Exercising at Home
Mar. 23rd, 2020 09:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebDuring this crisis, you may be running around dealing with much more than usual and not worrying about extra exercise. But I have the luxury of being able to sit and lie around all day eating, reading, watching movies, and playing games. And I'm getting out of shape, so it's time to ramp things up. Here are my ideas on how to do that.
There are several areas of physical fitness that I would like to address regularly: basic activity (at a minimum!) plus aerobics, strength training, flexibility, coordination, and balance (ideally).
Basic Activity
This is just generally making sure to move around. Some guidelines include:
* 150 minutes of movement per week (300 if you're a kid or trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss)
* 10,000 steps per day
* Get up and do something every hour for a couple of minutes
I have a pedometer and try for 10K steps a day or the equivalent. Specifically, I like the plan of going on three walks down the street that are just over a mile long, plus a little extra around the house. On the walks, I will move into the street to try to pass oncoming pedestrians six feet away from them.
I've also tried getting up and moving around every hour on the hour or between re-plays of board games but so far usually fail. But I have collected a lot of ideas I like for these breaks such as:
* various types of calisthenics
* use barbells or those stretchy things or an exercise ball
* dance to a song
* sit on the floor and then stand up multiple times
* sun salutations
* stand on one leg while twisting from side to side
* walk around on crutches (hard to do in my small house)
* walk around carrying something heavy
* juggle
* crawl around in different ways (regular, crab-walking, etc.)
Well-rounded Exercise
There are a few things I do that fit into multiple categories.
"Pilates" video
For a while I was trying various exercise videos from the library. Most of them sucked because they were too repetitive for my taste, had too much standing in one pose, had too much lying (8 reps! 3, 2, 1. 8 more reps!), and/or was not to the beat of the music. Or sometimes the choreography was too complicated and not fun enough to try to learn.
But I did find one exercise CD that I like, though it has a really stupid name: Weight Loss Pick-Your-Level Pilates. There are various times where more advanced exercisers can move up to more difficult versions of the exercises, so you're not doing the same thing forever, or if you are, you're glad you get to do the easier version. For me, there are bits of strength training, balance, and aerobic activity. It feels not that bad while I'm doing it, a lot of the stuff feels especially great after a long day of work, and I feel used up at the end.
The trainer only barely lies a couple of times. Two people's costumes are slightly embarrassingly revealing. There is one editing problem where they show one person doing the wrong thing. Nevertheless, two thumbs up!
Ballroom Dancing
For me, this can be aerobic, weight bearing, and require balance. You can practice without a partner if there's no one you're resigned to being closer than six feet from.
Random
See also 121seconds.com. This is all about figuring out fun ways to exercise using things you can find around the house. These videos all have a deadpan humor that I enjoy. My favorite workout is Circle of Death. "If you have access to a hula hoop and some kind of children's bouncing device, be it an inflatable cartoon dog, a pogo stick, or a bizarre, snail-like creature, then you are all set for the circle of death."
I have not yet come up with my own version of this.
Endurance/Calorie Burning/Aerobic (mostly)
Guidelines include:
* CDC: 150-300 minutes per week of moderate activity (breathe hard) or 75-150 minutes of strenuous activity (pant) or some combination.
* ACSM: 250 min/wk = 30-40 min/day.
* 40 minutes most days of week, in groups of at least 10 minutes each
* moderate exercise 30 min/day, 5 days/week
* the health benefits of running tend to drop off around the 20-mile-per-week range.
My main aerobic activity is jogging, but that's on hiatus right now while I'm healing a sprained toe. Before that I had gotten up to 3.5 miles; that plus one extra walk was my 10K steps for the day.
I also have been known to bicycle, swim, and do aerobic dance (though I currently have no DVDs I like).
Strength/Speed (mostly)
Guidelines:
* CDC - 2 days per week for all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms) doing 1 - 3 sets each time.
* Spark People - "Start by strength training 2 days/week, building up to 3 days/week for more of a challenge. Make sure you have at least one day of rest in between each session. Start with two to three exercises each for lower body and upper body and one to two core exercises (abs, lower back). Start with one set of each exercise (12 to 15 repetitions, slow and steady), using light hand weights, resistance bands or your own body weight. As you progress, you can work up to two and then three sets, resting 30 seconds to a minute between sets.
* Lots of actors are trained 1.5 hours every morning M-F, then a little more in the afternoons M, Tu, Th, and F for ideally 12 weeks to get them into shape for movies.
