As the community is fighting the pandemic, it's essential to stay at home and keep ourselves and our families healthy. Some provinces, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, are temporarily suspending outdoor sports activities. Therefore, bodyweight exercises at home are the best choice for runners in this period
Bodyweight is a bodybuilding exercise that does not require machines and equipment. This kind of training method helps to increase strength, endurance and develop muscle.
Below are some of the most effective bodyweight exercises:
1. Burpees:
Burpee combines many push-ups and jumps, helping to increase endurance, strength and burn calories.
Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then jump up and clap your hands overhead.
Step 2: Lower your body into a squat position, put your hands forward on the ground, heels slightly up and not touching the ground.
Step 3: Lower down to push up.
Step 4: Jump up and then bring your legs back to the squat position.
Step 5: Repeat the above steps.
For beginners: 4 sets, 2 minutes each, 1 minute rest between the sets. When the body is used to beginner level, raise the exercise to 6 sets.
2. Jump Squats:
Jump Squat is a variation of the Squat exercise, but a complex one to help the thighs and auxiliary muscle groups, the hamstrings, calves, and glutes naturally develop.
Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, slightly raise your chest, look straight ahead, hands clasped or crossed in front of your chest.
Step 2: Inhale and lower your body into a squat position, keeping your thighs parallel to the floor. Do not lower the knee.
Step 3: Put your heels on the floor, use your thigh muscle to jump up so that your body bounces as high as possible. Exhale in this movement, beating your hands to the rhythm of the jump.
Step 4: When the toes touch the floor again, immediately bring the body back to the squat position and hands to the original position. Repeat the entire movement.
Jump Squat exercise should be repeated 20 times, but you can gradually increase depending on your body's condition.
3. Mountain Climber
Mountain Climber is an on-site exercise that simulates outdoor climbing movements, when performing the foot movements of real mountain climbing.
Step 1: Start in a high plank position, hands on the ground, shoulders and back forming a straight line. Do not raise your hips up.
Step 2: Tighten your abdominal muscles. Shift your weight and balance your body with two hands and toes. The whole body from the legs, hips, back, neck, to head should form a straight line.
Step 3: Pull the left foot towards the left hand, then bring the left foot to the starting position and bring the right foot to the right hand, then bring the right foot to the starting position. Do the same moves to continue the exercise, as quickly as possible.
Step 4: Repeat this leg movement for 20-30 seconds and breathe steadily.
4. Skater Jump
Skater Jump is the most intense full-body cardio exercise that targets your glutes and the additional organs of your hip joints.
Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Jump to the right, lower the leg, cross the left foot behind the right foot, swing the left arm across the body and the right hand back.
Step 3: Jump to the left, switch legs and arms to complete 1 rep. Repeat for 1 minute.
5. Lunges
Lunges creates beautiful shape for the butt, best suits female runners.
Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Place your hands on your sides, stretch the chest.
Step 3: Step your right foot forward about 60-90 cm, so that the calf and left knee make a 90-degree angle. The knee should not touch the floor. Raise the heels up while keep the toes on the floor. Then tighten your abs to keep your balance.
Step 4: Use the push from the front foot to return to the standing position, then do the same on the left leg. Repeat 3 sets for each leg, 10 times each set.
