Regular physical activity is important for optimal health but there are days like weekends or festival season when you don’t feel like going to the gym but at the same time you don’t want to miss out on your workouts. The rainy season can also sometimes disrupt our fitness regime with puddles, slippery roads and traffic jams that can get in the way of our daily morning walking routine or getting to the gym. There is no dearth of indoor exercises that you can do in the comfort of your own home such as brisk walking, jumping, Zumba, Pilates or yoga. (Also read: How exercise can combat the damage of diabetes: study)
Lalchawimawi Sanate PT, LCCE, Senior Physiotherapist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Bangalore, Sahakarnagar suggests easy indoor exercises for weekends.
1. Steady walking
A steady walk is an easy alternative for residents who go for a daily walk in the fresh air. You just need a pair of shoes and good music to lift the mood. A steady walk is a good start for those who want to start exercising regularly during the monsoons. Steady walking is also safe even during pregnancy.
2. Jogging on site
Running on site can also help you burn calories just like regular jogging on the road. You can burn more calories by running faster. You will need a pair of running shoes and comfortable clothing for freedom of movement. You can go for a steady jog even while watching your favorite match or listening to your favorite music.
3. Skipping
Jumping with a jump rope is easy and helps strengthen your lower and upper extremities, and uses your core for stability. Skipping can burn nearly 200 calories in 10 minutes. Skipping is a fun activity, especially for children and young adults. Jumping rope should be avoided during pregnancy and those with osteoporosis.
4. Zumba
If you love to dance and want to ditch more aerobic dance moves like Zumba, it can be a great workout routine. Zumba is a mixture of different dance styles with fun dance moves. You can learn through the videos we access online or order DVDs to enjoy the dance moves. Zumba is suitable for all age groups, from children to grandparents. It can be done even during pregnancy but the dance movements and intensity will be adjusted according to the age and pregnancy.
5. Treadmill or stationary cycling
Exercising on a treadmill, stationary bike, stepper, or elliptical bike is also a good aerobic exercise if you do it at home.
6. Plank, squat, pull-up
Strength training improves bone density and muscle mass and helps manage weight gain. The good news is that strength training exercises with our own body weight can be performed in the comfort of our own home.
Strength exercises using our own body weight are planks, squats, chest presses, pull-ups, lunges, etc. Strength training can also be done with simple, affordable exercise equipment such as an exercise ball, resistance band, or any type of weight.
7. Tabata
Tabata is a high intensity interval training consisting of 20 seconds of exercise and 10 seconds of rest, and the exercise lasts for 20-30 minutes. For example – 20 sec burpees, 10 sec rest; Side lunge 20 seconds, 10 seconds rest, mountain climb 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, Russian twist 20 seconds, 10 seconds rest, complete 8 rounds of each movement. Tabata can vary from using dumbbells, exercise balls, core strengthening sets, or even kickboxing moves. Tabata helps improve your aerobic and anaerobic systems. This type of exercise is very useful if you have less time and want to get maximum benefits from the exercise that can be done in your home.
8. Pilates
Mat Pilates can be done using a mat and comfortable clothing. Pilates uses patterns for focus, precise movement, breathing control, and the recruitment of the abdominal and lower back muscles. Helps strengthen core muscles and improve flexibility, posture and relaxation.
9. Yoga
Yoga is an excellent form of exercise that improves flexibility, promotes inner peace, and loses weight. Yoga can be practiced indoors on a yoga mat and in comfortable clothes that do not interrupt movements
10. Warm-up and stretching
Regardless of age, it is recommended to warm up and stretch before exercise and cool down after exercise. Warming up helps to gradually increase the heart rate, and can be done simply by taking a steady light walk and stretching the muscles improves flexibility and blood flow to the muscles and prevents injury. Cooling stretches reduce muscle soreness.
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