Remote work has undoubtedly many advantages. It allows you to save time and set up an office in almost every corner of the Earth. However, every stick has two ends. Staying at home is associated with less physical activity, decreased physical fitness and frequent muscle pain. How to get off the couch? In this article we will present specific exercises and training tips that you can use even in a small apartment. This is the fruit of collaboration with personal trainer Olga Lipczyńska, who shared with us her ideas for physical activity at home. 3, 2, 1… Let’s get started!
Physical activity at home, or how to get off the couch
You already want to start training and you are nervously shuffling your feet looking for PROMISED exercises in the post? Stop for a moment. We need to talk about your motivation.Otherwise, this workout plan will end up where your last New Year’s resolution ended up. ?
This time, let’s do it effectively, that is… in small steps. It is best to start physical activity at home with one workout per week. Find something that suits you best. Maybe it’s yoga, stretching, or cardio? Adjust the intensity of the exercise to your ability and most importantly:
“Make changes gradually, don’t throw yourself in at the deep end right away. It’s better to start with one or two 30-minute workouts a week than exercising for an hour every day. If you suddenly start exercising every day after doing nothing, your body will quickly feel tired and weak, which is demotivating – your body will simply start demanding some rest.” – says personal trainer, Olga Lipczyńska.
So let’s start slowly, with small steps. Answer the question: Do you even have the proper workout conditions in your apartment? Do you have the right equipment?
Physical activity at home WITHOUT EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT
In spite of appearances, physical activity at home does not require expensive equipment or huge space. All you need is strong motivation and a bit of imagination.
Personal trainer, Olga Lipczynska, explains:“A very good workout can be done using your own body weight. Proper technique is very important here. It is worth having an exercise mat, especially if you prefer yoga or stretching. I highly recommend a set of mini bands of different resistance (usually a set of 4 bands). Instead of dumbbells, you can use 0.5-1 l water bottles.”
So you can start your workout without buying expensive equipment. However, purchasing sporting goods can provide additional motivation to exercise.For example, you can assume that after 2 weeks of regular workouts you buy yourself a smartwatch. With it, you will set specific goals, check your progress and ultimately achieve even better results. If you are looking for a good smartwatch we recommend Forever ForeVigo2. More information about its features can be found in a separate article: Forever ForeVigo2 SW-310 – stylish design, power and great priceund smartwatch.
We’ re done with the basics, so it’s time to move on to specifics. We present exercises that will help you stay healthy and well while working remotely.
5 exercises to do at home
Physical activity at home doesn’t significantly differ from that performed at the gym. Our training should always start with a warm-up and end with stretching. This will help us avoid painful injuries.
So start DEFINITELY with the exercises from group 1, depending on your preferences, motivation and time available, choose one or more exercises from groups 2-4. At the end do not forget about stretching. The whole exercise should take you from 15 to 30 minutes. A small price to pay for health and wellness, right?
Warm-up exercises to do at home – 6 min
The purpose of the warm-up is to prepare your body for physical activity. The exercises in this group will raise your body temperature and increase muscle flexibility, thus preventing possible injuries. Here are our ideas for warm-up exercises at home:
Perform a quick jog in place.
Jump up and do a jumping jack while lifting your arms overhead. Return to the starting position. Repeat this several times.
Tilt your head to the right shoulder and hold it with your hand. Change sides.
Pull the head towards the chest and then pull it back. Repeat this several times.
Perform dynamic arm circles forward and backward.
Twist the trunk without lifting the feet from the floor.
Turn your body while keeping your feet on the floor.
Perform an inward and outward circulation with your right foot without lifting your big toe from the floor. Change the foot.
By the way, we would like to remind you that walking is also a great form of warm-up exercise. According to personal trainer, Olga Lipczyńska: “Even marathon runners include walking in their training plan, which is an extremely important training unit! It’s worth setting a daily goal of the number of steps you’ve walked – for example, 10,000 steps a day”.
Arm exercises without equipment – 8 min
As we’ve already mentioned, you don’t need expensive equipment at all to start working out. If you don’t have dumbbells – just replace them with water bottles.You also don’t need a lot of time. The following arm exercises will not take you longer than 10 minutes.
