The last time I was in a gym was March 14. The next day, my gym shut down because of the COVID19, and mandatory telework began.
Now after several weeks of closure, our beloved gyms, yoga studios and CrossFit garages may finally be opening their doors and inviting us back.
But should we go?
If you’re still leery about venturing out in public but antsy to get back to sweating, you can still get a great workout at home during COVID19.
How do I get a great workout at home?
Whether you have a small space, little equipment or no equipment, there are still several options available to get your heart rate up, feel some muscle burn and generally get a great workout at home.
Videos Workouts
There are dozens of paid and free video options available on the internet. Preview as many as you can and find what works for you. Here are a few I’ve tried and recommend.
Paid Videos
Beachbody on Demand
Many years ago, I’d purchased the 21-Day Fix DVD set from Beachbody. The appeal of this program was that the videos are only 30 minutes long. I wasn’t interested in spending a lot of time at the gym, so this program was perfect for me. The Lower Fix video gave me a better burn than time I’d spent doing leg curls or squats in the gym.
A good friend and fellow fitness enthusiast turned Beachbody Coach introduced me to the Beachbody on Demand video library subscription. At only $99 a year, it gave me access to every Beachbody workout that was out there. The on-demand video library was a good option for me. I was traveling a lot and this afforded me opportunities to workout anywhere. Once I started dedicating myself to going to the gym, I found that I like lifting weights better than videos. I pivoted away from BOD but kept the subscription.
Once COVID hit, I turned back to my Beachbody on Demand subscription. Because of the gains I’d made at the gym, I needed something a little more intense than the 21-Day Fix.
For this, I turned to the LIIFT4 workout program. These videos are a little longer in length than 21-Day Fix. However, they were still under the time I’d been spending at the gym for each workout. LIIFT4 followed the same schedule I’d been doing at the gym: (Day 1 – Chest/Tri), Day 2- Back/Biceps, Day 3 – Shoulders, Day 4 – Legs).
Although I didn’t have heavy weights at home, the variety of exercises and slow lifting tempo gave me quite a workout. I wasn’t such a fan of the cardio high-intensity interval training )HIIT) moves, mostly because I’m not a fan of really intense cardio in general. But the sessions are in 60, 45 and 30-second intervals, and totally doable
If a video subscription isn’t for you, there are some great FREE options on YouTube.
Free Videos
GymRa on YouTube:
Years ago I stumbled across GymRa when I was looking for dumbbell workouts I could do in my little studio apartment. I wasn’t disappointed. Since then, their video library has grown immensely. They offer dozens of different workouts that not only includes weight training, but Pilates and yoga as well.
I started with this simple yet effective full-body dumbbell workout that is great for beginners. At the time, I kept quitting so I was a beginner over and over again. The workout is short at less than 11 minutes long. If you restart before the cool down and stretch begins at the 10:45 mark, you can run through it twice for a decent workout in a short amount of time.
They recently posted a new 40 minutes vinyasa flow yoga video, which I love. First, you can’t beat yoga on the beach. What I love more than that is Chelsea’s cues on breathing and the overall sequencing or poses. This too is perfect for anyone wanting to begin a yoga practice. She starts with some seated poses, adds in some ab work, then migrates to some standing poses. The standing poses starting with Warrior II are pretty active, but nothing that isn’t achievable for a beginner. This will definitely get you a great workout at home.
Sydney Cummings on YouTube:
I think I love Sydney’s inspirational story more than I love her videos, but the videos are good.
Sydney is a small-town girl from West Virginia. She overcame hardship and heartache to pursue her dream of a career in fitness. Along with her husband, they’ve teamed up to create a YouTube channel of exercise video options.
Sidney released a 30-minute full body dumbbell circuit workout a few days ago and it’s pretty energizing. That being said, there are some things I do dislike about the videos. The warmup moves are a bit intense. Some of the exercise moves throughout all the videos aren’t exactly at the beginner level.
Overall she has a good variety of exercise content in the 30, 40, 50 and 60 minute range and you’re guaranteed to sweat!
Leslie Sansone on YouTube:
I may be showing my age with Leslie’s videos, but I really like them. I recall seeing Leslie’s videos a dozen plus years ago, and considered them suitable for seniors only.
When COVID confinement started, it was still cold outside – too cold for me to want to get bundled up to walk. So I turned to Leslie and her fast 20 minute walk workout. Yep – I walked in place for 20 minutes. And to my surprise, I really liked it! About 7 minutes in, my heart rate was hovering between the fat burn and cardio rate and I was feeling the heat. It was also better to walk in place for 20 minutes during a conference call that it was to sit in my chair and multitask.
Leslie’s video collection includes 1, 3 and 5 miles walks, and in addition some strength and ab workouts for all ages. These are definitely in my YouTube playlist and give me a great workout at home.
Light Weight Dumbbells
Fit, 50 and Fabulous At Home Full Body Workout
If you do have a small collection of dumbbells, I’ve put together a great home workout that will energize you and get a little muscle burn going. It’s my 25x30x2 At Home Full Body Workout.
The idea is simple: you do 25 reps of each exercise, perform a 30 second in between each exercise and complete 2 rounds total = 25x30x2. There’s one exercise for each body part, making it a great full body workout you can get at home.
Here are a couple of tips:
- Since the reps are so high, use a lighter weight than you normally would
- Concentrate on muscle that is lifting and lowering the weight. Don’t let gravity do the work.
Try counting up to 15, then down to 10. Done this way, you’re less likely to lose count. Typically, you start to lose count after 6 reps, so be mindful of the rep count.
You can download a FREE copy of my At-Home Full Body Workout Plan here!
Bodyweight exercises
Fit, 50 and Fabulous At Home Bodyweight Workout
Even with no equipment, you can still get a great workout at home. All you need is a little space and my At Home Bodyweight Workout.
Similar to my 25x30x2 At Hole Full Body Workout, except this is a 3 circuit workout. The same 30 second HIIT move in between each exercise gets your heart pumping and the sweat pouring.
The exercises in this workout engage several muscle groups at once, making it a full-body workout that uses your own body weight.
You can download a FREE copy of my At-Home Bodyweight Workout Plan here!
Conclusion
COVID19 has certainly upended our lives and our daily routines. While it may have robbed you of your freedom of movement, don’t let it rob you of your commitment to exercise. Equipment or no equipment, there are still a multitude of ways to get a great workout at home.