Home workout

Tricep stretch

Either sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the ground or standing up straight, raise your elbow and reach toward your upper back. Point your elbow toward the ceiling and touch the centre of your upper back with your  hand. Grab your elbow and gently pull your elbow back and toward your side until you feel a stretch. Hold for five deep breaths and then switch arms. Repeat 2-3 times.

Chest stretch

Either sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the ground or standing up straight, bring both hands to your lower back and clasp your hands together or hold onto to back of your chair. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and gently lean forward as you pull your hands away until you feel the stretch. Hold for five deep breaths. Repeat 2-3 times.

Upper back stretch

Either standing or sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the ground or standing up straight, clasp your hands together in front of you and drop your chin to your chest. Reach your arms straight forward. As you do so, you should be pulling the shoulders forward. Hold for five deep breaths. Repeat 2-3 times.

Torso twist

Sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the ground, twist your upper body so your shoulders rotate to one side. You can use the chair for support, holding on to get a deep muscle stretch. Hold for five deep breaths and then twist to the other side. Repeat 2-3 times.

Hamstring stretch

Sitting on the edge of a chair, straighten your legs out in front of you with your feet flexed and hold onto the edge of the seat for support. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the backs of your legs and calves. Hold for five deep breaths and then twist to the other side. Repeat 2-3 times.

Neck stretch

While sitting on a chair, rest your hands on the top of your legs and lower your chin to your chest to stretch the back of your neck. Hold for 2-3 deep breaths. Tilt your head to the left, bringing your ear towards your shoulder and hold for another 2-3 deep breaths. Roll your head up towards the ceiling and push your chin forward. Hold for 2-3 deep breaths. Finally, tilt your head to the right, bringing your ear towards your shoulder and hold for another 2-3 deep breaths. Repeat 2-3- times.

Ide stretch

Sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the ground, reach both arms overhead and clasp your hands together. Gently lean to one side until you feel a stretch along the side of your torso. Hold for five deep breaths and then lean to the other side. Repeat 2-3 times.

Arm circles

Standing up tall, create a big circle with your arms starting with your hands by your side and then raise them out in front of you, continuing to move your arms up and behind you. Complete 5 full arm circles before changing direction and complete another 5 full arm circles moving the arms forward.

Forearm stretch

Standing close to the edge of a table, place your hands flat on the surface with your fingers facing in to your body. Gently lean backwards until you feel a stretch along the inside of your arms. Hold for five deep breaths. Flip your hands over so the tops of your hands are flat on the table and gently lean backwards. Hold for five deep breaths. Repeat 2-3 times.

Quadriceps stretch

Standing on one leg, bend the other leg behind you and grab hold of your foot. Keeping your knees together, pull your heel towards your buttock and push your hips forward. Hold onto the back of a chair for support. Hold for five deep breaths. Swap legs and hold for another five deep breaths. Repeat 2-3 times for each leg.

Tricep dip

Hold on to the edge of a chair with your hands shoulder width apart and your legs out infront of your with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bending at your elbows, lower your body until you create a 90° angle. Pushing through your hands, lift yourself back to the start position. Complete 1-2 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

Incline push ups

Place your hands on the edge of a table slightly wider than shoulder width apart and step back into a plank position, keeping your body straight. Lower your chest to the desk by bending your arms, keeping your elbows tucked into your body. Push through your hands to bring yourself back to the starting position.

Complete 1-2 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

Squat

Standing with both feet shoulder width apart and your toes slightly turned out, brings both arms directly out in front of you. Slowly bend your knees and drop your hips to lower your body, keeping your heels flat on the floor. At the bottom of the squat, pause for a moment before standing back up to the starting position, mirroring the descent. Complete 1-2 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

Torso twist with leg raise

Sitting on a chair with your arms crossed over your chest, place your right leg straight out in front of you. Keeping your toes pointed, raise your right leg and twist your torso over to the right letting your head and neck follow. Repeat 5-8 times for each leg.

Calf raises

Hold onto the back of a chair for support with your feet hip width apart and raise yourself up onto the balls of your feet. Hold this position for a second before slowly lowering your feet back to the ground.

Complete 1-2 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

Reverse lunge

Hold onto the back of a chair for support. With your feet hip width apart and toes facing forward, take a big step backward with your left foot and lower yourself down by bending your left knee so it is just hovering above the floor. Push through the back foot to return the left leg back to a standing position.

Complete 1-2 sets of 8-10 repetitions per leg

Seated bicycle crunch

Sit back on a chair with both feet flat on the ground. Rest your right hand on the back of your head and hold onto the side of the seat or the arm rest for support with your left. Raise your left knee up to meet your right elbow whilst squeezing your abdominal muscles.. Return back to the starting position as you lower you leg back to the ground.

Complete 1-2 sets of 8-10 repetitions per side.

Wall sit

Standing with your back against a flat wall and feet shoulder width apart, start to lower yourself down and move your feet out into a squat position until your knees create a 90° angle. Press your weight through your feet and maintain contact between your lower back and the wall throughout. Complete 1-2 sets of 30 second holds in this position

Wanting the gym experience but from your own home?

Follow these handy tips to help get the same workout as normal, but making use of your home. 

As always, undertake these at your own risk, check the objects are fit for purpose and solid, and stay safe!

• Use your stairs as step up or plyo boxes, or to allow yourself to do decline push ups (or incline push ups if you’re starting out)
• Use corners of your kitchen worktops for tricep dips, or even chin curls ups from underneath!
• Press your arms and hands against the door frame to work deltoids
• Got a dog? Use the dog lead to help increase stretches like a resistance band, or loop around a solid object and secure it to create a make shift TRX rope!
• If you have a hard wood or tiled floor, slip on some thick or fluffy socks and use that lack of resistance for a great abs workout- example : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2NR0cWKR7E

Weight alternatives
We may not all have dumbells and medicine balls at home, but we have plenty of alternatives. Find the one that most reflects the weights you would use. Always start lighter if you’re unsure before working upwards.

Things you can use:

• Cans
• Water bottles-fill up varying amounts depending on how heavy you need
• Milk bottles
• Textbooks (great medicine ball replacement for russian twists)
• Bags of groceries eg potatoes
• If you have a garden, bags of compost or sand
• Used to heavier weights? Why not fill up a suitcase with the needed weights!