By: Christian Aguilera

While many of us are staying home and not able to go to the gym, it has become increasingly difficult not to gain those dreaded ‘Quarantine 15’. While we may not be able to hit our normal gyms right now due to social distancing orders, this doesn’t mean we have to give up on our fitness goals. Here are some tips for completing a workout from home.

Many household items can be used as weights and make easy replacements for regular gym equipment. For lighter weights or dumbbells, water bottles make a great substitute. Sixteen-ounce water bottles weigh about one pound and are perfect for cardio workouts because they are easy to hold and toss around without the worry of them opening and spilling.

Larger weights can be substituted with larger gallon water bottles. A gallon of water weighs a little over eight pounds and provides the same freedom of being able to toss them around plus you have a hydration source post-workout. For even heavier weights, paint cans work very well. Paint cans weigh about 12 pounds each and the handle on the can makes it a good replacement for a kettlebell. Just be sure that the lid is on tightly, and consider a few pieces of duct tape across the top for added security to prevent them from opening.

For our very heavy lifters and for those who want to gain muscle, 5-gallon jugs of water work perfectly. Weighing in at just over 41 pounds, these muscle-makers usually have a handle, which makes them convenient for lifting!

For a Cardio workout, start with smaller water bottles and find a stable, raised surface (look for a stair step or chair that you can safely step up onto). The workout outlined below targets the entire body and allows the athlete to modify to the level of intensity desired. Requiring little space, these exercises can be performed with bodyweight or added weights to increase the difficulty. Ready to get started? Follow the sample workout below for an effective fitness regime that can easily be done at home.

Warm Up: (Repeat 2 times)

• Jumping Jacks (20)
• Squat and press (20)
• Mountain Climbers (40)
• Lunges (20)
• Punches (50)
• Push Up (20)
• Plank Jacks (20)

Workout Whole Body: (Repeat 3 rounds, 10 reps each)

• Single-Leg Deadlift
• Front Raise/Lateral Raise
• Raised Leg Split Squat (10 each leg)
• Single-Leg Glute Bridge (10 each leg)
• Prayer Push Up’s
• 5-count Squat and Pulse

Ab Workout: (50 reps of each)

• Crunches
• Cherry Pickers
• Toe Touches
• Flutter Kicks
• Plank (Front, Left, Right)

The last part of every workout should include a proper cool-down and stretch, allowing our bodies to slowly rev down from the workout and recover. While stretching, focus on taking deep breaths to return the heart rate to normal. Stretching not only mitigates some of the soreness you may feel from the workout, but it also improves blood flow and increases range of motion for your next workout.

Yellow Brick is offering an online class every Saturday at 9 a.m. PST to help those at home, stay fit, and healthy. Come join us via Zoom every Saturday morning through quarantine and enjoy a “group” workout to keep that motivation high and build camaraderie from afar.