They say variety is the spice of life and that may ring true right now more than ever.
At-home workouts can get monotonous quickly and a change might be just what you need to keep moving.
But, when you are living in lockdown and the norm is not the norm, then finding that variety can be tougher than usual.
The good news in terms of fitness is that you do not need much equipment or space to mix up your at-home workouts. A change of scenery can freshen things up and a change in equipment can add a new physical challenge by working your muscles in different and new ways. Both can also help alleviate the monotony if you have been keeping yourself moving through the same activities while social distancing.
Running or walking around the block may have taken off the edge during the first few weeks of your life in lockdown but you might now be looking for something else.
Make the most of what you have at your disposal. Do you have a step you can use, or a set of stairs at home? Is there a quiet set of stairs nearby that you can utilise and which won't have the traffic more prominent positions usually attract.
I love a good stair session but my favourite set is a definite no-go zone at the moment and I am having some massive withdrawals. Instead, I have taken to using our front verandah steps in a range of workouts.
Jane Fonda has been spruiking the benefits of a step workout since the 80s and you don't have to look too far online to find some of her clips for inspiration. If you are a regular at gym step classes then you should have an arsenal of moves up your sleeve already.
If not, don't despair. I tried a couple and was always a few steps behind, pardon the pun. But you can still get a good sweat up and leg burn of a workout comprising a few standard step moves.
One is your basic step-up. Starting with both feet on the ground, step up your left foot then right before stepping down in the same order. Walk it, add a knee raise or do it at a jog to make it more intense.
Another is the switch step. Start with left foot up on the step and right on the ground then switch them. Ten or 20 or those will get the heart rate up. If you are lucky enough to have a two-storey house then walking up and down these for 20 minutes should keep you challenged. You might do that a couple of times a week and walk around your neighbourhood on other days for a less intense workout.
You can intersperse stairs with strength exercises, such as push-ups, squats, rows or planks. This would give a good total body workout.
If you only have one step, then there is plenty you can do with that too. Here are a few suggestions to challenge yourself by using a step as part of your at-home workouts:
20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. Pick five exercises you can do on a step and rotate them for 20 minutes, with eight sets of each before moving on to the next one. For example, step-ups with a knee raise, incline push-ups (using the step for hand placement, feet on the ground), switch steps, lunges with your back foot on the step (do four sets on each leg), step burpees (hands on step, feet on ground).
Stair circuit. Set your timer around one-minute changes and vary rests depending on your fitness. This could be 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest. It could be 45 seconds on, 15 off. Or no rest, just progressing straight to the next exercise. Try three times through of: running step-ups, squats, step-ups with a knee raise, push-ups, switch steps, dead lift with rows, tricep dips on step.
The leg burner. 30 seconds of step-ups, 30 seconds switch steps, 30 seconds step-ups, 10 squats, 10 lunges each leg, run or walk around your block. Three times through.
Building up. Start with two of each exercise, all using a step, and work up to 10 of each and then back down to two. Try switch stairs, push-ups, burpees, step-ups with a knee raise, lunges, tricep dips.
Continuous stairs. If you have a decent set of stairs then split your day up with 10-minute periods of walking up and down them.
If you don't have a step, then all of the above workouts can still be done. The main thing at the moment is to keep moving at your own pace. Start slowly and only progress as you feel more comfortable and confident to do so. And if you have found something that is working then just stick to that.
As always, add a warm-up and cool-down to your workouts. Choose range of motion exercises, such as squats, push-ups, arm circles and shoulder rolls to warm up and finish with static stretching.
Related content:
At-home workouts
(20 minutes, incorporating a step)
Option 1 (lower intensity) 30 seconds on, 30sec rest: Walking step-ups, squats, push-ups, step-ups, lunges, bent-over rows. Repeat twice.
Option 2, (moderate intensity): 10sec jogging step-ups, 2 squats, 2 push-ups, 2 lunges each leg, 2 dead lifts with a row. 20sec step-ups, 4 x each exercise. 30sec step-ups, 6 x each exercise. 40sec step-ups, 8 x each exercise. 50sec step-ups, 10 x each exercise. Work back down to 2 for an added challenge.
Option 3, (higher intensity): 5 x [30 sec jogging step-ups, 30sec switch steps, 10 squats with shoulder press, 20 diagonal lunges, 5 push-ups with dumbbell rows, 20 plank jacks].
- Renee Valentine is a journalist, qualified personal trainer and mother of three.
