30-Minute @ Home Workouts to Keep You Moving

by Blendtopia ☀️ April 2, 2020

So, the world has changed a little in the last few weeks.

Right now, it’s really amazing and inspiring to see the connectivity happening all around us. Watching people and communities coming closer together and providing resources not necessarily always avail for ‘free’ to encourage ‘togetherness’ during a time of personal distancing.

What we know is that people MUST take time for themselves daily. Maybe they can only squeeze in a 30-minute workout 2-3 times a week, and that’s okay. Anything is better than nothing. But, taking the time to get daily movement is key.

The importance of staying active

We’ve all seen the Facebook memes about coming out of quarantine and having gained 20 lbs. And yes, decreased activity, of course, can lead to weight gain, but there are other important reasons to stay committed to getting exercise.

Physical activity is a fantastic stress reliever! It helps to…

Increase endorphins: Exercise helps your body produce endorphins, your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters.
Exercise is “meditation in motion”: Exercise forces you to be fully centered and present at the moment focused on your body’s movements.
Boost Mood: Exercise can lower the symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve sleep.

But you’re probably wondering, what does an at-home 30-minute workout look like?

30-minute sprints + plyometrics + stretching

Who says your driveway can’t be a home gym?

Using what we have at home is the name of the game, and your driveway or sidewalk is the perfect place to develop a sprint + plyometric routine.

But first – don’t forget to stretch! Sprinting can be hard on your muscles, especially if you’re new to them. Make sure to take the time to stretch and warm your body up fully before trying this routine!

Sprints: While you’re stuck at home, and have limited resources, sprinting is has a huge bang-for-your-buck workout that and increases cardiovascular health, and burns calories like crazy. Using your driveway or sidewalk in front of your house to do 4-8 sprints, pushing yourself to run as hard as possible for 30 seconds each time. Give yourself time in between for less intensive exercise (but keep moving).

Plyometrics: Plyometrics, or “jumping exercises,” are perfect to alternate with your sprint. There are many, many different plyometric exercises, so choose one that works for your own skill level and do 3-5 reps between sprints.

Repeat. Repeat the sprint/plyometric routine 4-8 times depending on your fitness level and ability. For your first workout, it’s best to stop at 4 sprints (That’s fine – you need to get your body used to the activity!) and try to build up to 8.

You name it, it’s online! Streaming online options are endless right now.

woman working out at home on her computer

Streaming classes let you choose the workout type, timeframe, intensity level and instructors.

Yoga
HIIT
Kickboxing
Dance
Strength Training
Meditation

Practically all of our favorite fitness studios, fitness influencers, and fitness sites are offering free streaming classes or free subscriptions to help you get through this difficult time. Staying fit and healthy is so important, and right now there are resources everywhere.

Peloton is offering a free 90-day trial with unlimited on-demand and streaming classes. Literally anything and everything under the sun.
Glo.com offers amazing yoga and meditation classes and is providing people with a free trial.
Pure Barre studio is offering Pure Barre OnDemand free for 30 days with code EXTENDEDTRIAL.
The workout streaming app Tone It Up is offering free access to its programs for new members for the next month.
Planet Fitness is streaming live, at-home workouts for free on their Facebook page daily at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

30-minute meditations

Mental health can hugely impact your physical health, so it’s important to remember to take time for a healthy brain, too. Meditation helps reduce stress levels, leaving you feeling more focused and grounded, which is JUST as important as a workout these days.

Guided meditation

With guided meditation, you’re led through the meditation process by a third party, focusing on suggestions narrated by them. This particular kind of meditation is especially helpful for those of us who are not great at sitting still and focusing on our breath. It works to guide your mind’s imagery instead of leaving that task to the individual.

There are thousands of great meditation resources on YouTube, Spotify, and even Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

Working out outside while social distancing

You can still workout outside of your home as long as you keep it to your immediate neighborhood and keep a safe distance from others.

Jogging: Even if it’s around the block, jogging in intervals will get you out, let you get fresh air, and keep you active.
Walking: Take the whole family + the dogs! Walking around the block three times a day with the dogs has kept my family sane.
Bicycling: Taking your bike out is also still safe, as long as you stick to your neighborhood. As an added precaution, I would make sure you wipe your bike down and sanitize it, and make sure to wash your hands when coming home.

I hope you found some great tips for keeping active in this article! If you have any great 30-minute workout-from-home tips, drop them in the comments below to help keep us all inspired!

If you want to read more tips to help you thrive during this difficult time, you might like these blog posts:

Be sure to come share your workout tips with us on Facebook (and stay connected while we’re all at stuck at home). Plus, come follow us on Instagram and Pinterest for more tips, words of encouragement and a great community of people like you.

Stay healthy and safe!