Coronavirus keeping you from the gym? Here's a complete workout you can do at home

Gyms and fitness centres have been some of those spaces that have been hit by the outbreak of coronavirus, but that shouldn’t keep you from carrying out your fitness routine at home. Gyms provide a great environment to motivate you to workout every day, but they are also one of the places where chances of infection are high. Nutrition and exercise are two surefire ways to boost your immunity levels. Many fitness instructors are even motivating their patrons through videos and fitness apps are also a great way to get in a solid home workout and track your progress. [caption id=“attachment_8160881” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image.
Image by Taco Fleur from Pixabay.[/caption] Here’s a list of bodyweight exercises we have compiled that you can do at home anytime and without any specific equipment. It helps to have a yoga mat around, some space to move about (do remember the ceiling fan hovering above you), a skipping rope and maybe a pull-up bar between the door (it’s okay if you don’t). Instead of performing them over two to three sets of each in one go, do them in a circuit to make it more interesting and enjoyable. You must remember, however, to loosen up your body before beginning by warming up your muscles with rotational movements and stretches and finish off by doing some stretches afterwards as well. If you’re a beginner, start by doing one round of all exercises in one go -  with 30-second breaks between each of them.  It won’t take more than 15-20 minutes of your time. If you’re relatively used to exercise, you can do up to 3 rounds of the circuit, and be done in less than an hour.

The workout from home circuit

Jumping jacks:  Not Jeetendra’s famous nickname, but an excellent workout nonetheless. Jump on the spot and spread the legs to shoulder width while stretching your arms over your head. Return to the original position. Repeat for 20 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds. Reverse lunges:  Do the reverse variation of the lunges by taking one leg behind and bending both and 90-degree angles, return and repeat with the other leg. Repeat 5 times for each leg. Rest for 30 seconds. Side planks:  Lie down on your side with one leg over the other and prop yourself up on the arm you’re lying down on. Raise your hips to put your body from head to toe in a straight line. Hold the pose for 20 seconds each side. Rest for 30 seconds. Cross-arm crunches:  Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor, and put your arms crossed over your chest. Lift your upper body halfway as you breathe out, then return to the original position. Repeat 15 times. Rest for 30 seconds. Squats:  Stand straight and stretch your hands out in front. Bend your knees and drop down into a squat while keeping the back straight. Do 10 reps and then rest for 30 seconds. Tricep dips:  Sit on a chair or a bench and place your hands on the edge right beside you. Slide your hips away from the bench and anchor your feet straight. Keep your back straight as you bend your elbows to lower the body towards the ground, and straighten them back to get back up. Repeat 10 times. Rest for 30 seconds. On-the-spot running:  Keep the knees high and keep it slow. Continue for 15 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds. Push-ups:  Get down on all fours, straighten your arms and legs. Lower your body by bending your elbows and return to the original position by straightening them. If you find push-ups too difficult to perform, you can place your knees on the ground to make it easier. Do 5 and then rest for 30 seconds. Skipping rope:  Skipping rope is a great cardiovascular workout and burns a lot of calories, more than brisk walking or jogging as well. If you don’t have a rope, just jump on the spot for 30 seconds without it. Rest for 30 seconds. Planks:  Lie down on your stomach and place your forearms next to your chest. Push your body up, maintaining a straight line from the head to the heels. Keep breathing normally. Stay in position for 30 seconds. At the end of the workout, just lie down for a bit, relax, and perform some light stretches like the cobra pose and arm stretches to loosen up. If you find the exercises to be too strenuous, you can shorten the circuit and perform 6 out of the 10 mentioned here, and repeat them over 3 times for a longer duration. Remember to keep yourself hydrated and fuel up by eating nutritious foods that keep your immune system healthy and your mind alert.   For more tips, read our article on   Coronavirus_._ Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.