In the wake of the pandemic, many people are still nervous about going to the gym. Worry no more, here is a simple way to get fit at home with a 4-week “get started on fitness” with 5 simple exercises.
Many of us have lost a bit of fitness during the pandemic, and some of us are still anxious about going to the gym, especially if we have to mask up during exercise. But here’s a solution for getting fit without needing to leave the house with this 4-week program following 5 simple exercises.
Perform these exercises every other day, allowing one day in-between to rest and recover.
When performing the exercise routine, make sure to rest at least one minute between each different exercise.
As your fitness improves, increase the number of repetitions. By the 4th week of the program, you should be performing 20 repetitions of each exercise.
Before beginning any fitness program, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) exercise guidelines. If you have health issues, consult your physician to make sure you are healthy enough to perform these exercises.
-Stand with your arms at your sides as your feet 6-8 inches apart.
Jump slightly off the ground while spreading your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width, and at the same time bring both arms up and over your head.
-Then landing on the balls of your feet, jump slightly off the ground again and bring your feet back to the original starting position and your arms back at your sides.
-Keep your knees bent slightly throughout and your elbows loose.
Perform 10 repetitions.
-Place your feet about shoulder-width apart. Turn your feet outward to what is comfortable, anywhere between 5-30 degrees. Keep your head up, looking forward, and keep your chest up.
-Bend your knees, while pushing your hips back, and keeping your back straight. Flex your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Don’t bend any deeper.
-*Note: If getting your hips parallel is painful, then bend to whatever depth is pain-free.
-You can keep your arms at your sides, or put your hands together, and bend your elbows as you dip.
-Hold the bend for a few seconds, then return to the starting position.
-Perform 10 repetitions.
-*Advanced version: Hold a lightweight dumbbell (5-10 pounds) in each hand. If you don’t have dumbbells, you can hold a one-gallon container of water in each hand.
-Lay flat on the floor. Bend your knees until your feet are flat. Cross your arms over your chest.
-Bring your head and shoulders forward as one until you feel the “crunch” of your muscles tightening in your abdomen. Try to keep your head, neck, and shoulders moving as a single unit, not bending or straining your neck.
-Breathe out as you crunch forward.
-Breathe in as you lower your torso back to the starting position.
-Perform 10 repetitions.
-Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands at your hips.
-Step forward with your right leg, flexing both knees, and lowering your left knee toward the floor.
-Bring your right leg back to the starting position.
-Next, step forward with your left leg, flexing both knees, and lowering your right knee toward the floor.
-Bring your left leg back to the starting position.
-This completes one repetition.
-Perform 10 repetitions.
-*Advanced version: Hold a lightweight dumbbell (5-10 pounds) in each hand. If you don’t have dumbbells, you can hold a one-gallon container of water in each hand.
-Begin by lying flat on the floor, face toward the floor, with your legs extended outward on your toes. Position your hands outside your shoulders, elbows bent. Then position your palms down, and push your upper up off the floor with your hands, straightening your elbows. Keep your back rigid and legs straight.
-Hold for one second, then lower yourself back toward the floor.
-Just before your chest touches the floor, press yourself back up and repeat.
-Perform 10 repetitions.
