Tips for a top workout from home

Uh oh, there go the plans for that summer body. Suddenly you're stuck at home, munching on the most ridiculous things and barely moving in a day. Yo… So much for the first three days of quarantine. Hey dude, it's okay. It's logical that you feel a bit out of sorts. We all do.

You know what you need? A good sprinkle of fitgirl glitter over your face. Because we're not just going to throw those goals in the trash because the gyms are closed, right? Your success isn't determined by a gym, is it? No way. Listen, I'll take care of that motivation, you take care of a mini gym at home? It's just a matter of ticking off this step-by-step plan.

Step 1: Find. A. Space.
Do you have an empty room in the house? That's great. A cluttered space that you can transform into a mini gym in the coming days? Awesome. A living room big enough to do jumping jacks without knocking over vases? Will do. As long as you can create your own ‘spot’ to work out.

Step 2: Set mini goals with yourself
Working out at home for an hour three times a week? A feasible goal. To make it even more concrete, attach specific days to it. ‘On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I want to work out for an hour at 6 PM.’ There you go. You can easily do this. Bonus points if you get your partner, family, or housemates to join in.

Step 3: The basic items that are handy to purchase for that gym feel

• A yoga mat. Essential. Doesn't have to be expensive, especially nice for the knees.
• I personally find it very chill: a jump rope. An easy way to quickly raise your heart rate.
• You could say weights (kettlebells or dumbbells), but spending dozens of euros on that: meh. Grab a few books or water bottles if you want something to lift, works just fine.

Step 4: Make a plan: what are you going to do?For this, I texted Steve from Book Your Trainer. It went something like this.

I: ‘STEVE. Panic. Gyms are closed. What exercises should I do now?’
He: ‘Look. Compound exercises. These are movements where you engage multiple muscle groups. This not only leads to high calorie burn but also proportional muscle building.’
I: ‘Ah, okay yeah. But which six movements were important again?’
He: ‘Push, pull, twist, lunge, squat, deadlifts. These six basic movements will appear in your workouts as strength movements. Don't be too hard on yourself. There are many videos on YouTube. Take your time to read up and try to replicate it. Oh yeah, and don't forget to stretch afterward. And eat healthily now, especially important during this time. Cook fresh meals. And otherwise, keep texting me. I'm also working on online coaching by the way. More on that soon.’
I: ‘Okay, I can do this.’

Step 5: Dress for a real workout
So not in pajama pants and a baggy shirt. No, I'm talking about the real deal. A new gym outfit = new motivation. At least that's what I have. If you don't want to spend money, at least put on the outfit in which you shine the most. Schedule your ‘gym appointment with yourself’ in your calendar and from there it's just a matter of going.

You can do this.