Lockdown. The buzz word of 2020. The noise which rings in everyone’s ears as they dream about their Summer 2019 holiday to Barcelona when all they had to care about was which brand of after sun made the sting of sunburn disappear.
After almost a year of more levels and hidden levels than a game of ‘Super Mario Bros’, we have had to learn to be creative as we suffered the closure of bars, restaurants, shops and gyms. For those of us who like to maintain our physique, this year has been tough (to say the least). The good news? By means of trial and error (a lot of error), we have managed to compile a list of 4 household items for your quarantine gym which will help you nail your quarantine fitness regime. In this post, we will be teaching you how to use everyday items as a part of your garden gym. Who says that post-lockdown body would be hard to get?
In case you are one of the lucky few who managed to stay employed this year, this post also includes links to the pieces of equipment we are substituting here (because realistically, what else are you gonna spend your paycheque on now?). If you, like me, enjoyed maintaining physical fitness before this mess, this blog is for you. However, if you have never set foot in a gym and the concept of working out has occurred to you as means of avoiding death by boredom – welcome aboard!
Item One: Milk Cartons
If someone told you a year ago that the secret to your muscular physique lived in the side door of your fridge, best bet is you would have laughed into your non-takeaway coffee which was served to you in a mug in a café. Milk cartons come in all shapes and sizes and according to Tesco are available from 1litre cartons with handles all the way up to 3litre. The secret here is to buy the ones with handles - these beauties help you to avoid disaster by allowing you to maintain a strong grip on them whilst allowing you to shake their insides to within an inch of their (shelf?) life. On the plus side, that sweet, sweet dairy deliciousness will be frothy and ready to be shaken into a protein shake after you're finished building muscle.
For those of you who are looking for a more long-term investment (or perhaps require heavier weights), Sports Direct have recently added these stunning new 'Everlast' offerings to their website. Whether you are a complete gym nut or novice, dumbbells are crucial to every workout and can be utilized in many different ways.
Item Two: Dining Room Chair
Another modest yet important edition to the home gym, hailing yet again from the kitchen - the humble dining room chair. For everything from split squats to decline push ups this gal has your back! Please bear in mind that if using indoors, a yoga mat is preferable under the legs of the chair in order to avoid disaster and/or injury.
If you feel your dining room chairs are built to serve only one purpose, this 'hit fitness' bench from MC Sport will serve all of your bodyweight exercise and bench pressing needs.
Item Three: Door Frame
If you have a house with doors, you have a doorframe. Therefore, you have no excuse not to make use of it! Door frames are extremely handy for things like measuring how well you can do a burpee, or if you're feeling brave, a doorframe pull up.
Although they look rather scary, doorframe pull ups are pretty easy (provided you use it correctly) and can really benefit your upper body strength. Using a doorframe to measure your burpees can ensure you keep your back straight and help avoid injury. If this is a bit too risky for you, there are door frame pull up bars available from Decathlon.
Alternatively, you can always use the wall in your garden. The 'garden gym' is a personal favourite of mine as outdoor equipment tends to be sturdier. If the sun is out, all that Vitamin D will help your mood and tan!
Item Four: A Smartphone or Laptop
Surprise! In the final position we have the very item you are probably using to read this on. The humble smartphone or laptop. Both daily items we take for granted, which also serve as portals to the outside world and beyond. The internet is the largest gym in the world, and the single most valuable piece of home workout equipment one could ask for. With the internet, training possibilities are limitless. Apps such as Tik Tok work hand in hand with websites such as YouTube (as we have seen throughout this post) to deliver people thousands of workouts - from garden or home gyms to yoga -on a daily basis, particularly at the moment.
The use of smartphones and laptops does have its drawback - Distraction. One minute, you're on a roll and the next you've spent three hours scrolling Instagram. How does one avoid this? Find out here.
For Tik Tok trends which will help you get up and moving this lockdown, have a look at this!
And there you have it! You're ultimate garden/home gym should be all set up and ready to use. For some useful tips on nutrition to aid your workout, check out this blog post.
Having proper home workout equipment and proper nutrition is only half the battle. During these testing times, maintaining a positive mindset and a 'go getter' attitude is the most important of all. Here are some useful tips to help maintain that mindset and overall - Get that post-lockdown body
