Staying active at home

Generally speaking, try to get at least an hour of intentional movement every day and plan to have some variety in your workout plan for the week. If you try to run or do HIIT every day, the intensity will be too much for your body and you won't get the results you are looking for. Borrowed from this awesome article, here is how you can structure your week of workouts:

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Recreational exercisers

• 2 cardio workouts (30-45 minutes)

• 1 strength workout

• 1 flexibility workout

• 30 minutes of HIIT

 

Intermediate exercisers 

• 3 cardio workouts (30-45 minutes)

• 2 strength workouts

• 1 flexibility workout

• 60 minutes of HIIT (which should drive you to train at 90 percent of your maximum heart rate for 30 to 40 minutes)

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Advanced exercisers 

• 4 cardio workouts (30-60 mins)

• 2 strength workouts

• 1 core workout

• 60 minutes of HIIT (which should drive you to train at 90 percent of your maximum heart rate for 30 to 40 minutes)

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There are a few basic movements that will give you the biggest bang for your buck because they work multiple muscle groups at a time:  

• Walking/running

• Squats

• Lunges

• Push-ups

• Planks 

The key to an effective home workout is choosing a level that you can safely execute and that challenges you at the same time. The good news is that you truly don't need a ton of equipment!

Start to build intensity by adding: 

• Time -- increase the amount of time that you spend doing a particular move.

When, and only when, you can execute a move with good technique, you can progress with any of the following: ​​​

• Weight -- add dumbbells, kettlebells, a bottle of wine, etc. 

• Speed -- move faster! This will increase your heart rate. A walk can turn into a faster walk, jog, run, or even sprint. You can do 30 squats in a minute or try for 45. 

• Power -- by jumping, you can make these movements explosive. This is called a plyometric move and is a combination of strength and speed. 

• Compound exercises -- by combining moves, you can work more muscle groups at one time. Examples include burpees or squat dumbbell presses. 

When you first increase in speed, strength, or power, you should decrease the time of the interval. As you build up stamina with that higher level, then increase the time. 

Ready to get started? Let's go! Check out my workouts here!

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Before You Start 

 

This workout can be scaled for any fitness level and can be done for your living room or outside! 

You don’t need any equipment but you could use a dumbbell or weight of 5-15 pounds for added resistance. 

 

The basic structure is the following 

• Warmup

• Tabata intervals 

• Core

• Cooldown 

 

Tabata intervals are one of the best ways to get a quick and effective workout. The idea is to work very hard for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and work again for 20. The intervals traditionally repeat 8 times. 

 

I would recommend starting at 4 intervals for each move and then you can work your way up. 

 

You can add variety to this workout by changing the focus. 

 

First and foremost, if you are new to these moves, start with bodyweight only and make sure you are executing with proper technique. Use a mirror if possible. After a few workouts, your body will automatically know what to do and then you are ready to add intensity. 

 

• For a cardio workout--add speed. Do the moves faster! Feel how this increases your heart rate and gets the sweat flowing. This will help make your heart strong.  

• For a strength workout--add a weight. This can be a dumbbell or kettlebell, or even a big bottle of wine or sack of flour! This will help you build muscle.  

• For a HIIT workout--add jumping or “plyometrics.” This mix of strength and speed will work your heart and muscles all together! Absolutely no jumping until you are executing with proper technique, especially with the knees.

 

The easiest way to time yourself is to download an interval timer on your phone. 

 

Put on some good music and have fun with this!  

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