Raise your arms to your side and do small arm circles. Remember to keep your arms straight at the elbows.
Extend your arms upward and then lower them, keeping a right angle between your shoulder and forearm. Repeat this exercise several times.
Sit on the floor and place your hands behind your back. Lift your lumbar spine up. Remember to maintain right angles. Hold this position for a moment and then lower your hips. Repeat this 10 times.
Now move to the crab position. Try walking a few steps to the left and to the right. Remember not to lower your hips to the floor.
Try to bend your body into an inverted V, with both feet and hands on the floor. Lift your hips as high as possible to the ceiling. Hold this position.
Get down on your hands and knees and turn your palms with your fingers towards your feet. You should feel an intense stretch in your forearm muscles.
Straighten your right hand at the elbow. Your hand should be an extension of your forearm. Tilt your hand to the left. Pull your arm toward your body using your left hand.
Interval training – 9 minutes
Interval training is a great way to burn fat and improve your condition. However, it puts a lot of strain on your body, so we recommend including it in your training plan not more than 2-3 times a week. Interval training at home should depend on your physical fitness. If you feel that you can’t handle it – increase the amount of time you spend walking between intervals.
Do dynamic rope jumping. Try to exercise at 80-90% of your capacity, then switch to walking, which will calm your heart rate and even out your breathing.
Perform a box sprint. Remember to bring your knees up and keep your hands parallel to the floor. Switch to walking.
Keep your legs apart; your knees should be slightly bent outward. Keep your back straight. If you don’t have dumbbells – use water bottles. In this position, do squats with both arms raised. Go to the walk.
Repeat the exercise if necessary. Remember, however, that it should not take longer than 20-30 minutes.
Back exercises to do at home – 10 min
If you’ve been working remotely for a long time, you’re more than likely to struggle with back pain. It may be the result of an unergonomic workplace or reduced physical activity at home. Often painful conditions involve the lower back, or lumbosacral region. The back muscles protect our spine and help to maintain the proper posture of the entire body, so it is worth finding a moment for back exercises, for example, during a long break at work.
Get down on your hands and knees. Draw your lumbar spine to the ground, looking toward the ceiling (cow pose).
Bird dog pose from yoga. Raise your left arm and right (make sure each of your arms is parallel to the floor). Return to initial position. Change sides.
Lift both arms, keeping your back straight. If you don’t have dumbbells, use water bottles.
Half wipers position. Without pulling your arms and chest out, move your joined legs left and right.
Classic Plank. Your spine and legs should form a single line. Hold this position for 15 seconds to 2 minutes.
Stretching exercises to do at home – 6 min
At the end of every workout you can’t forget to do some stretching. It will help your muscles relax and recover. Stretching exercises at home will also help you de-stress and oxygenate your bodily tissues.
Lie on the floor and, with your hands intertwined, draw both legs toward you. Remember to press your sacrum to the floor. You may try leaning slightly to either side.
Sit on the floor. Straighten your right leg, bend your left leg and pull your foot in. Lean towards the straightened leg, keeping your spine straight. Hold this position for about 1 minute.
Leave your legs in the previous position. Try to pull the right foot with the right hand. Raise the left hand behind the head and tilt the upper part of the body to the straightened leg. Change sides.
Child’s Pose. Relax your neck muscles and keep your hands on the floor. Try to reach as far forward as possible. Hold this position for 1 minute.
Physical activity at home – summary
Remember that physical activity at homeshould be enjoyable for you. The basis of every workout must be your well-being. Do your exercises regularly, listening to your body. If you are looking for additional motivation, invest in a good speaker, such as Forever Toob 30. Music will certainly release in you additional layers of energy. Good luck!
Article was written in cooperation with personal trainer Olga Lipczyńska. You can find ForeVive2 smartwatch and Forever Toob 30 speaker in selected online stores.
TelForceOne, owner of the Forever brand, is a part of the Polish TelForceOne S.A. Capital Group and one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of consumer electronics in Poland, as well as Central and Eastern Europe. The company’s portfolio includes modern mobile solutions, consumer electronics and mobile phone accessories.