Carrying stuff
At summer camp I got stronger by carrying heavy things around. Specifically, at the beginning of the summer the first year, I could barely carry my trunk, by kind of setting one end on one foot, holding the handle of the other end by my chest, and walking funny. By the end I could pick it up by both handles and run down the steps of the tent. What I was carrying were the big Igloo coolers full of ice (but not water), first with help, then with breaks, then just throwing it over my shoulder. There's nothing around my house that I need to carry like that, but I could fill a box or grocery bag with stuff.
Climbing on Stuff
A friend and I enjoyed playing on a ropes course at a local water park, but they tore that down. There's also rock climbing, but that's pretty sociable, and I didn't really enjoy the climbing gym I tried, which is probably closed anyway. I feel like bouldering (moving sideways) on my chain link fence might be good exercise, but I haven't tried it yet.
Gym machines
I've been going to the gym with friends, but that's not a great idea anymore. I do not have a home gym, though I do have some exercise bands, small weights, and a balance ball.
Circuit Training
On one cruise I went on, there was an exercise class you could go to early in the morning. The instructor created a station for each person, each with a different exercise. Then we rotated so that we all did each exercise. Three times--the first was normal, and the others had something else, like quicker and shorter movements or holding in the most difficult position. I no longer remember all the stations, but they were various calisthenics like pushups, squats, jumping jacks, and crunches. The instructor said that it was important to switch between floor exercises and standing exercises. This was quite aerobic and we also ached the next day. I have not started doing this at home.
Except while brushing my teeth. Sometimes I do lunge-type things (just leaving my feet in place, but squatting and then standing up) while brushing the inside of my teeth, then do heel raises (separately for each heel) while brushing the outside of my teeth. (I don't do anything while flossing.)
See also: that 7-minute workout that was cool for a while.
Flexibility
My favorite stretch is to reach my arms over my head and then kind of lean to one side to stretch the other side and vice versa.
Balance and Coordination
Yoga
I like to do the tree pose while I'm getting my sock ready to put on and then try to put it on while standing on one leg. Repeat for other sock.
I've also heard it's good to stand on one leg and then try turning from side to side.
I have heard many great things about Yoga with Adriene but have not yet tried anything.
Juggling
I sometimes try to re-learn how to juggle (who knew you could unlearn it?)
I also like throwing my dirty laundry into the basket from across the room.
What About You?
Are y'all doing some exercise that you would recommend? Have you changed some of your routine? Are you struggling with finding a replacement activity?
There are several areas of physical fitness that I would like to address regularly: basic activity (at a minimum!) plus aerobics, strength training, flexibility, coordination, and balance (ideally).
Basic Activity
This is just generally making sure to move around. Some guidelines include:
* 150 minutes of movement per week (300 if you're a kid or trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss)
* 10,000 steps per day
* Get up and do something every hour for a couple of minutes
I have a pedometer and try for 10K steps a day or the equivalent. Specifically, I like the plan of going on three walks down the street that are just over a mile long, plus a little extra around the house. On the walks, I will move into the street to try to pass oncoming pedestrians six feet away from them.
I've also tried getting up and moving around every hour on the hour or between re-plays of board games but so far usually fail. But I have collected a lot of ideas I like for these breaks such as:
* various types of calisthenics
* use barbells or those stretchy things or an exercise ball
* dance to a song
* sit on the floor and then stand up multiple times
* sun salutations
* stand on one leg while twisting from side to side
* walk around on crutches (hard to do in my small house)
* walk around carrying something heavy
* juggle
* crawl around in different ways (regular, crab-walking, etc.)
Well-rounded Exercise
There are a few things I do that fit into multiple categories.
"Pilates" video
For a while I was trying various exercise videos from the library. Most of them sucked because they were too repetitive for my taste, had too much standing in one pose, had too much lying (8 reps! 3, 2, 1. 8 more reps!), and/or was not to the beat of the music. Or sometimes the choreography was too complicated and not fun enough to try to learn.
But I did find one exercise CD that I like, though it has a really stupid name: Weight Loss Pick-Your-Level Pilates. There are various times where more advanced exercisers can move up to more difficult versions of the exercises, so you're not doing the same thing forever, or if you are, you're glad you get to do the easier version. For me, there are bits of strength training, balance, and aerobic activity. It feels not that bad while I'm doing it, a lot of the stuff feels especially great after a long day of work, and I feel used up at the end.
The trainer only barely lies a couple of times. Two people's costumes are slightly embarrassingly revealing. There is one editing problem where they show one person doing the wrong thing. Nevertheless, two thumbs up!
