Stay well at home with these small space exercise tips

Finding new ways to keep fit is more important than ever as gyms temporarily close their doors, and many people self-isolate or work from home, according to Charles Darwin University’s Dr Daniel Gahreman.

The Exercise and Sports Science Lecturer said keeping fit in your backyard, apartment, or even in a bedroom, was possible with a few simple exercises or household items.

“It is very easy to stay fit at home, you just need to be creative and use the space and equipment you have,” Dr Gahreman said.

“You can do a full workout in four square metres, including several body weight exercises if you do not have access to any equipment.

“Each exercise can be modified to suit your level of fitness and you can also utilise some everyday household items, such as a table or chair. Examples of these exercises are squats, lunges, push-ups, chin-ups, dips, planks, back extensions, skipping, sand-bag punches, and yoga.”

To help people keep healthy, CDU has four online fitness tutorials that were originally created for people studying and working in offices but are also helpful during current self-isolation and physical distancing requirements.

Dr Gahreman said maintaining exercise at home was important for physical and mental health and urged people to check out the tutorials for easy to follow home workouts.

“Being at home may be a great opportunity to learn a new skill, improve flexibility, mobility and your posture, he said.

“Exercise and regular physical activity helps to maintain body weight, control appetite, boost the immune system, improve mood and productivity, and enhance resilience.”

Dr Gahreman encouraged the community to maintain healthy physical activity levels without “overdoing it”.

“We often hear about the positive effects of exercise on health, however high-intensity training at a great volume can suppress the immune system for about two to four hours,” he said. “That’s why it is important to monitor the training intensity and volume and ensure you are not overdoing it.

“Physical activity does not have to be sport, weights or cardio based. You can change your lifestyle and your fitness by doing everyday activities, such as gardening or even painting your front door.”  

To access CDU’s online exercise videos, please visit you tube or click the direct links below:

Warm up

Resistance

Cardio

Cool down