Home Workouts during Quarantine
For many of us, spending more time at home and having our daily routines turned upside down with no office or gym can mean the beginning of unhealthy changes in lifestyle: inactivity, lack of motivation, overeating and boredom. Even worse, not having a set regimen coupled, with the fear and anxiety that comes with watching today's news can increase the occurrence of depression which millions of Americans already suffer from. The first step in avoiding these pitfalls is developing a set schedule to provide order in your life that includes: reaching out to loved ones, developing an existing/new skill, completing tasks, giving/sharing with others and exercise. All of these have been shown to not only improve quality of life through human interaction, goal setting and physical activity; but they are proven ways to help combat anxiety and depression as well. Uncertainty is your enemy in the battle for your mental health, but according to research done with the clinically depressed (1), exercise is definitely proven to be your friend.
Your goal should be to exercise at least 3 times a week, below is a 5 part series of workouts that are full body so you can choose to do which ever one you like each each time you exercise. Many home workouts fail to build the tension/resistance necessary for a quality workout or they fail to have the intensity necessary to get you into great shape. These workouts are more than just a 'a little bit of a pump and some heavy breathing', the intensity is designed to keep you in shape or get you in better shape with little more than a long band and a jump rope. To keep you on track, I'd recommend working out with a partner or in a video chat with friends to keep each other accountable.
"Many home workouts fail to build the tension/resistance necessary for a quality workout or they fail to have the intensity necessary to get you into great shape."
Workout 1
4 rounds- no rest between rounds
Pistol chair squat or Pistol | 4 x 8 reps each leg
Superman push up or regular push up | 4 x 10 reps
6 rounds- 2 minutes rest between rounds
Bulgarian Split Squats (3 seconds lowering) | 6 x 20 reps (10 each side)
Spiderman Push-Ups OR Handstand Push-ups (against a wall or railing) | 6 x 5 reps
Burpee | 6 x 15 reps
6 rounds- 1 minute rest between rounds
Leg Lifts | 6 x 12-15 reps
Single-Leg Glute Bridge (1-sec hold at top) | 6 x 12-15 reps each leg
Workout 2
5 rounds- no rest between rounds
Slow wide grip chair press | 5 x 10 reps
Jump rope | 5 x 50 reps
Towel row | 5 x 15
5 rounds- 2 minutes rest between rounds
Chair Dips | 5 x 8 reps
Hamstring slides | 5 x 6 reps
Mountain Climbers| 5 x 45 seconds
4 rounds- 1 minute rest between rounds
V-ups | 4 x 12 reps
Plank | 4 x One minute
Workout 3
4 rounds- no rest between rounds
Banded push up or pause push up | 4 x 10-12 repetitions
(twist band once to look like the infinity symbol, bring behind your back across your scapula)
Banded curls or dumbbell curls | 4 x 10-12 repetitions
Banded lateral raises or sliding wall lateral raises | 4 x 10-12 repetitions
Banded pause squats (place feet in band, bring behind your neck) | 4 x 15 repetitions
10 minutes:
1 minute work, 1 minute rest
Burpee’s max effort
4 rounds- 2 minutes rest between rounds
Scissor kicks | 4 x 15 repetitions
Knee reaches | 4 x 20 repetitions
Workout 4
5 rounds- no rest between rounds
Assisted single arm push up | 5 x 8 repetitions
Jump rope| 5 x 1 minute
Single arm towel row | 5 x 8 repetitions
5 rounds- 1 minute rest between rounds
Wall skull crusher | 5 x 10 repetitions
Banded Russian Deadlifts | 5 x 15 repetitions
Squat jump | 5 x 15 repetitions
5 rounds- 1 minute rest between rounds
Single-Leg Glute Bridge (2-sec hold at top) | 5 x 12 repetitions each leg
Twisting crunches | 5 x 12 repetitions
Workout 5
5 rounds- no rest between rounds
Pike push up | 5 x 8 repetitions
Alternating leg toe touch | 5 x 20 repetitions each leg
Pistol | 5 x 8 minute
5 rounds- 1 minute rest between rounds
Close grip push up | 5 x 8 repetitions
Towel Lat Pull down | 5 x 6 repetitions
Jumping split squat | 5 x 20 repetitions
6 rounds
Side Plank |6 x 45 seconds
1.Craft LL, Perna FM. The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2004;6(3):104–111.
