During this time when we are locked down in our homes, let’s not forget to keep fit. Prasad MG of Zen Sports and Fitness shows some workouts that can be performed easily at home. The key is to focus on intensity and use your time wisely. Strength training exercises especially when doing in a circuit format, can really burn some serious calories.
STAR JUMP WITH TOE TOUCH:
- Stand in a wide leg stance raising our hands up in the air with a high V shape.
- Jump up and squat down joining your feet together.
- Simultaneously bring both the hands down and touch your toes with your fingertips.
- Now jump up in the air, spreading your legs and arms to the starting position.
- Repeat the same as fast as possible.
Note: Make sure to land on your toes and keep your spine neutral when you are squatting down.
LUNGE WITH DUMB BELL ROUND THE CLOCK:
- Form a regular lunge position. Hold a dumbbell with your left hand, keeping your left leg in front.
- Raise your left hand horizontally, straight above overhead and collect it from the right hand at the top most position.
- Bring your right hand horizontally till the floor level as you finish this clockwise movement.
- Exchange the dumbbell underneath your knees while you finish the lunge.
- Do this exercise using your alternative legs and continue as many repetitions and as fast as possible for 45 seconds.
NOTE: Make sure your grip the dumbbell properly. Brace your core throughout the movement and don’t loose balance. Exhale in through upward movement and inhale while you come down.
SINGLE LEG BURPEES
- Start in a push-up position with a single leg lift.
- Pull the knees close to the chest, that is touching the floor.
- Jump up extending your arms over the head and come back to the original push-up position.
- Do this exercise alternating each leg and continue as many repetitions and as fast as possible for 45 seconds.
DECLINE PUSH-UPS WITH SUICIDE PLANK
- Get in a plank position by resting your equal weight on the fore arms and place your legs on 1 or 1.5 feet height bench/chair with shoulder with apart.
- Now straighten your left hand and then your right hand to create a proper push-up position. Take a push-up and then bend your left elbow and right elbow to create a regular suicide plank.
- Repeat the same for 45 seconds.
Note: Make sure to keep your back flat without moving your glutes and keep your core tight.
COURTESY LUNGE:
- Stand with feet, shoulders width apart holding 2 kg single dumbbells in front of your chest from your both hands.
- Move the left leg diagonally behind the right leg.
- Bend your knees and lower the hips until your left knee reaches the ground, simultaneously, do a shoulder press and move slowly back to the starting position.
- Repeat the same for the right leg.
Note: The front knee should never go beyond the toes. Torso should be kept erect while performing the exercise.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENTS:
- 1 set of dumbbells (preferably 1.5 or 2 kgs dumbbells), in case you don’t have dumbbells, use 1 ltr water bottle.
- 1 yoga mat.
- v1 bench or chair.
Note:
- Before you start these exercises, please do two minutes of joint mobility exercises, followed by two minutes of whole-body active stretch.
- Perform these exercises in a circuit format (one after the other).
- Each exercise should be done for 45 seconds and rest for 15 seconds in between.
- Complete all the 5 exercises in 5 minutes and rest for 2 minutes and repeat the same.
- You can do 4 to 5 circuits based on your time availability.
- Once you finish all the circuits, jog for 2 minutes then 5 minutes of proper passive stretch for all the joints.
- These exercises should be performed on alternate days.
- Performing 5 sets of these exercises can burn up to 500 calories. Try to adjust your diet accordingly, I suggest you to do a modified surya namaskara, wherein you should hold every position for 10 seconds of 10 sets each leg to enhance your flexibility and blood circulation.
