In this period where staying home is advised or even mandatory for certain activities, it provides the perfect excuse to let yourself go and stop exercising. After all, since gyms and public workout stations are closed, what other exercise can one do apart from running in the park? For those who are anxiously fretting about their increasingly sedentary lifestyle, don't worry - we shall go through some of the best basic exercises anyone can do right in the comfort of their home.
Let's start off with a simple exercise. The lower back curl requires only a flat surface with enough space to lie face down. This exercise consists of lying prone on the floor, arms down by your sides and with your back supporting the main movement. The point of the exercise is to lift your chest off the ground as high as possible. Once you have gone as high up as possible, gently bring your chest back down to the ground. This entire movement targets your back muscles to strengthen it and pushes you only to your personal limit. After a long day of sitting while working from home, stretching your back and strengthening the relevant muscles might just be the exercise you need to provide some pain relief!
From the prone-lying position, this next exercise involves lifting your whole body off the ground with only your forearms and toes as the point-of-contact to the floor. To ensure that your body weight is not unevenly distributed, keep your back straight with your abdominals and glutes contracted. Hold this position for 1 minute or as long as you are able to without over-exerting yourself. Repeat this motion for a total of 3 rounds. This exercise engages your core muscles which are essential for maintaining a good posture, reducing risks of lower-back pain and muscle injuries.
The push-up position is a familiar one especially for those who have served in the Army. For the uninitiated, you can get into position by placing your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor, with your toes acting as the fulcrum when you push away from the ground. The act of pushing yourself away from the ground utilises various muscles, namely: the pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulders), triceps, abdominals (abs) and serratus anterior (wings). If supporting your whole body weight on those muscles proves to be too challenging, ease your way up to a standard push-up by starting with simpler modified push-ups like pushing off an elevated platform. For example, you could perform push-ups off the wall for starters, and lower the degree of inclination to tables, then benches or beds etc. as your body gets more accustomed to the workload.
Now, for a lying supine position, this exercise allows you to rest your head and torso on the floor as you lift both feet in the air to bend your knees at 90 degrees. While keeping your hands above you and perpendicular to the ground, slowly straighten one leg until your heel is an inch away from the ground before returning it back to position. Repeat this with the other leg to complete one full repetition and 15 reps to complete a set. This exercise works your core stabilisers as it supports the weight of your legs off the ground which helps to build a stronger core.
Lastly, to finish off with a lower body exercise, a body-weight squat begins with your feet slightly wider than hips apart. Note that your toes should not be pointing inward but rather, outward about 5-15 degrees. Gather your weight on your heels and maintain an upright chest as you perform your squat. Push off the ground with your heels when returning back to the starting position to complete one rep. The squat exercise targets your glutes (buttocks), adductor magnus (inner thigh), hamstrings, quadriceps and gastrocnemius (calves) to increase lower body strength and improve daily functionality.
Even without expensive gym equipment, one is still able to continue exercising. Do not let the lack of equipment stop you from providing what is best for your body. If you need a professional assessment of your body’s condition and better guidance on how to conduct a more tailored exercise session for yourself, PhysioActive provides the online consultation services you need.
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Call us: 6258 5602
Email us: info@physioactive.sg
PhysioActive is available in Orchard, Raffles, East Coast, Jurong & Novena!
