You may have been feeling a sense of deja vu last week as coronavirus-induced lockdowns were again put in place all across the nation.
For many who are under stay-at-home restrictions, finding ways to keep moving without your usual gym classes, running groups or sporting teams might prove challenging.
Or those who are still able to go to the gym but have found wearing a mask while working out restrictive, may also be seeking other ways to stay motivated.
The good news is you do not need a lot of space to get a sweat up without venturing too far from home. That is one thing many realised during lockdowns last year.
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?
During lockdown last year, I incorporated our front verandah steps into a range of workouts.
If you are a regular at gym step classes then you should have an arsenal of moves up your sleeve already. But if not, don't stress. A quick google search will unearth a few 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 of 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.
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.
If you don't have a step, then all of the above workouts can still be done with a slight adjustment. The main thing at the moment is to keep moving at your own pace.
Send your health and fitness news to r.valentine@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Renee Valentine is a journalist, qualified personal trainer and mother of three.
