The recent COVID-19 pandemic is obviously alarming, and, more than that, it can be a disruption in our everyday lives. We should all take care of ourselves—and each other—by “socially distancing” ourselves. That being said, you don’t want to use it as an excuse to NOT exercise and take care of yourself.
So… just what CAN you do?
Nutrition
First, we can focus on our nutrition. The more whole foods we eat (instead of processed ones) the more equipped our body’s immune systems will be. Hopefully, you have enough staples to last a couple weeks.
Personally, I stocked up (but tried to avoid overkill) on whole foods like these:
- Oats and oat bran
- Dried grains
- Legumes
- Canned beans
- Veggie stock for soups
- Frozen lean meats
- Frozen veggies
- Frozen fruits
- Nuts & seeds
- Nut butters like almond butter
- Bone broth protein
- Nut milk
- Rice cakes & frozen tortillas
Whatever your family’s favorite foods, try to avoid overdoing it on processed carbs, sugars and meats, and remember to drink plenty of water!
Fresh Air and Sunshine
The second thing we can do is get fresh air and sunshine! The virus doesn’t seem to hold up in the heat, and as the weather warms it’s a great time to get outside for some long walks, moderate bike rides or solo yoga in the park.
This may not sound “intense,” but it can be especially important if you’re feeling cooped up. Plus in times of stress “intense” isn’t necessarily best for the central nervous system.
Exercising at Home
Thirdly, we want keep that lean muscle activated!
I practice the principle of “consistency beats intensity”, and it hasn’t failed me yet. Can’t get to the gym? No problem. You know you’re committed when no matter what you find a way to get your exercise done.
Now, working out from home, with limited equipment, can be a bit challenging to navigate, especially for folks like me who love to hit the weights.
I’ve found through the years that there are really only two things that are needed to keep muscles activated (and even growing), and those two things can easily be met with a home workout. They are….
1) apply the principles of volume and intensity over load, and
2) keep the heart rate up to produce a conditioning / metabolic effect
There is absolutely no reason why you can’t crush an at-home workout with some simple resistance bands. These bands are the exact ones I am using in the video. You don’t even need an anchor. (No excuses!) I also like to have flat bands on hand, a glute loop and dumbbells if you can afford it (but not necessary). If you are interested in dumbbells and have the money to invest, I think this powerblock sets are the best bang for your buck.
A Workout Routine You Can Do At Home
Here’s a quick, but not so easy, 30–40 minute home workout that hits all the muscle groups and gets in a little conditioning at the same time.
Warm-up
If you have access to a foam roller, then I would recommend spending about two minutes working on some thoracic extensions and prepping those glutes.
Next, use whatever warm up you’re accustomed to. I custom build warm ups and cool downs for my coaching clients, but for the sake of simplicity, you can even do one round of the workout at low speed and half reps as your warm up.
Today I am giving you Workout #1. I’ll send out #2 in a couple days, and you can then alternate between the two workouts during this time of quarantine. You can do each workout once per week, but each one can be done up to twice per week.
(How often you do it depends on your fitness level. Start with less frequency and build up from there. Also, depending on current fitness level you may choose to do the entire circuit anywhere from 2 to 4 times through.)
Here we go!
Workout # 1
| Exercise | Reps |
|---|---|
| Bodyweight Squats | x 25 |
| Pushups | x max reps* |
| Lateral Lunges | x 10–15 ea. leg |
| Seated Tubing Rows | x 10–15 |
| Anterior Reaches | x 15–20 ea. leg |
| Lateral Raises (slightly bent over) | x 15–20 |
| Two-Arm Tubing Bicep Curls | x 15–20 |
| Two-Arm Overhead Triceps Extensions | x 15–20 |
| V-Ups | x 10–15 |
| Walkouts | x 5–10 |
| Glute Bridges ** | x 20–30 |
* Tip: if you can do more than 25 pushups use a tube across your back to create resistance.
** The band is optional. You can get a glute loop here. There are lots of brands of both resistance bands and glute loops. I find the BodyLastics brand for tubing to be very durable and reasonably priced. The glute loops and flat bands are everywhere. I don’t make anything off of either of these so if you like something else better go for it!
Cool-down
When you’re done with the workout you can do your favorite stretches. At bare minimum, lay flat on your back with palms up towards the ceiling and breathe deeply for at least 3 minutes.
Conclusion
That’s it! Have fun and don’t hesitate to shoot me an email if you need an alternate exercise nichole@nicholeraecoaching.com. Please remember this isn’t a “custom workout,” so if you’re someone who needs a lot of changes to these exercises you’re probably a good candidate for a custom program or some one-on-one coaching.
Last, here’s a little tip….I know it can be hard to workout at home when you’re not used to it, so if you’re not feeling motivated, try putting on all your normal gym clothes, lace up your shoes, throw on your favorite tunes and get to it! Get your mind right. Productive mindset = productive behaviors.
Look for workout # 2 in a couple days!
Until then… stay consistent.
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P.S. If you’re looking for a custom “at home” workout program fitted specifically to your needs, please check out my services page. I can create a custom home workout for just $137 one time (though this kind of thing is included in my ongoing coaching options as well).
Just shoot me an email and I’ll get you setup!