Easy Exercises To Do During Quarantine

Of course, it’s tough to make a habit of working out. And with the recent lockdown and social isolation restrictions, we have spent a disproportionate amount of time in bed or on our couch. Considering the amount of unprecedented stress created, we don’t blame or judge you. But, ironically, this is the moment when you need to exercise the most. Even a minimal amount of easy exercises to do during quarantine has been proven to be a mood booster, excellent for your mental health, and improve your immunity. Oh, and not to mention necessary for your physical health too.

Even if you don’t have a lavish amount of space at home, thanks to the internet, there are multiple options for optimising your space and your level of physical movement. Pick from these easy at-home workouts which do not involve extensive training or complicated equipment. These quarantine home workouts are a mix of simple exercises, some you can even do atop your mattress.

How To Not Get Lazy By Trying These Easy Exercises To Do During Quarantine

Start With A Warm-Up

An important part of any exercise routine is a good warm-up, to help prepare your body for exercise. A warm-up enhances blood flow and ensures better distribution of oxygen to your muscles. It also raises your body temperature, which helps avoid injuries to muscles and tendons. A warm-up can last up to half an hour, depending on the intensity of the exercise to follow. For a simple home exercise routine, a minimum of five minutes will suffice. Some of the best warm-ups are the ones that get your heart racing and blood pumping—like jogging on the spot, doing jumping jacks, skipping rope or doing lunges.

Stand Up And Stretch

The best follow up to a good warm-up is stretching. Believe it or not, fitness experts have said daily stretching is just as important as regular exercise. It increases blood flow to your muscles and is extremely beneficial for your flexibility and joint range of motion. You can start by raising your hands and standing on your toes to extend your body towards the ceiling. Follow this up by stretching individual muscles and joints starting from your neck and shoulders and moving down your body to include your hips and knees. Try to touch your toes. End with a good ankle stretch and rotation.

Try These Easy And Simple Bodyweight Exercises

Wall Squats

Also known as wall sits, wall squats help you strengthen and tone your thighs. Stand with your back against a wall and your feet pointed forward. Then, squat, as shown above, sliding your back down the wall. You have to ensure that your knees do not move forward past your toes. As you get used to it, kick it up a notch by holding the squat position for 30 seconds (increasing it to a minute over time) or squat on a single leg to increase the intensity.

10 Push-Ups And Sit-Ups

Don’t worry about how long your exercise routine should be. Often, depending on the type of exercise and how you do it, it’s the intensity that matters and not the time. And always keep the form in mind—it prevents injury and makes sure you get the best out of every minuscule movement. Start easy with just 10 push-ups and 10 sit-ups every day. Slowly add more sets and repeats—all at your own pace. Remember holding a movement for a few seconds in the correct form helps strengthen your muscle. 

20-Minute Walks

Combine it with a long phone catch-up with friends or relatives. Walk inside the house while chatting, or listen to your favourite music or podcast and burn calories at the same time.

Butterfly Crunches

Build your core stability by lying on your mat or your bed doing this exercise. Lie on your back and bend your knees, keeping your feet joined, and open your legs. This is the butterfly position. Lengthen your arms over your head so they are resting on the surface. Exhale and lift your torso, bringing your arms together between your knees. At the same time, bring your knees towards each other. Repeat. This improves digestion, builds endurance, and strengthens your core, the battery where your energy is stored. The position of your legs will ease unnecessary tension in your back and stretch your hamstrings too.

Glute Bridges

This is also a bed-friendly workout. Lie on your bed on your back. Bend your knees (separated at shoulder width) and keep your feet flat on the surface. Keep your arms at your side with your palms down. Bring the backs of your ankles as close to your hip as comfortably as possible. Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Build the intensity by holding the position for a few seconds, and then minutes. This helps to improve posture and works the entirety of your lower back and core. It is one of the easiest exercises to do during quarantine.

Scissor Kicks

Adding some scissors to your luxe bed routine. They look easy, but you will feel the burn after a few seconds. Your hip flexors will be on fire (in the best way possible, of course), and you will have toned thighs—win-win. This workout also improves stability, posture, and balance. 

Tricep Dips

Work on your upper arm and the often-ignored tricep muscles with this easy exercise. Take the support of a chair or any firm and solid surface that is at a chair height away from the ground.  Now, stand with your back facing it, and grip the edge with your hands (knuckles and fingers facing forward). Keep your back straight, legs bent at 90 degrees and dip your upper body up and down, making sure your hip clears the edge each time. You can begin with 10 repetitions and then build up, to increase your intensity.

Your Favourite Physical Activity

When it comes to easy exercises to do during quarantine nothing beats doing something that you love. Any activity that interests you, such as dancing, active video games, or cycling can be counted as physical exercise. Just because the lockdown has deprived us of regular gym or yoga sessions, doesn’t mean we can’t work out. 

Things To Help You Create An Exercise Routine:

1. Set time aside for a workout only when you are planning to follow through: If an entire period is too much, you can plan just one physical activity in a day. For example, run for the duration of just one song.
2. 21-day rule: Remember it takes 21 days for the human mind and body to turn any activity into a regular habit. So push yourself and keep at it for 21 days and soon it will be the most effortless thing you do.
3. Rewarding yourself or goal-setting help: It’s so tempting to postpone exercise plans. Easier now since you don’t have the guilt of missing expensive classes or letting down workout buddies. You need to find what motivates you within the confines of your home. Reward yourself with a treat (such as your favourite type of coffee) for every quick workout. Or deprive yourself of something until you finish your workout. For example, tell yourself you can’t watch the next episode of your favourite show until you finish a quick 10-minute routine.
4. Try short bursts instead of long workouts: Complete a quick circuit while advertisements are running. An hour-long circuit can be intimidating. Instead, keep your body moving with exercises for short periods of time. Take regular breaks from sitting too long and do a few sit-ups and push-ups. Hold a plank for a few seconds. Do sets of leg raises through a half-hour TV show? Do a few yoga stretches as you take a break from your desk.
5. Take the stairs: Take the stairs at whatever pace you are comfortable in. Skip elevators or escalators. Start slow, and build up. If you live on the 6th floor, take the elevator to the 4th and climb two floors.
6. Do Your Household Chores: Grab a duster, broom or vacuum and pick one room at a time to ward off all the dust bunnies. Turning this chore into your workout for the day won’t be an absurd idea. You can kill two birds with one stone and keep your home clean and protected, and burn calories at the same time.
7. Cool Down: Just as you warm up to get yourself ready for exercise, you also need a ‘cool down’ period to relax and stretch your muscles again to prevent injury after a workout. These exercises allow the body to gradually transition to a resting or near-resting state. These include stretches and are often so restorative that they work as something to look forward to posting a gruelling workout.

Focus On Staying Fit And Fine With These Simple Exercises To Do At Home

Everyone is trying to navigate the best way they can amid the lockdown. However, it also comes with a lot of panic, anxiety and isolation. Exercise is a great way to keep negative thoughts at bay and help turn your attention to yourself in the most uplifting way possible. These tips and easy quarantine home workouts will help you unwind in the best possible way and stay healthy. They are an excellent way to make sure ‘how to not get lazy during this quarantine’. Let us know if you have any more easy exercises to do during quarantine and tell us all about your active experiences in the comments below!

Also, Read: 7 Easy Hobbies That You Can Learn During Quarantine