Maintaining your Workout Routine
With the shelter-in-place in full swing, many of my clients and friends have been wondering how they’ll be able to continue their normal workout at home in order to maintain strength and fitness during this quarantine.
Truthfully, your “normal” workout routine won’t be the same, but that doesn’t mean that you have to stop exercising altogether. You may need to readjust your goals and focus on different things for the time being (like that rehab and mobility work you’ve been neglecting for the last year). You can also get more creative if you have limited equipment at home. Do bodyweight workouts or utilize everyday items for weight: a gallon of water, 5-gallon water jugs, or a bottle of laundry detergent. It may seem ridiculous, but weight is weight, and exercise is just movement. While the gym makes life a lot easier, it’s just a luxury. You don’t NEED a gym in order to maintain health and fitness.
Weight is weight, and exercise is just movement.
What Equipment Do I Need?
If you’re set on purchasing equipment, the most versatile and cost-effective equipment I recommend are resistance bands and loop bands. Check out my Instagram page @rawathleticspt for full-body workout ideas using these pieces of equipment!
Most other pieces of traditional home-gym equipment have been hard to find, or they’re on backorder. On top of that, it’s not reasonable for most people to have a squat rack, bench, barbell, plates, and dumbbells at home. Most of this equipment is expensive and takes up a significant amount of space.
If you’re still desperate to find a temporary replacement for heavier weights, you can create your own sandbags. Sand is cheap, readily available at stores like Lowes or Home Depot, and makes for a great weight alternative.
The Bigger Picture
In the grand scheme of things, this is just a short period in time, and we’ll be back to the gym before you know it. Health is a lifelong goal, and sheltering-in-place is part of that. It’s not worth it to try and find someone who will let you use their home gym, hang out with friends to play sports, or work out with your trainer. Many trainers and group exercise teachers are now offering free virtual classes utilizing little to no equipment. Some, including myself, offer online training or are continuing their regular personal training sessions via video chat. Now, more than ever, you need to trust that your fitness professionals have your best interest in mind.
Stop stressing out about the equipment you don’t have, and start focusing on the things you can do!
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