Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman 

Is social distancing putting a cramp in your fitness regimen?

Are you finding it difficult or frustrating to get a sweat session in without access to your normal workout equipment? With so many of us now finding ourselves doing nearly everything from home, we’re longing for the days when attending a HIIT, yoga, CrossFit, dance or spin class was the norm in our daily routine. 

Photos of epic and creative home/garage gyms are popping up everywhere, as we adjust to our new-found quarantine lifestyle. To help you stay fit during SIP, we've curated a list of five different types of fun and effective workouts that will get you sweating with little (or no) equipment. Bonus: if you’re missing your workout buddies, you can easily do these circuits over Zoom/FaceTimeⓇ with a friend.

Grab your water bottle, some tunes, a virtual friend, and get ready for some simple at-home workouts that will get both your heart rate and mood boosted!

• HIIT 

HIIT (high-intensity interval training) has become popular among those who are looking for a heart-pumping workout often using just your bodyweight combined with high reps. 

Check out this HIIT workout you can try at home, repeat the circuit 3-4 times:

20 Speed Skaters

10 Air Squats

10 Squat Jumps

30 Mountain Climbers 

10 Sit-Ups

10 Seated Ab Tucks

10 Push-Ups

10 Burpees

10 Pulse Lunges (per leg) 

10 Glute Bridges

Max. Plank Hold

HIIT workout courtesy of @healthy_bree

• Yoga Flow

There are many subsets of yoga, from hot yoga to Bikram to Ashtanga Vinyasa and more! Some yoga flows can be meditative, slow and peaceful while others will send your heart rate soaring or have you completely inverted. 

Check out these sans-equipment home yoga sequences. Repeat each exercise for 15 reps, complete 3-4 rounds:

Downward Dog to Upward Dog

Knee Hover to Downward Dog 

Knee Hover + knee-to-shoulder taps

Handstand Tuck Jump 

Hand Plank to Forearm Plank (with alternating knee hovers)

Yoga workout courtesy of @fitveganyogi

• Cardio

Cardio is typically defined as any sort of workout that increases your heart rate. Whether that is running, climbing stairs, swimming or high-volume body movements, it is guaranteed to spike your heart rate and get you sweating.

Check out this spicy at-home cardio circuit, try repeating the circuit 4-5 times:

1:00 Skaters

0:15 Run, turnaround, then 0:15 Run back 

1:00 Squat Jumps

0:30 Run, turnaround, then 0:30 Run back 

1:00 Burpees

0:45 Run, turnaround, then 0:45 Run back 

1:00 Jumping Jacks

Cardio workout courtesy of @gomadtfitnesstoledo

• Dance HIIT Out

Workouts incorporating various dance movements have become a fitness trend that has cultivated a huge following. From barre to ballroom dancing to Buti yoga, there are many dance-infused fitness routines for you to explore, even from home.

Give this at-home dance circuit a go, repeat 3-4 times:

10 Passé Jump Step Touch

10 Squat Jump Twist

10 Tricep Tap Clap Plank

10 Plank Jack Knee Crunch

Dance workout courtesy of @sequinjillian and @carbon38

•  Strength Training

If you’re wanting to get some strength training in but don’t have any dumbbells or barbells on hand, we’ve got you covered. During this time, getting creative is key! Please feel free to adjust the movements for whatever equipment you have, and always be safe.*

Here’s an upper-body strength circuit that uses items you can easily find lying around your home! Aim for quality reps and complete the circuit 2 times: 

5 Single-Arm Shoulder Lifts with a weighted/full backpack (5x per side)

5 Single-Arm Fly with a weighted/full backpack (5x per side)

5 Shoulder Lifts with a heavy box/bag

0:30 Overhead Hold with a heavy box/bag

5 Arm Raises with a heavy box/bag

5 Single-Shoulder Press with a milk jug/bottle (5x per side)

5 Around-the-Worlds with a broom handle/stick

5 Tricep Extensions with a milk jug/bottle

Strength workout courtesy of @dina_homeworkouts

C O N C L U S I O N

Hopefully, these at-home workouts will help get you motivated and moving. But, like all things during this time, please don’t let failure or missed workouts become a point of shame—remember that your mental health is equally important right now. So if you find yourself getting more frustrated than fit, just give yourself a break for the day, go for a walk, then get back to it tomorrow. Utilize this unique time to explore different types of workouts and just have fun moving your body today! 

*Please always consult a physician before starting any exercise regimen.

Photos courtesy of: @healthy_bree and @meganashleyfitness

About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.

> > > Stay well.