The Covid-19 pandemic has provided people with opportunities to do things that they didn't have the time for prior. Enclosed in our rooms, we teens find that we're bored for the entire day. School schedules are becoming confusing and our families continue to annoy us. Exercise can be one of the ways that you seek refuge from your confusing life. Allotting that 30-minute or 45-minute period to working out can provide you with that sense of individuality and relaxation that you may be craving for.
Now, what should exercises should you do when you're actually exercising? Well, it really depends. What are your fitness goals?
Weight loss? Building muscles? Getting leaner? The variety and repetitions of exercises that you do can vary greatly based on what your goals are. Before you begin your road to a healthy lifestyle, make sure you understand exactly what you want to do, and learn the sacrifices or changes that you are going to have to make.
For anybody new to the fitness world, there are two kinds of exercises. Bodyweight exercises and Equipment-focused exercises. Bodyweight exercises require no external equipment, but they can be just as effective. As we're not able to go gyms, I would assume that bodyweight exercises are going to be extremely popular for at-home workouts. If you want, the difficulty of these exercises can be adjusted as you improve.
1. The Classic Squat
Squats are one of the best exercises possible for your leg muscles. This exercise targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. You'll certainly feel the burn after a few of these, but they will surely strengthen up your leg muscles.
Another reason why this exercise is so beloved is its versatility. There are many types of squats. You can do pistol squats, plie squats, one-legged squats, entirely based on your skill and athleticism. I recommend that you start slow and gradually raise the difficulty.
Harder Versions: Pistol Squat, Squat Pulse, Sumo Squat
Easier Versions: Squat with legs shoulder-width apart.
Reps: Start with 20 and increase by 5 as your glutes get stronger
2. The Engaging Plank
The plank is a very effective and short exercise that works your entire core. Your core is comprised of all of the muscles in your stomach as well as in your upper legs. It requires strength to stay balanced, and after a while, you will start to feel the burn in your abs. I would recommend starting at 30 seconds and increasing by 15-second increments once you get more adept at this skill.
Harder Versions: Reverse Plank, Low Plank Arm Reach, Side Plank
Easier Versions: Low Plank, Wide Plank
Time: 30 seconds, increase by 15 seconds after you improve.
3: The Challenging Sit-Up/Crunch
Crunches and Sit-Ups are exercises that target your abdominal muscles. Your abdominal muscles make up a huge part of your core, so it's important to get that area moving and working appropriately. There are also variations in these exercises for when you get more skilled. If regular crunches are boring you, take it a step further with the bicycle crunch.
Harder Version: Bicycle crunch, Reverse Crunch, Crunch Twist, Russian Twist
Easier Version: Crunch on a fitness ball. There will not be as much pressure on your abdominal muscles.
Reps: For each set, do 30 times and increase by 5 as they become easier.
4. The Quintessential Push-Up
Everyone knows what a push-up is! This exercise really works your core as well as your chest muscles, shoulders, triceps, and your abdominal muscles. When it comes to this exercise, execution is key. Make sure to keep your butt low to the ground, but also not too low. As you come down for one push-up, make sure that your hands make a 90-degree angle with the floor, as shown in the picture above.
Harder Version: Wide-grip push-up, Clap -, Diamond push-up
Easier Version: Modified push-up (Knees on the ground)
Reps: Start with 10. This is a very challenging exercise so make sure to keep proper form throughout.
5: The Typical Lunge
This is another very simple exercise that targets your glutes as well as your quadriceps. Make sure that your back is not leaning forward too much and try to keep yourself as upright as possible. While you can do this as you walk across your room, you can also vary between a forward lunge and a backward lunge, which would only take up about 6 feet vertically from your body.
Harder Version: Skater Lunge, Split Lunge
Easier Version: Classic forward lunge
Reps: 20 each leg
6: The Infamous Burpee
This is the perfect exercise to get your heart rate pumping! All you need is the same space you would need for a push-up, and I promise that your cardiovascular organs will thank you later! This move consists of a push-up and then you must jump up as high as you can, and then repeat.
Harder Version: Include a box with your exercise and when you jump, jump on the box.
Easier version: Instead of doing a full-on push-up, do a modified one with your knees on the floor.
Reps: 20 may be a little challenging for a person new to exercise, so 10 would be a good place to start.
7: The Prime Spider- Crawl
The spider crawl is another exercise that targets a variety of muscles. It works the muscles in your shoulders, chest, arms, and also muscles in the lower body. You may even feel a burning sensation in your abs, but keep on going!
Harder Version: N/A
Easier Version: N/A
Reps: Do it for a minute and increase by 15 seconds as you get stronger.
8: Purified Yoga
The practice of yoga was initially popular in ancient India as a way to unwind after a hard day of work. Yoga incorporates meditation into flexible movements that take patience to master. Regardless of your skill level at yoga, it's an amazing exercise that calms you down and gets you energized for the day ahead.
Harder/Easier Version: Yoga may even be considered a different form of exercise, and if this is what you're interested in, I recommend doing some research about where to start. Definitely start doing exercises that require less stretching and more breathing.
Time: 25 minutes daily
9: The Engaging Tricep Dip
For this exercise, you need to have a chair of some sort or any kind of a slightly elevated surface. Put your arms on the edge of the chair and bring your entire body in front of the chair. Slowly lower your body and bring your arms from a 45-degree position to a 90-degree position.
Harder Variation: Dip with Legs raised, Parallel dip
Easier Version: Regular tricep dip with knees bent.
Reps: 15, increase by increments of 5
10: PE's Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are a phenomenal activity to get your cardio in. Not only do they bring up your heart rate, but they also focus on your calf muscles. If you want to challenge yourself, do 100 jumping jacks before you start your workout to have an amazing session!
Harder/ Easier Version: N/A. Just do the plain old jumping jacks.
Reps: 30, increase by 5 each time
Feel free to do any of these exercises whenever you want. No matter what you choose, afterward, you will feel every muscle in your body has been activated and that is a kind of satisfaction that nothing else can match. Use the free time that you have in quarantine to learn something new or to make a change in your lifestyle. Starting a healthy lifestyle starts with one day at a time!
