Even with Governor Kemp announcing that gyms will be allowed to reopen soon, many Atlantans may not feel safe venturing out to their old workout routines just yet. If you’ve been letting your fitness plans fall to the wayside during quarantine, you can still get back on track. We have some tips and suggestions for how you can get a good workout at home, even if you don’t have your own Peloton or other fancy equipment.
DIY Weights
Several items around your house can act as weights when you don’t have your own set of dumb bells. Filled water bottles, whether they are 12 ounces or a gallon, can make the perfect set of weights, so choose the size that is right for you direct from your fridge or pantry.
Play Cards
You can improvise a full body workout routine using a deck of cards. Assign an exercise to each suit (or color if using Uno cards or something similar), then each number is the rep count. If spades are push-ups and you draw a 10, do 10 push-ups. You can assign additional numbers to the face cards (or special cards in Uno), like a Jack = 15, Queen = 20, etc. One day you can assign push-ups, sit-ups, squats and lunges, then the next day change it up with burpees, jumping jacks, bicep curls (using your water bottles) and crunches.
Take the Stairs
If you have stairs in your home, you can boost your cardio every time you get up. For each snack or bathroom break while working, or each time you walk from room to room throughout your day, do two quick laps up and down your stairs. Doing this as little as 3 times in a day can boost your heart rate enough to continue burning calories. If you live in an apartment, take the stairs not only for your essential travel, but multiple times each day take a trip up and down.