Can't Gym? This Simple Workout Will Help You Build Strength

The lockdown may have put a stop to your gym routine, but don’t let that come in the way of your strength training routine.

Most gym junkies do have an odd pair of dumbbells or a resistance band lying around in their home. If you don’t have either, use one litre water bottles, filled with water, for strength training. You will need two such bottles or a pair of dumbbells weighing 2 kg each. Beginners can start with two half-litre filled bottles.

You can do these exercises between your housework and office work. This 15-minute segment is designed to include both the upper and the lower body. It also helps your heart function better.

Do them thrice a day with at least an hour and a half gap between meals. You can do these workouts at a stretch for 30-45 minutes, or break it up into shorter segments and do them multiple times a day.

This high-intensity interval training helps you build endurance and strength. Athletes are encouraged to do a full squat, if possible, while beginners can do a chair squat. The intensity will vary from person to person, based on their level of fitness.

This format includes five exercises in five minutes, three sets each, with a minute’s rest between each set. There should be no break between the exercises. Beginners are advised to keep the effort segment to 30 seconds each.

1. Squats: Stand in front of a chair or a bed if you are a beginner. Keep the dumbbells handy. Do either full (advanced) or half squats for a minute.

2. Grab the dumbbells or water bottles and do a front raise for a minute. Arms should not be lifted above the shoulder level.

3. Then, do side-arm raises for a minute. Again, don’t lift your arms over the shoulder level.

4. Now, raise your arms over your head and flex them for a minute.

5. Bend forward into a hinge position position (bend forward from the hip, keeping your chest parallel to the floor) and do reverse fly for a minute.

6. Rest one minute.

Repeat two more sets.

Post exercise, rotate your shoulders and relax your neck.

Make sure you focus on your posture. The exercises can be done with or without shoes in loose and comfortable clothes. Breathing in and out through the nose is preferred. Avoid exhaling through your mouth.

Follow this space through the week for more such fitness tips. 

Nisha Varma is an American College of Sports Medicine-certified exercise physiologist based in Pune.