Families For Life | Charge Up Your Indoor-phins!

Just because you are self-isolating thanks to Covid-19, it doesn’t mean that you can’t work up a sweat indoors! In fact, it may even be more fun and convenient! You’ll be surprised at how much exercise you can squeeze in around the home. The fact is, everyone could do with some exercise, whether young or old.

Variety is the spice of health

Try getting in a mix of different exercises each week – it will challenge your body on a consistent basis and spice up your workouts. Change up your routine or diversify with a sampling of the following exercises:

  • Aerobic exercises: Also known as “cardio”, these make your heart beat faster than usual, and make you breathe harder – and no casting your eyes longingly on the couch nearby! Pump up the volume and dance, skip with a jump rope, or do martial arts, burpees, star jumps and run in place.

  • Muscle-strengthening activities: You can actually get a great workout without fancy gym equipment, just by using your bodyweight and household items. Try pushups, squats, wall sits, triceps dips with your couch or resistance exercises using some full water bottles.

  • Balance: Balance exercises help improve flexibility and balance, and prevent falls, a challenge that seniors may face. Try balance exercises such as standing on one foot, walk heel to toe for 20 steps, walk in a straight line from couch to kitchen, or try yoga or tai chi.

  • Stretching: Improve your flexibility by touching your toes, doing side stretches, shoulder and upper arm stretches, and yoga exercises.

Fitting in fitness

Keep the kiddies entertained and healthy by creating several circuit or hot spot stations in your home. The idea is to get the family exercising at one station before moving to the next every 30 seconds, and completing several circuits will burn those calories and any pent up energy! Here are some station ideas:

  • Bodyweight exercises: Pushups, squats, triceps dips or lunges

  • Work those abs: Sit-ups or planks

  • Find your balance: Balance on one leg, or walk along a rope or drawn line while balancing a soft toy on your head

  • Jumping jacks or burpees

  • Jump rope

  • Ball toss with a partner

You can also organise the family into competing teams where the winning team walks away with a small prize!

Or if you prefer bite size workouts, sneak exercise in your daily life by doing some muscle-strengthening or stretching exercises while watching television. Stretch or do bicep curls while catching up on social media or talking on the phone. Doing housework can be a great way to burn more calories, as your vacuum, dust or scrub with extra vim and vigour!