Your at-home guide to working out while the gyms are shut

With gyms across the country closed due to lockdown 2.0, you may be struggling to keep up with your usual exercise routine. But it’s more important than ever to stay motivated and keep fit and healthy over the winter months. This handy guide will explore some workouts you can try from home, what equipment to invest in (if any) and common injuries to be aware of. 

Workouts to try from home 

If you’re a regular gym-goer, you may struggle to think of fun and exciting ways to exercise while centres are shut. But rest assured there are many great workouts you can do from the comfort of your own home, that’ll raise your heart rate and work your muscles.  

For instance, you can easily do bodyweight workouts in a small space in your home, without forking out on equipment. You could include exercises like air squats, mountain climbers, sit-ups and lunges. If you want to focus on cardio, then you could head out running or cycling and enjoy some fresh air. Or, if you want to stretch after sitting at a desk all day, then a 30-minute yoga flow will do the trick. 

What to invest in (and what not to!) 

If you’re keen to enjoy the same great workouts while the gym is closed, you may be tempted to invest in some equipment to use at home. Yet it can be tricky to figure out what’s worth investing in and what’s not. The key is to avoid splurging on items you’ll hardly ever use, instead focusing on equipment that you’ll get regular use out of. For instance, if you mainly do weight training, dumbbells, a bar and kettlebell may be worth buying. You should also consider the amount of space you have at home – there’s no point buying a treadmill or cross trainer if you’ve nowhere to put it!  

You may also want to invest in some online exercise classes to keep you motivated to workout at home. Programmes like Peloton may be a good option, which allow you to stream classes online and follow an instructor. 

Common injuries to be careful of 

While exercising is good for your overall health and wellbeing, unfortunately injuries can happen – often due to poor technique or situations outside our control. Some of the most common injuries from working out include pulled muscles, bone breaks, fractures or sprains, shin splints and cuts and grazes.  

If you do get injured while exercising without a trainer around, it’s important to get it checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible. Remember – if you’ve been injured and it wasn’t your fault, you may be able to claim compensation. For instance, if you’ve been injured due to a damaged pavement or other circumstances outside your control.  

Whether you go out for a run, do a bodyweight workout in the living room, or an early morning yoga flow – simply moving your body and exercising will be good for your overall health and wellbeing. Which type of workout will you choose?