercises you can do at home. Without having to fork out for a Peleton. They will also come with adaptations. In case you have a disability and want to try them!
Just remember, before you try any of these exercises that you’re cleared to do these medically.
And, don’t forget to do a warm-up before you start exercising and cool down once you have finished. Doing the warm-up and cool-downs stops you from hurting your muscles and minimize any wear or tear that could occur.
1. Bag of sugar
It is an exercise everyone knows and every P.E. teacher recommends, but if it isn’t broken, why fix it. Grab a bag of sugar from your cupboard and start doing ten reps with the bag of sugar. It would be best if you had the same technique or a similar technique to someone using dumbbells. Do ten reps per arm (so twenty) in all. Once your body gets a bit too comfortable with ten, increase the number of reps by ten, so it’ll be twenty per arm.
Adaptation: If you struggle to grip things, use a softball, similar to a stress toy. If possible, try using a tennis ball instead. Although it won’t be as heavy, you can still achieve the same technique. You’ll have to do extra reps. Just use anything you can or are able to use in a similar way to someone using Dumbbells. Using a bean bag (like the ones in school if you have them) could also work.
2. Obstacle course
If you're stuck inside and can’t go out for whatever reason but feel a need to jog. And can't because running around the house in a circuit throughout all the rooms gets boring. Then I’ve got you covered!
Make an obstacle course around the house. Use your mugs distanced away from each other as the start line, and, when you approach the coffee table, army crawl under it. Then slalom in and out of the gap between the sofa and TV. Before making a mad dash to the bedroom to finish the course.
The beauty of this one is, you can move the furniture or objects around to suit how you want your course to look. You can decide what exercises you put in, where you run and how. It makes the running have a different route, speed, and pace, making it more fun. You can even add in some stretches. Or, for a better incentive, time yourself and keep trying to beat that time.
Adaptation: If you can’t move furniture around, then leave it where it is and work with what you have. If you struggle moving around, then change it from a running course to walking. And then some areas that involve dynamic stretches or use old clothing as makeshift balls and throw them into targets. Whatever works for you!
3. Step-ups
Now, if you have stairs and are able to walk up to them, then this one is simple. One foot goes up one step and then the other. Then, you step back down the top step. You can do more than one step and go up two steps before going back down or up. As you begin to get the rhythm of the exercise, try completing it faster. And time yourself or set a goal to complete as many step-ups as possible in two minutes.
Adaptation: If you're in a wheelchair, the simplest thing you can do is place a couple of mugs or whatever is available to you across from one another in three columns. (If possible) and then slalom around the mugs or whatever you’ve used as markers. Whilst it isn’t a step up, it is something similar that will test your reaction times and chair handling, whether electric or manual. Another thing to try would be to see if you could slalom between the markers backward for a challenge.
4. Laundry football
Now you might be a football fan, and the above just aren’t cutting it for you.
If you have a laundry basket, put any laundry in to wash and then turn the basket on its side.
Then, find old or clean clothing you're prepared to use; scrunch it up into a ball. Then give yourself a minute to kick the scrunched-up laundry into the basket. You can increase the time, the number of targets you have, or use a normal football.
Adaption: If you’re unable to kick the scrunched-up laundry, then feel free to have the laundry basket standing as normal and throw it in. Just change the distance from where you throw, or have the basket standing on top of a chair to make it difficult. Also, feel free to change it from old clothes to whatever you feel comfortable holding. As well as the time to complete the game.
Hopefully, you now have some fun ideas of keeping active at home without having to fork out for a Peleton or if you have to self-isolate any time soon.
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