Workout During Lockdown

In the current situation, with gyms closed and limited opportunities to move outside, all that remains is to improvise on what can be found in the safety of home. I assume that not everyone managed to prepare for this apocalyptic reality without gyms and buy a couple of one-arms, a squatting stand and a set of machines for the living room. That's why I prepared a few exercises that will reliably replace the gym for a few weeks. You don't even have to really buy any equipment.

The first thing are SQUATS of course. However, classic body-weight squats can be done by regular gym visitors, who train them with considerable added load, for dozens or even hundreds of repetitions, but without the necessary stimulus for strength and hypertrophy. Therefore, it is advisable to perform them, for example, for warming up, but then to include various more demanding modifications. For example, squats on one leg with support (Bulgarian squats),or without it (pistol squat) are offered.

However, squats and their more demanding modifications are not something that many experienced athletes would not be able to cope with. It is more a question of how it is possible to replace the machines for which we actually go to the gym. Here I will show you how to replace quads and hamstring curl machines, with only a floor and a towel.

I practice HAMSTRINGS CURLS by lying on my back with a folded towel under my heels. I press my hands to the ground, pull the toes to the knees, tighten the buttock muscles and exhale pull the towel to the body only by bending the knees (I do not bend the hips). Slowly stretch with a breath and then do another repetition . For those who find it too easy, they can also try the single-leg variant.

I replace the LEG EXTENSIONS with the following variant. Kneel on the floor and put a towel or mat under your knees. Tighten your buttocks, strengthen your torso and slowly start to move backwards as low as your knees allow. Then return with exhalation, but not to a completely upright position to maintain constant tension and repeat.

Gold classics are notorious PUSH-UPS. Of course, they can be performed anywhere and at any time and have a significant potential, which is underestimated by many fitness visitors. Of course, there are also other, more demanding variants, such as legs resting on the wall, or even push-ups on one hand.

Another exercise is the so-called ANTI-REFLECTING STRETCHING OF THE ARMS lying on the abdomen. This consists of placing yourself on your stomach, placing your hands in the form of a candlestick, and stretching them forward, while returning with a breath. Be careful not to raise your elbows, your forearms are always parallel to the ground. If you want a more demanding exercise, holding two bottles, filled as needed, will do.

Ideally, the push-ups can be combined with pull-up exercises, specifically with horizontal pull-outs on the suspension system (if you have one). HORIZONTAL PULL-UPS (or rowing with your own weight) can also be practiced between two chairs, but they must be more robust so that you do not tip them over the first time.

ABS -we will again need a smooth floor and a folded towel. We place it under the palms and we can do the same as an exercise with a wheel or under the toes.

Exercise with a towel under the palms is performed by strengthening the torso and buttocks and slowly lowering the towel forward (inhaling) and returning (exhaling) without bending in the hips. Exercise with a towel under the toes is performed by pulling it to the resting palms with an exhalation and returning with a breath. Again, pay attention to strengthening the torso and buttocks and try to avoid bending the hips and loosening the shoulder blades.

I usually try to perform all those exercises every second day after a short run, I never count repetitions or sets. I prefer to enjoy my workout rather then being under pressure warrying of failure not to complete my prescribed training plan. I always perform as much reps as I can, then change the exercise and then maybe coming back to the previous one and perform again.