8 Home Workouts You Can Do From Your Living Room
Working out, for some of us, provides the very foundations of self-care. We move to make our bodies and our minds feel good; to release the negative energy that sits on our chests late at night, like bleeding a radiator and releasing the trapped air.
Before we get into this, let’s just add a caveat right here fellas: you don’t need to come out of this better than you went in. You don’t need a lockdown glow up so fire you’ll torch a hole in your water bottle just by holding it, so put that thought to bed right now. You are already worthy of a hundred flame emojis. Trust us.
Release the negative energy that sits on our chests late at night, like bleeding a radiator
Working out, for some of us, provides the very foundations of self-care. We move to make our bodies and our minds feel good; to release the negative energy that sits on our chests late at night, like bleeding a radiator and releasing the trapped air. That’s what we’re getting at here, not the toxic narrative that suggests abs are the silver lining to a cloudy pandemic, if you’ll allow us the understatement of 2020.
We need to feel like we’re part of something bigger than these four walls. We need to know that we’re not alone and to salvage the familiar tropes of normality that carry on around us – the Instagram outfits, the Tik Tok dances and the sweaty comradery of a gym class. Who knew missing burpees was a thing!
We want to figure out how to belong in this new version of the world
We need to feel connected – to other people, yes, but also to ourselves. We want to figure out how to belong in this new version of the world, however temporary it may be.
And what belonging to that world means will look different to everyone. Some will read, some will write, some will curl up and sleep, all of which are perfectly adequate tales of survival.
You’ll determine what feels right for you – guilt doesn’t live here – but some of us will feel an uncontrollable need to move our tushies sorry in advance to the neighbours directly below us
With our routines out of whack, finding a home workout you love is one way we can keep a check on our mental and physical wellbeing. So, whether you fancy HIIT, a yoga class or a savage Les Mills program, here’s a run-down of the best virtual work outs you can do from home.
For the fun: The Body Coach
Join Joe Wicks as he puts the nation through their paces with his P.E classes. FYI: It might be aimed at kids but if you do it properly, it is gruelling stuff. As well as his daily 30 minute P.E classes, he has a whole range of other workouts on his YouTube channel, from fat burning cardio sessions to legs, bums & tums. Find him on YouTube here.
Cost: Free
For the zen: Yoga With Adriene
If ever there were a time to hold your soles up to the moon in Happy Baby pose and say namaste, it’s now. Adriene makes yoga approachable for all levels with her virtual sessions, all of which are available to watch on her YouTube channel for free. With a library of over 500 videos from gentle flow to gut health, stress and mediation for self-love, you’re bound to find something that eases your body and your mind. Find her on YouTube here.
Cost: Free
For the core: Sinead Trains
Sinead hosts live ab blasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 8am. Expect 20 minutes of side planks, Russian twists, slow controlled bicycles and leg raises, you know, all the stuff that makes your belly button burn. In a good way. Find her on Instagram here.
Cost: Free
For the buzz: Les Mills
Ever done a body combat, body balance or body pump class at the gym before? Then chances are, you’ve done a Les Mills program. Get access to over 800 Les Mills workouts on demand from post-partum exercises to dance fitness and mindfulness practices, there’s something for everyone. Check them our here.
Cost: Currently free until 30th April – £11.95 per month with a 14 day free trial.
For the sweat: Psycle London
Missing your barre class? You can find plenty of workouts designed to sculpt, tone and lengthen over on Psycle London’s Instagram page. Just head to their IGTV for all sorts of savage sequences to power up your home workout. Find them on Instagram here.
Cost: Free
For the butt and legs: Ciara London
Ciara Madden AKA Ciara London is one of the UK’s leading female-only personal trainers. Having worked with the likes of Maya Jama and Neelam Gill, she certainly knows a thing or two about crafting the killer workout for those booty gains. Join the squad and feel the burn! Find them here.
Cost: £15 a month subscription for 6 classes a week
For the bedroom friendly workout: MadFit
If you’re a fan of the #noequipment workout, Maddie’s your girl. Her home workouts are mat-based and keep things super simple and accessible, so you can get your full body routine done and dusted in 20 mins flat. Find Maddie on YouTube here.
Cost: Free
For the posture: Heartcore
Join Heartcore for a holistic approach to fitness that combines the fundamental mind-body principles of Pilates with athletic conditioning. You can enjoy live adaptations of the signature Heartcore classes from Barre, Ritual, Vinyasa Flow, HIIT and more! If you’re working from home, your back will LOVE this. Find them here.
Cost: £5 per class