Ballroom Dancing
For me, this can be aerobic, weight bearing, and require balance. You can practice without a partner if there's no one you're resigned to being closer than six feet from.
Random
See also 121seconds.com. This is all about figuring out fun ways to exercise using things you can find around the house. These videos all have a deadpan humor that I enjoy. My favorite workout is Circle of Death. "If you have access to a hula hoop and some kind of children's bouncing device, be it an inflatable cartoon dog, a pogo stick, or a bizarre, snail-like creature, then you are all set for the circle of death."
I have not yet come up with my own version of this.
Endurance/Calorie Burning/Aerobic (mostly)
Guidelines include:
* CDC: 150-300 minutes per week of moderate activity (breathe hard) or 75-150 minutes of strenuous activity (pant) or some combination.
* ACSM: 250 min/wk = 30-40 min/day.
* 40 minutes most days of week, in groups of at least 10 minutes each
* moderate exercise 30 min/day, 5 days/week
* the health benefits of running tend to drop off around the 20-mile-per-week range.
My main aerobic activity is jogging, but that's on hiatus right now while I'm healing a sprained toe. Before that I had gotten up to 3.5 miles; that plus one extra walk was my 10K steps for the day.
I also have been known to bicycle, swim, and do aerobic dance (though I currently have no DVDs I like).
Strength/Speed (mostly)
Guidelines:
* CDC - 2 days per week for all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms) doing 1 - 3 sets each time.
* Spark People - "Start by strength training 2 days/week, building up to 3 days/week for more of a challenge. Make sure you have at least one day of rest in between each session. Start with two to three exercises each for lower body and upper body and one to two core exercises (abs, lower back). Start with one set of each exercise (12 to 15 repetitions, slow and steady), using light hand weights, resistance bands or your own body weight. As you progress, you can work up to two and then three sets, resting 30 seconds to a minute between sets.
* Lots of actors are trained 1.5 hours every morning M-F, then a little more in the afternoons M, Tu, Th, and F for ideally 12 weeks to get them into shape for movies.
Carrying stuff
At summer camp I got stronger by carrying heavy things around. Specifically, at the beginning of the summer the first year, I could barely carry my trunk, by kind of setting one end on one foot, holding the handle of the other end by my chest, and walking funny. By the end I could pick it up by both handles and run down the steps of the tent. What I was carrying were the big Igloo coolers full of ice (but not water), first with help, then with breaks, then just throwing it over my shoulder. There's nothing around my house that I need to carry like that, but I could fill a box or grocery bag with stuff.
Climbing on Stuff
A friend and I enjoyed playing on a ropes course at a local water park, but they tore that down. There's also rock climbing, but that's pretty sociable, and I didn't really enjoy the climbing gym I tried, which is probably closed anyway. I feel like bouldering (moving sideways) on my chain link fence might be good exercise, but I haven't tried it yet.
Gym machines
I've been going to the gym with friends, but that's not a great idea anymore. I do not have a home gym, though I do have some exercise bands, small weights, and a balance ball.
Circuit Training
On one cruise I went on, there was an exercise class you could go to early in the morning. The instructor created a station for each person, each with a different exercise. Then we rotated so that we all did each exercise. Three times--the first was normal, and the others had something else, like quicker and shorter movements or holding in the most difficult position. I no longer remember all the stations, but they were various calisthenics like pushups, squats, jumping jacks, and crunches. The instructor said that it was important to switch between floor exercises and standing exercises. This was quite aerobic and we also ached the next day. I have not started doing this at home.
Except while brushing my teeth. Sometimes I do lunge-type things (just leaving my feet in place, but squatting and then standing up) while brushing the inside of my teeth, then do heel raises (separately for each heel) while brushing the outside of my teeth. (I don't do anything while flossing.)
See also: that 7-minute workout that was cool for a while.
Flexibility
My favorite stretch is to reach my arms over my head and then kind of lean to one side to stretch the other side and vice versa.
Balance and Coordination
Yoga
I like to do the tree pose while I'm getting my sock ready to put on and then try to put it on while standing on one leg. Repeat for other sock.
I've also heard it's good to stand on one leg and then try turning from side to side.
I have heard many great things about Yoga with Adriene but have not yet tried anything.
Juggling
I sometimes try to re-learn how to juggle (who knew you could unlearn it?)
I also like throwing my dirty laundry into the basket from across the room.
What About You?
Are y'all doing some exercise that you would recommend? Have you changed some of your routine? Are you struggling with finding a replacement activity?