Move for Your Mind: 5 Exercises to do at Home during Lockdown

Staying at home has become the new normal and while we’re making steady progress, it’s set to still play a huge part in our 2021. Subsequently, we need to think of new ways of staying active for our bodies and minds… and we want to help!

While many people believe that staying active is reliant on hours spent in the gym or training outdoors, this really doesn’t need to be the case. You can stay active right in the comfort of your own home, which many people are finding suits their schedules and lifestyles better. 

To start off, we want to take you through five simple exercises you can do every morning, evening or afternoon, to stay fit and healthy for your body and mind.

5 simple exercises to stay fit and healthy during lockdown

Lunges

A leg and core exercise that can be performed forwards or backwards, lunges are ideal for balance and flexibility while increasing your leg strength. You will find that after doing these daily that you’ll feel more stability and your posture will improve. 
From a standing position, take a big step forward with your front foot and bend your back knee so that it is close to but not touching the ground. Return to your standing position and perform the action with your opposite leg. 

Squats

Many of us will be familiar with squats and the truth is that you really don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to training because these exercises are tried and tested!  None are more popular than the squat, which can be performed weighted with just about anything heavy you can hold (two tins of beans will do!) or without weights. From a standing position, lower yourself down into a seated position where you’re parallel to the ground and then return to your normal standing position. The trick when doing squats is to perform them eccentrically, or in a concentrated manner where you allow your muscles to stretch and get used to the movement which is harder to do but will aid you in the long run.

Mountain climbers 

Think about riding a bike without the bike, or climbing up a hill while on a flat surface and this is what this exercise is all about.
Stand in a raised plank position when your legs are straight and the palms of your hands are flat on the floor and in a continuous motion thrust one leg and then another towards your chest like you’re riding a bike. You can choose the intensity that you’d like to do this exercise at and remember to really pump your knees. 

Glute bridge

The glute bridge is an important exercise for not only your bum but also your hips! It’s an isolation exercise that can be repeated a number of times once you get in the zone. Lying down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, your next movement is to thrust your hips so that your knees, shoulders and hips all form a straight line. Hold this for a second and return to your first position. 

Burpees 

Probably the most challenging of the lot, the burpee targets your entire body and is a form of aerobic and strength training designed to activate all of your muscles at once. From a standing position, move down into a squat and then extend your legs so you’re in the plank position. Perform a push up and then return to the squat position when you jump up back into the standing position. That’s one burpee!

We hope you’re excited to try out these exercises just as much as we are for you, and hope they add something extra to your daily routine. If anything they will boost your mood, improve your mental health, increase your confidence and self-esteem! 

Let us know how you get on and tag us on social #peachylean