With many gyms and fitness classes being temporarily closed, I’m sharing my favorite at home workouts that don’t require any fancy equipment.
Exercise and Stress
Studies show that exercise can relieve stress, help with depression and improve cognitive function. According to a study from Harvard Health, exercise reduces stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) and stimulates the production of endorphins, which act as natural painkillers and mood enhancers.
In addition to being a way to help ease anxiety, it’s also a good way to improve your heart health and keep your immunity up.
Working Out at Home
With the majority of the world participating in self quarantines, many gyms or fitness classes have been temporarily closed. The weather is also cold, rainy or snowy at this time of year for a lot of places.
So that leaves working out from home, which for many is unknown territory.
As a stay at home mom/entrepreneur living on a single income – I haven’t belonged to a gym for years. Instead, I rely on at home workouts and fitness programs to get in my fitness.
My Favorite At Home Workouts
It goes without saying that everyone’s level of fitness is different and so is the type of equipment (if any) you have at home. I don’t have any major fitness equipment but have found that these basics have helped me workout successfully at home –
- hand weights in varying sizes
- a mat
- booty bands
Many of my favorite home workout sites don’t require anything that using your bodyweight…perfect if you don’t have any weights at all.
My Favorite Resources for Home Workouts
There are so many great resources around the web for home based workouts, these are ones that I’ve tried before personally and enjoyed.
Tone It Up
I’ve been a huge fan of Tone It Up for years and years now. Started by two women that loved working out and wanted to create a community of women that supported each other while working out at home.
It’s upbeat, positive and all videos are designed to be completed at home with noting more than some hand weights and a mat.
Since the Coronovirus started, the wonderful creators of Tone It Up are offering for new members to sign up for their app for FREE for 30 days. How awesome is that? If you don’t feel like using their app, they have tons of amazing videos posted online for free.
PaleOMG
Juli from PaleOMG is in amazing shape and graciously shares a lot of her workouts on her website. She has an amazing strength program available for purchase on her site as well.
Her workouts are tough but afterwards you feel so strong and bad ass!
AKT by Anna Kaiser
Anna Kaiser’s AKT Program is so fun but tough at the same time. It’s a blend of dance-based cardio and strength. It’s upbeat and leaves you smiling and sweaty at the same time.
You can sign up for a free trial on her website to figure out if it’s something you enjoy before committing.
Barre Workouts with Coach Kel
I love barre class workouts and Coach Kel on YouTube offers free barre workouts you can do in your own home. No special equipment is required and they are fun but leave you feeling delightfully sore the next day.
My Quarantine Goals for Fitness
The kids are out of school for at least the next month due to the virus risk, so I’m taking it day by day and not putting much pressure on myself to try and stick to a schedule.
At this point I have created the following personal fitness goals just for fun during this anxious time in society –
- Work up to being able to do 10 really great form straight leg push ups (at this point I can only do them on my knees and not very well)
- Find a daily/weekly stretching program to help increase my flexibility
- Take it day by day and get in some form of just movement to help with anxiety and mood
Join the Community
If you have any home workout sites or resources that you love, I hope you take a few minutes and share them below.
