Exercises you can do at home during COVID-19
We’re months into COVID-19 and many of us have settled in to our new routines. We may have grown used to not having a gym to exercise and working from home, but this is certainly not ideal. We’re all limited to our NYC-sized apartments and homes, but don’t let the idea of needing bulky workout equipment stop you from keeping fit. Luckily we can stay on top of our conditioning with a little creativity. I’ve put together a routine to keep your neck and back loose and mobile, so you can avoid upper body pain while working from home.
Doorway stretch: This exercise targets your chest, but opening it up will help reduce neck and back pain. Find a doorway. Hold your arms at shoulder height and elbows at 90 degrees so that your fingers are pointed towards the ceiling. Put one leg forward and lean into the stretch using your body weight and gravity. Perform 3 sets of 30 second holds. You can also use a corner instead of a doorway, and do the exercise on one side of your chest at a time.
Shoulder blade squeezes: In a seated upright posture, keep your elbows at 90 degrees (as if you were carrying a box of your favorite New York pizza) and rotate your arms outwards while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. This one may take a little while for you to gain the muscle memory, so it helps to record yourself or have someone look at your back for creasing of the skin. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.
Neck stretches: Seated or standing, use your right hand to gently pull the side of your head towards the right, and hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides, using your left hand to pull your head to the left. Repeat and alternate sides 3 times.
These exercises use no equipment at all, other than our doorways. As you get a feel for your body and where to focus, you’ll become creative at using your environment. Doorways, walls, and desks are all great for targeted exercises. You can roll out knots in your legs on the side of tables and desks in your house. I use stairs and benches at a park near my home in Astoria for lower body exercises. Gyms are finally starting to open up again, but until then why not use what you’ve got?
I’m interested in hearing how you’ve found creative solutions to your workouts during COVID. Leave a comment and let us know. And if you have questions on these or any other exercises please reach out by text, call, email or DM on our Instagram page.