Four things I’m doing while the gym is closed:

sawsar

New member
Just thought I’d share my thoughts here in case anyone finds it useful!

I have been into weights for a long time and have accumulated a bunch of home workout equipment over the years, so I acknowledge that some of the items I’ve mentioned involve a good amount of money. I also live alone in a studio so I am able to rearrange my furniture as I want. That’s why I tried to split up the list by money and space needed! I plan to do all of the below and am really trying to view this as a time to mix things up and break out of my routine a little! E.g., I have been hiding from mobility forever and really need to do more yoga and stretch more 😅

ALSO - this is a good time to reach out and care for one another! I have been trying to be active in my neighborhood’s Buy Nothing group (find yours on Facebook!) by sharing my resources with others and offering my time for grocery shopping doorstep drop-offs for high risk individuals. This could be the time to reach out to others if you have the time and resources!

1) If you have a 6 ft by 3 ft patch of space and $55 to spare: Wal-Mart has a 5-foot long, 20 lb barbell+100 lbs of weights being sold as a set for $55 (includes tax+shipping). For me I saw this as totally worth it since a month’s membership at my PL gym is more than that (and I expect the gym to be closed for about that amount of time, if not even longer)....I plan on reselling my set on FB Marketplace since I’m moving out of state this summer.

OR

dumbbells for dumbbell RDLs, presses, rows, squats, Russian twists, weighted planks, Arnold presses, lateral raises, DB flies, plank rows (new DBs are surprisingly expensive which is why I put them in this category)

2) If you don’t have space but have $30ish to spare: a 25 lb kettlebell is awesome for Bulgarian split squats, goblet squats, snatches, KB swings, KB deadlifts, Turkish get-ups

Check out r/kettlebell for more ideas!

Commenter’s suggestion: MariFitness is selling guides for $10 that only need dumbbells, a chair, and bands!

3) if you are tight on space and have a strict budget: bodyweight fitness - push-ups, pull-ups, banded pull-ups, burpees, planks, scap push-ups, mountain climbers, air squats, handstand push-ups....honestly that list goes on forever! I’m also gonna check out r/bodyweightfitness during this time

YouTube home workouts I plan on doing:

Yoga by Adrienne

Lizzy Picardi’s bodyweight workout

FitnessBlender’s kickboxing workouts

OTHER COMMENTERS’ SUGGESTIONS:

DownDog app - free until April 1

Christine Salus for apartment-friendly workouts

MadFit for HIIT/bodyweight

PopSugar Fitness

Sydney Cummings

Tracy Steen

Trifecta Pilates

4) for everyone (to an extent): remember that abs are made in the kitchen! If you are privileged enough to be able to continue with some form of grocery shopping/cooking/etc., this is also a great time to experiment with new macro-friendly recipes and tighten up your diet.

One last final note....if you’re really tight on $$$ and may not make a bill this month due to this sitch affecting your job, DM me and I’ll see what I can do to throw a tiny bit of cash your way (if I get a picture of a bill and your Venmo/CashApp/PayPal)

Edits: Edited at commenters’ suggestions below
 
@sawsar Try out mrandmrsmuscle on Youtube and Instagram. Exercises are 30 seconds on, 10 seconds off I think. 4 moves for 4 rounds, so around 11 mins total. They have modifications which are apartment friendly. They have exercises which use dumbbells too! Hope it helps!
 
@marvelloustime They said it would be here on the 20th - but who knows, still haven't gotten a notification saying it's shipped haha. Oh well, it gets here when it gets here, I expect to be using the set long-term now given how long this thing seems like it could go on for.
 
@sawsar Am also frantically trying to figure out home workouts! Buying a power rack this week, not even corona can stop me from my beloved squats/deads. Never tried resistance bands but does anyone have recommendations? Preferably that I can order on Amazon. Thanks and wash ur mitts ya dirty animals.
 
@sawsar
  1. This post is great - thank you!
  2. Also, wanted to add that Peloton has a 3 month free trial right now in light of COVID-19. HIGHLY recommend for an array for workouts (bodyweight strength, strength using dumbbells, HIIT, outdoor runs and walks, stretching yoga) plus amazing mediations (which are A+++ right now in this environment).
 
@sawsar You are an actual angel.

I just purchased the Walmart barbell set! I have been wanting a mini home gym forever and figure now is the time to do it!
 
@jhark123 Woohoo!!! I’m so excited for my set to come in :D It’s actually a decent weight for upper body stuff (for me at least). Let’s keep these gainz!
 
@sawsar Meg Takacs just put out a free 30 running and bodyweight program on her RunWithMeg app. Gonna be hitting that up while I'm missing my treadmill and barbells.
 
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