4 effective workouts you can do at home, from the pros at OrthoCarolina

Regular exercise is a key part of staying happy and healthy during the stay at home order.

When all other parts of your daily routine have been disrupted, being consistent with your workouts can provide a sense of stability and accomplishment, plus a much-needed outlet for pent up energy. That said, try not to let it become another source of stress.

“It’s important during this stressful time that we give ourselves grace. Our exercise routines likely need to change, and that’s okay,” Mary Jean McKinnon, PTA at OrthoCarolina, said. 

The best part? As long as you’ve got a couple of empty square feet in your home, you have a home gym – you don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment to work up a good sweat.

“Make it fun. Blast your favorite music, connect with some friends for a virtual workout, or try something completely different from your normal routine,” Chris Gabriel, Pt, OCS, CSCS at OrthoCarolina, said.

We asked the pros at OrthoCarolina for their best at-home workouts. Here are four simple routines that require little or no equipment.

Workout #1

• Squats x15
• Squats with tricep kickbacks x10
• Heel raises x10
• Heel raises with overhead press x10
• Mini lunges x10
• Lunge with bicep curls x10
Repeat 2-3 times

Pro tip: If you don’t have weights at home, try using soup cans from your pantry.

Workout #2

Warm-up:
• 5-10 minute brisk walk/jog (on a treadmill or around the block)

Workout:
Round 1
• Jumping jacks x50
• Side steps x15 (each side)
• High knee march x15
• Goblet squat x15 (hold any weighted household item)
Round 2
• Jumping jacks x60
• Side steps x10 (each side)
• High knee march x10
• Goblet squat x10 (hold any weighted household item)
Round 3
• Jumping jacks x70
• Side steps x5 (each side)
• High knee march x5
• Goblet squat x5 (hold any weighted household item)

Pro tip: If you’re working out on a hardwood floor or a concrete driveway, a workout mat and shoes with proper support and cushioning are even more important.

Workout #3

Warm-up:
• Jog from line to line 30 seconds
• Shuttle run 60 seconds
• Backward running 60 seconds

Workout:
• Squats (2 sets of 12)
• Walking lunges (2 sets of 12)
• Single leg toe raises (2 sets of 15)
• Russian hamstring curls (3 sets of 10)
• Forward/backward jumps over a line x20
• Lateral jumps over a line x20
• Vertical jumps (2 sets of 12)

Workout #4

Warm-up:
• Jog in place for 30 seconds
• Jumping jacks x15
• Squats x10
• Backward lunge with overhead reach x10 (each side)

Workout:
• Push-ups x10-15
• Front plank 20-45 seconds
• Side plank 20-30 seconds
• Squat jumps x15
• Mountain climbers x10-15 (each side)
• Speed skaters x15 (each side
• Burpees x15
• Bird dogs x15

Repeat 2-3 times with 1-minute rest between rounds 

For more training tips and free workouts, check out OrthoCarolina’s blog.

(This content was created in partnership with OrthoCarolina.)