Training at home without equipment

To train at home, what you really need is willpower. Then a little space and some equipment can help. Know where to start.

Do you want to train at home but don't know where to start? Despite all the sharing in Instagram of new hobbies, complicated cooking techniques, and tutorials on beauty or healthy lifestyles, the truth is for many people, being at home is stressful.

We know that many people are teleworking and managing children at the same time.

However, we use Artur Sayal, CrossFit coach and personal trainer to help us find effective strategies to train at home.

“In my experience, and what I try to apply with my students, being in telework with children at home is one of the biggest challenges,” Sayal explains. “I don't have the magic solution, but with some of my students, it has resulted in training at 6 or 7 in the morning. As a rule, the children are still asleep, and it has been a strategy that has worked with some. The day is still 24 hours and many people are working more now. It takes extreme measures to get around. I know that waking up at 5:30 in the morning is not for everyone, but speaking of sport, show me a legendary sportsman who hasn't done it, or a successful businessman who doesn't do it very often. It's hard to get out of bed at that time, but I never regret it after a workout, and neither do my students.”

Where to start

In Artur Sayal's opinion, with this change of life habits, it is fundamental to try to maintain our routines, whether it is food, training or sleep. "Maintaining physical activity will help to maintain motivation day after day. After being one or two months in social isolation, the mental part will be more important than the physical part, but clearly those who are better off physically will be more able to endure this isolation"

For mobility work, he also offers this professional tip: "I really like an application called GOWOD, which I use almost every week for mobility exercises".

Now that we've given you the reasons, there can be no excuses. In case you don't have training material at home, you can always improvise. The personal trainer has some ideas: "A seat or chair that's safe, water bottles, and backpacks with books."

However, if you're thinking of getting the essentials, here are the elastic bands, shin guards, and a pair of light dumbbells (5 to 12 kg). According to Sayal, the ideal thing is to include a bit of everything in your daily training plan. Below, you can see an example of training, which you can put into practice now. Really. Turn off the sound of your phone and move.

Mobility

Duration: 2 minutes in each position

Squat Hold

To perform Squat Hold, you must stand with your feet a little wider than the width of your shoulders, with your toes and knees pointed outward.

Bend your knees to lower your body as if you were sitting on a chair, keeping your chest up. Hold for two minutes.

Pigeon

This pose can help loosen the hips, as well as help reduce back pain, sciatica, and stress.

Start the Cat pose with the knees directly under the hip. Put your hands a little in front of your shoulders.

Bring your right shin forward, positioning it as close and parallel to the end of the carpet as you can. The right knee should be facing in the direction of the right wrist and the right ankle in the direction of the left wrist. With your hind leg extended at the back and toes lodged in the carpet, bring your hips to the floor. Put your hands in front of you and sit your head on them.

The Prayer

It starts on Cat Pose. Slide over and sit on your heels, leaving your arms in front and your hands outstretched. Relax in position and breathe slowly.

Abdominal Work

Duration: Four minutes

Every minute 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest

Hollow Hold

At first glance, this exercise may seem easy, but there is nothing easy about it. It's one of the fundamental gymnastics exercises to strengthen the abdominal core. Lie on your back on a mattress. Contract your abs, stretch and lift your legs. You should also raise your shoulders and head. Make sure your lower back stays in contact with the mattress.

Flutter Kicks

Lie on your back on a mattress. Keep your legs together and stretch them. Put your arms on your side and your palms on the mat. Squeeze your abs, lift your feet off the floor, look at the ceiling and start moving your legs up and down.

Russian Twist

You can do it with the help of a medicine ball or not. Being at home without equipment, you can use a football or even a sponge ball for less resistance. Sit with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet on the ground. Rotate the torso from side to side by touching the medicinal ball on the ground - each right and left rotation counts for only one repetition. Maintain a vertical posture with the abdominal slightly contracted and the chest open.

K2E Plank

Get down on the ground, face down with your legs stretched out. Put yourself on tiptoe and hands under your shoulders. Stay in board position.

Keep the core tight and bring your left knee to your right shoulder. Take a break and go back to the beginning.

Repeat with the other side and alternate.

To finish a WOD AMRAP 7' 

(perform the highest number of repetitions for 7 minutes)

30 Mountain Climbs

Put yourself in a board position. Pull one knee up and in towards the abdomen. Don't let your knee come into contact with the ground.

After lifting your knee as high as you can, contract your abdomen and hold the position briefly, but very tightly. Repeat the action with the other knee.

Relax the abdomen and push the knee back towards the other foot. The ideal is to increase the speed until the movement looks like a race.

10 Lunges

Spread your legs across the width of your shoulders in an upright position. Take a step forward (about one meter) with the right leg, keeping the abdomen contracted and the trunk straight. Start bending both knees until they reach a right angle (do not touch the back knee on the ground or let the front leg knee go beyond the tip of the foot).

Switch legs and repeat the same exercise.

10 Push-Ups

Place your hands stretched out on the ground at shoulder height, a little wider than the width of your shoulders. Keep your body straight.

Raise your body by stretching your arms, keeping your body straight. Lower your body until your chest touches the ground.

You know, same time tomorrow!