Cost-effective, convenient, comfortable; you can’t deny the barriers that working out from home bulldozes through. Case in point: according to new research from sports equipment specialists sweatband. com, more than a third of people who they surveyed confessed to feeling awkward in public gyms, with a further 52 percent canning their gym memberships in favour of home workouts all together. Need more proof that effective exercise routines can be made at home? Meet the women who have transformed their bodies and minds through the power of home workouts.
“Exercising indoors fits around my life as a busy mum”
Fitness and nutrition expert Penny Weston (welcometomade.com) makes her exercise routine fit around her life, not the other way around
“Before having my son, I used to exercise outside a lot and really enjoyed going for runs and joining in classes at the gym. However, since having Teddy, I’ve had to adapt my routine to fit around him, which means I can exercise indoors before he wakes up in the morning or while he’s napping during the day.
“Now, I’ll typically do a HIIT workout in my garage first thing on a Monday morning because I find that it’s a good way to start the week and sometimes, I’ll follow one of the routines on Made on Demand.
“The other days, I’ll typically try to do an early morning indoor cycle and then yoga sessions from the Made in Demand app. I’m not as experienced with yoga, so I tend to follow a class online to give me direction and the motivation to keep going.
“I love exercising indoors because of the flexibility it gives me to maintain a good fitness routine, which fits around my busy life as a mum and running a business.”
My peloton app made me feel more energised after a stressful day”
Ravina Bhanot, a doctor working on a COVID ward, needed an outlet to relieve the pressure on her shifts
“During lockdown, my shifts were irregular. I was working overtime on the weekends and covering colleagues on the night shifts to help with the extra pressures in hospital. As an NHS doctor on the front line, I needed something other than my infrequent runs to combat the stress.
“I didn’t have access to my exercise bike in the hospital accommodation, so instead, the Peloton app was really useful for me. I’d do a yoga class at 6am when I woke up and then do a strength and cardio session after work – it became a regular part of my day.
Because my shifts were emotionally draining, my indoor workout routine made me feel more energised, and when I was able to finally move back home with my family, I could pick up where I left off on the bike.”
“I realised that when I took care of myself, I could show up for everyone else”
Lawyer and mother-of-two Misasha Suzuki overhauled her workout regime to take better care of herself and her family
“During a time where things were very uncertain, I found it hard to fit everything in. I was dealing with online school for two young sons, my husband working from home, being a part-time litigator, a part-time podcast host, writing my first book and still trying to keep everything else going!
“But I’ve been obsessed with fitness for most of my life, so I needed a new approach that was going to work for me. There was no need to run around to make it to all of my gym classes, so I looked into a few online training platforms and discovered P.volve [a low-impact workout that’s based around functional movements]. I’ve never been a fan of working out from home because I love group fitness classes and find it beneficial to have some feedback, so I was a bit hesitant to leave the gym behind. Now, I’d never go back to the studio! The variety of exercise and the sense of community that exists means that I never get bored and always feel connected to the trainers and fellow Zoom-mates.
“Working out from home has changed my physical and mental strength. I soon realised that when I took care of myself – working out when it was still dark outside, making a healthy breakfast for myself or doing a mental health check-in – it meant that I could show up for everyone else.”
Work a stressful day” with what you’ve got
A lack of dumbbells doesn’t mean press ups and planks for the foreseeable. Need some pointers? Personal trainer and co-founder of Origym Luke Hughes (origympersonal trainingcourses.co.uk) shares his secrets to getting a good workout in without any equipment.
Pack up
“You may find that you can build more muscle in your core by filling a backpack with books instead of using dumbbells. This is because the weight is unstable, forcing you to engage your core to balance the movement.”
Take a seat
“Dining room chairs are often more weighty than other pieces of furniture, making them a perfect improvised dip station.”
Get a grip
“If you don’t have a medicine ball, a basketball has an excellent outer-layer of grip as opposed to a football or volleyball, which have smooth exteriors.”
Slide away
“While you can buy sliders for £10 a set, you can also make a great substitute using paper plates. They should run smoothly on hard floors and carpets, meaning you’ll be working harder to counteract the instability.”
