One of the biggest challenges we face when trying to keep fit at home is space. Most workouts require a lot of space, which often means you have to leave your house and get fit somewhere else. With everything going on at the moment — and the restrictions that have been placed on us — some of us might not be able to keep fit the way we are used to because we are mostly confined to our homes. This guide is aimed at people who want to maximise results whilst keeping the amount of space needed to a minimum. With that being said, here are some ways to get fit at home that save you time and space.
Diet
What you eat and drink has a big impact on how you feel. Your diet is the groundwork for your physical and mental well being. Everyday Health outlines what food you should and shouldn’t eat if you’re trying to stay and feel fit. They advocate the consumption of foods that are rich in Fibre, Protein or Fatty acids, such as Omega-3, and recommend limiting the amount of refined sugar in your diet. This is because sugar dense food causes a spike and subsequent drop in your blood sugar and insulin levels, which can lead to fatigue. A healthy diet can prevent this.
Stretching and Meditation
Stretching and Mobility are not just warm-ups for workouts, they can be a great way to exercise in small spaces. They don’t require a lot of time either and can fit into a busy schedule. Although the usual benefits associated with these types of exercises, such as increased flexibility, are usually only felt after continuous regular practice, stretching and mobility also have some immediate effects. Amongst others, these include immediate stress reduction as well as an increased blood flow.
The latter benefits will make you feel awake and leave you feeling alert and fitter even after just a few minutes. This is because a higher blood flow means that more nutrients are transported around your body at a much higher rate.
When combined with mindfulness, stretching has the added benefit of improving mental health as well. In fact, there are many forms of low-intensity workouts that have similar effects on the mind and body, such as yoga or tai chi. These ancient forms of meditation have maintained their relevance for so long because they have proven time and time again how amazing they are for mind and body.
Callisthenics and HIIT
In a broad stroke, callisthenics can be described as exercises that target big muscle groups without the use of external weights, relying instead on the weight and resistance of the body itself. Callisthenics involve exercises such as push-ups or sit-ups, amongst many others. The fact that no equipment is required means that you don’t need any extra storage space in your house; all you really need is a 2x2m area so you can get started on the basics.
HIIT, or as it’s otherwise known, High-Intensity Interval Training is a form of cardiovascular exercise. Luckily, the name of this form of exercise is pretty self-explanatory. In essence, a HIIT routine involves any type of exercise or group of exercises that are performed in alternating intervals of high-intensity and low-intensity or rest periods. Check out this example routine for inspiration.
Combining HIIT with Callisthenics is, in my opinion, the best way to feel fitter at home. This combination usually requires the least amount of time, equipment, and space whilst also being highly effective. There are many routines out there that range from beginner to expert level — all specifically designed to be done at home and without equipment (like this 30-minute work-out for beginners or this list by Men’s Health).
Skipping, unlike HIIT, is a full-body steady-state cardio workout, which also includes jogging, but can be far more effective in terms of burning calories at least. Skipping can burn more calories than running whilst also being a safer option. A professional boxer, for example, burns upwards of 10 calories a minute, depending on their rpm.
Exercises with Equipment
If, however, you are in the market for some equipment, I’d recommend getting adjustable dumbbells or resistance bands. These two pieces of equipment take up very little space and are easily packed away whilst remaining extremely versatile. You can tackle nearly every major muscle group by manipulating them in various ways through a range of exercises.
Another piece of equipment that is on my personal list of essentials is a good skipping rope; a boxing one is ideal for more advanced skipping, but really any skipping rope will do for beginners. Skipping requires slightly more room and you probably won’t be able to do it inside your house or flat, but it also doesn’t require a huge amount of space. If you don’t have a garden or front lawn, you likely won’t have to travel far outside your home to find all the space you need.
In summary
Gyms have now closed again here in the UK, but that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our health as well. There are many ways to stay fitter at home and nearly every individual should be able to find something that works well for them and their surroundings. Although you may not be used to working out at home, keep an open mind.
Of course, this guide is more directed at a quick fix during a busy day at home; yet including these techniques listed above into full workouts is always a possibility. You could take elements from each of these ideas and combine them into a full hour-long workout if you wish to do so. Hopefully, it can tide you over until gyms are open again, until then, stay in, stay healthy and stay fit.
Written by Matt Wilkinson
Matt is an English Literature graduate from the University of Sussex with a passion for physical and mental health. Having had his own struggles with mental well being, he is keen to use his own experiences with meditation and mindfulness to help others find their way to a more fulfilling and rewarding way of life.
