4 Minute ReadHow To by David Levesley
23.12.21 (Updated 13.01.22)
Whether the world is telling you not to go to the gym, or you simply can't face the idea of returning to your nearest squat rack, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to work out at home. We spoke to personal trainer James Neilsen about the perfect guide for how to build your own gym at home, and how to do the best possible workout in it.
Try the Peloton bike. It’s all the rage for a reason and is really helping people to stay fit while at home. Didn't get one for Christmas? Us neither. Instead try some shadow boxing for 5 minutes with 1 minute intervals. There are great tutorials on Youtube like this one and this one.
Olympic Rings are the most advantageous bit of kit, which really help to maintain and build muscle with just your own bodyweight. It can take time to really nail correct form and function but when you do, your muscle groups will thank you. You can also take them outside and hang from above if you can adequate space.
Doing slow controlled reps (eccentric lowering) can really stimulate muscle growth. Isometric (holding) exercises can also add to it. Try some squats at a 5 - 0 - 1 - 0 tempo. This means lowering your bottom for 5 seconds and then coming back up in one second. Repeat this 12 times for four or five sets. When you work your legs it really helps to sculpt your abdominals, too.
My top bit of kit would be a theragun massage tool, which is amazing to release tension and help with mobility.
My second top bit of advice is a pigeon pose, on both limbs, before bedtime. Try this for one minute each side. Stretching before bed will not only get you more limber, it will help you sleep better too.
Try to loosen your glutes and core by doing some dynamic stretching. Hip flexor stretches and spinal rotations are a real game changer before you head into more strenuous activity. They allow for greater range of mobility and thus more potential for body composition improvement.
Taking yourself to the park or in the safety of your own home, LYMA gives you 5 targeted movements to work your full body and keep you in great condition whilst we deal with testing times. You won’t need any equipment, just some water and some energy that LYMA can supply. These moves also contain some real anti anxiety benefits and will prepare your body for the months ahead.
Repeat these workout movements over 4-5 sets:
This move targets the glutes, legs and also your prowess with jump and twisting movements. Keeping soft on the landing, push through your heel on each rep to really hit your glutes and burn bodyfat at the same time. Try these alternating for 30 seconds. This ones a real challenge for your balance too.
This is a great move to really target your core and your obliques whilst also testing your balance. Engage your glutes and keep your abs tight. Try and complete the same amount of reps on each side. Try for 15 reps on each side.
A great move for the core and stomach and also a great to increase stability, body awareness and increase structural balance. This will also work your posterior chain. Keep these slow and controlled and concentrate on your breathing whilst you perform each rep. Make sure it is full and deep.
An explosive move; this really targets fat loss with its intensity and technique. The downward dog adjustment will open up the body whilst the traditional mountain climbers will get you fitter and leaner. Try these for 30 seconds.
A great movement to open up the hips which is so important for women. There is an incredible link between hips and emotions. Whether it is one traumatic event, or multiple small events, the feelings of fear, anxiety and sadness are stored at the hips until we bring them to the surface and allow a release. The longer you suppress emotion, the tighter the grasp.
If you’re looking for that little bit of an extra advantage when you next hit the gym - at home or otherwise - LYMA’s Supplement can really help you make your move.
