BackSkipped gym?
If your answer is in the affirmative, and you are feeling guilty, here are some ways to make up by working out in office or at home
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There are days when you can’t or don’t want to go to the gym. But that doesn’t mean you cannot work out at home or in office. “Even a few simple exercises done in the comfort of home and office can be effective in keeping you fit and healthy," says Narendra Rangappa, consultant, orthopaedic surgery, Manipal Hospital, Malleswaram, Bangalore.
New Delhi-based Nisha Varma, Reebok master trainer (north India), agrees. “We all know that doing cardio burns calories, keeps the weight in check, the metabolism high and the mood great, besides being good for the heart and the circulatory system. On days you can’t hit the gym or go to the park, try to stand and work instead of sitting. If the weather permits, walk during lunch hour, have walking brainstorming sessions, walk as you talk on the cellphone in the evenings at home, do your own fetch-and-carry jobs and walk your way to health. It really is as simple as that," she says.
We asked three fitness experts to spell out what you can do on a “no-gym" day.
Pallavi Srivastava, fitness nutritionist and founder, Q-Slim Fitness Studio, Mumbai-
Use the stairs
One of the easiest, fun and best cardio workouts is going up and down a staircase. To make your workout more intensive and to up your fun quotient, have a competition (race) with your colleague/friend, or take two steps at a time going up a flight of stairs, swinging your arms as well. This will help tone your arms and legs. Or, put on your earphones and do spot jogging, or jump alternately up and down on the steps as a replacement for your cardio and strength-training workout at the gym.
You can also use the stairs as support for push-ups, lunges or squats, working on your quads, glutes and hamstrings.
Do push-ups
During the break, wherever you find a wall or a door, you can do push-ups against it as a strength-training routine. If you are at home, grab your dumb-bells or kettleballs and start with curls and raises right away. In case you do not have either, pick up a 2- or 1-litre bottle filled with water—they serve the same purpose. If you have a band or a medicine ball, you can even do crunches and strengthen your core muscles while listening to your favourite music.
Stretch
Stretch your arms, biceps and triceps while sitting or standing; place your left palm on your back shoulder blade by stretching your left arm. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat the same with the right arm.
Do a Namaste on your back; take your arms behind the back and join the palms; this will help stretch your chest muscles as well as the arms.
To stretch the leg muscles, do side kicks, front kicks and back kicks, taking the support of a wall or a desk. You can also bend your knee and hold against your chest for 20 seconds, then release. Repeat with the other leg.
While sitting in front of the computer, take a break for a few minutes and rotate your neck sideways or make a semi-circle alternately. Swing your arms back and forth to stretch your shoulder muscles as well as your arms.
Narendra Rangappa, consultant, orthopaedic surgery, Manipal Hospital, Bangalore-
Skipping
This age-old, high-impact exercise can be done just about anywhere; it improves cardio-respiratory fitness, helps lose weight, build bones and tone calf muscles. Skipping also helps prevent osteoporosis as it is a weight-bearing exercise (an exercise done when you are on your feet, with gravity exerting force) and helps strengthen muscles, ligaments and joints. Do different variations with the skipping rope like jumping on one foot, jumping high, skipping fast, etc. Before starting this regimen, do check with your doctor to ensure you don’t have any heart problems.
Quadricep exercise
Four muscles on the front of the thigh make up the quadriceps. You can work these muscles using the basic equipment at home, like a high-rise chair, a bed or a bench. Sit in an elevated position, then simply straighten the knee, hold it for 5 seconds and then bend it. Begin with 10 repetitions and slowly build up to 20 for each knee. This exercise is great for the knees and legs.
Nisha Varma, Reebok master trainer (north India), New Delhi-
Work with what you have
If you have to be at work and have missed a strength-training session at the gym, don’t fret. I would advise keeping a gymball and some resistance bands in the office. And replace your regular office chair with a stability ball (sit on it most of the day). This will activate the core muscles and improve your posture.
All the exercises for biceps, triceps, chest, legs, and upper and lower back can be done on and around the office furniture. For example, while sitting on your chair/gymball, place both forearms on the desk together and push the table down for 30 seconds. Do six repetitions. Reverse the position of the forearms, slide them under the table and repeat the action to get the other group of muscles involved. These two exercises will work the biceps and triceps.
For the lower body, sit and stand on the gymball or the chair several times in a day, and your lower body muscles will get a workout. Stair-climbing is also a good leg workout. While standing at the table, do heel raises for a good calf workout.
While seated, do abdomen contractions as you exhale. Hold the contracted position for as long as you can comfortably before releasing.
At home, gardening is the world’s best-kept exercise secret. Reap the benefits of this fabulous gym outside your door together—as a family. Turning compost is essentially lifting weights. Raking is like using a rowing machine. Pushing the mower is similar to walking on a treadmill.
Do you know that conducting music is a form of exercise? Waving your hands and arms in the air can increase muscle strength and flexibility, and improve blood circulation. So grab a spoon, chopstick or just use your imagination, turn up some music, classical or not, and begin “directing" a family orchestra.
Use the balcony as a family exercise place and use the railing to do the stretches (like those done in a ballet class). You can stretch the hamstrings (back of the thigh) or the calf or the quadriceps (front of the thighs) on your balcony.
Create a workout zone in your veranda. Make different workstations. Like station 1: jog, station 2: push-ups, station 3: abs, etc. Make at at least 10 stations and beginning at station 1, work to the end of the activity spending 5 minutes at each station. You can have an excellent workout without heading to the gym.
Relax on the desk
Want to stay fit? Then ease up
u A 5-minute power nap or just cupping the eyes to fight stress
u Looking away from the computer screen frequently to give the eyes rest
u Washing the eyes with cold water whenever possible.
u Closing the eyes and relaxing for 5 minutes during lunch hour.
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