How to work out from home

Limited to one hour of outdoor activity a day and with many people self-isolating completely, coronavirus has left many of us feeling the effects of inactivity. While this is certainly no time to berate oneself for a little bit of weight gain or reduced energy, regular exercise can be a great mood booster, and certainly helps with setting up a sense of daily routine as we adjust to the new normal.  

Ben Walker from Anywhere Fitness mentions that adding 3 components gradually to your workout program is the best way to restart your fitness regime during the pandemic. "The important thing is to take exercise at your own pace, and get to know the limits of your body, challenging yourself to work a little harder each day. Invest in a light set of dumbbells, a mat and some basic and affordable equipment to start. Divide your session by focusing your attention on light cardiovascular training, weight training and focus on flexibility. Keeping your movements basic at the beginning and increasing the intensity weekly in each department".

The best part about YouTube fitness is that it can be paused, stopped and skipped at anytime, leaving you free to focus on what feels good for you. Not convinced yet? Here are six of the best YouTube class-masters to help you along your way.

(image via @thebodycoach) 

Initially established as a way to provide structure and routine for schoolchildren missing out on P.E. lessons, Body Coach Joe Wicks’ daily YouTube streams have gained popularity with adults as a low-impact way to slowly build up general fitness.  

Tune in daily at 9am on weekdays or watch in your own time—each class lasts approximately half an hour with a different focus each week. Even better, Wicks is donating every advertising pound that the series generates to the NHS, with £100,000 already in the fund.  

(image via @adrienelouise) 

The certified queen of at-home yoga, Adrienne Mishler has been advocating indoors exercise for body and mind since long beforec was on our radar.  

Join her 7.04 million subscribers (and her dog Benji) by diving into her well-stocked YouTube channel, with an abundance of options for everyone from busy workers looking for 10 minutes of mindfulness, to serious yogis seeking to perfect their positions in 45-minute sessions.  

Adriene also has specific exercises to help with weight loss, body definition and core strength. 

Struggling to find the time to exercise and keep on top of the housework?  

Allow Scola Dondo to bring some sunshine into your life with her upbeat Afrobeats workouts that integrate plenty of hip swivelling, toe touching and twerking, as well as her trademark routine that makes light work of a feather duster.  

Dance along at your own pace and throw in your own signature moves—you’ll be a pro in no time.  

Champion of over-fifties fitness, Debra Atkinson is an American guru of later-life activity and wellbeing, with a seemingly endless well of positive mantras and advice to encourage your best self.  

Start out slow with her batwing workout or knee-strengthening exercises, which make good use of simple workout accessories such as light dumbells and rollers.  

Lacking in equipment? You can easily make do with tin cans or pillows instead.  

Whatever exercise you’re feeling, chances are Fitness Blender have a routine for you. From Cardio and HIIT classes to 10-minute warm-ups designed to get your blood flowing, Daniel and Kelly will guide you through with simple instructions that can be easily tailored to your own ability.  

For those conscientious of downstairs neighbours, lots of the workouts are formulated to involve no jumping and little noise, leaving you to exercise at maximum enthusiasm.  

Determined to prove that being plus-size doesn’t necessarily equal unhealthy, Cece Olisa offers a variety of fun workouts on her channel that can be done alone or with a workout partner—one from your own household, of course.  

Take up the challenge of her two-minute plank or choreography-related exercises, or learn to refine your technique with her helpful advice on achieving the perfect push-up or squatting effectively for those with knees ailments.  

Read more: 5 Exercise trends everyone is talking about

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