Part 2 of our fitness circuits for people self isolating during these troubled times. Stay safe, but keep active.
Welcome to our second Lockdown Workout. Hoping you are all healthy and well. This current world crisis with the coronavirus is a true test of character, stay strong and keep positive.
Furthermore if you are well and asymptomatic, then keeping active and working towards a healthy mind and body will boost your immune system, make you more resilient mentally and physically. If you are experiencing a lot of anxiety of negative energy then be sure to put it to good use! Bottling it up whilst stuck in the house is not a healthy coping mechanism.
Aim to make exercise a key part of your daily routine. Do it first thing in the morning (after coffee) and do a lighter workout again later on if you can.
Lets aim to come out of this crisis sharper and stronger than ever.
Why it's important to exercise now?
High levels of stress are natural during an event such as the COVID 19 scare.
Exercise is a healthy coping mechanism for tackling stress. Burn that negative energy out of your system and put it to good use!
Exercise keeps you away from unhealthy coping mechanisms (alcohol/drugs/cigarettes).Aim to make progress not self-destruction.
Apathy – one of the seven deadly sins can kick in all too easy if you let it.Turn Netflix off, at least for an hour and get active!
Once the pandemic is contained you are going to have to go back to work and your normal routine. Do you want to go back as a slob or fighting fit and ready for duty?
A healthy body creates a positive outlook which creates a healthy mind. Stay active, stay positive.
“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.”
– Helen Keller
The Circuit
Equipment required: The exercises in the Lockdown Workout will be a combination of bodyweight exercises and dumbbell or kettlebell exercises (doesn’t matter which one you have). If you don’t have access to weights of any kind then it’s time to get creative. Consider using plastic bottles with handles in place of weights (for ideas see our section on Home Workout equipment).
Warm ups
(Always warm up before starting any routine). Start by performing mobility drills on shoulders, hips, ankles, wrist and neck muscles. Use light core stretches to activate the muscle groups we shall be using.
After mobility drills use three rounds of the warm-up drills below.
The Exercises
The Lockdown Workout contains 12 exercises with 3-5 rounds. Do each exercise reps as prescribed and flow from one exercise to the next. Each exercise will increase by 2 reps with each round ( for example, first round 6 reps, second round 8 reps etc) with little to minimum rest (15 seconds max rest). Concentrate on good effort and technique and try not to exceed rest times. Keep going.
3 rounds (beginner) 4 rounds (intermediate) or 5 rounds (advanced). Allow between 15/30/60 seconds rest at the end of each round (as per your fitness level – Keep as short as possible). On the final round (ignore the clock/timer) and aim for as many reps as possible (i.e. to failure).