Effective and Simple Home Work Outs and Gear I Picked up during the Pandemic!
Here are 6 convenient ways to stay in shape without the gym!
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A main topic for the year 2020 is preserving everyone’s health. We have safely stayed indoors and in place and closed down businesses in order to preserve our own health, as well as others’ health and safety from COVID. During these months of social isolation, it has been easy for many to fall prey to sit around and order food online and scroll social media. Not only that, but suicide rates have doubled (could be because of lack of social connection and isolation). These practices are not healthy so I thought I’d share a few healthy habits I’ve picked up in the year 2020.
This equipment requires little space and will give you a great workout. You can also travel with them (even the yoga swing you can attach the clamps to a tree). Although I’m not in the best shape of my life in 2020 (my preferred dance studios are closed, and even though you can live stream at home it’s not the same as dancing in person with the music and energy of those around you, you know? I’ve sat around more, too) these pieces of equipment still give me a great workout regardless.
The only thing left that you need to add and that you can’t buy is discipline and throwing your feelings away if you’re feeling extra unmotivated and down. You can do it. #discipline
WEIGHTED JUMP ROPE
A weighted jump rope is a great form of cardio. Your arms and upper body also get a more intense workout due to the weight. If you do only 100 jump ropes on this, you’re bound to feel the workout already. I like to switch off between a speed jump rope (100 jumps) and then a weighted jump rope (100 jumps) for variety. A weighted jump rope requires a little space and you can also take it outside for some fresh air.
SPEED JUMP ROPE
A speed jump rope will really get your heart rate up. A speed jump rope will allow you to jump for a longer period of time. It’s a great form of cardio and also doesn’t take a lot of space. This is a basic piece of equipment for home workouts. You could jump with a speed jump rope for 20 minutes on a timer and really get a great workout in.
ANKLE WEIGHTS
I love adding ankle weights to my mat workouts. Adding ankle weights strengthens your body and enhances your workout session. I like streaming Tracy Anderson metamorphosis workouts on Youtube and adding ankle weights for a 30 minute session. This also does not take up too much space.
YOGA SWING
A yoga swing is awesome for stretching and inversions. There are so many youtube videos you can follow along to and learn from if you search “yoga trapeze” or “aerial trapeze” on youtube. There are hooks you must bolt to your ceiling, and it must be secure (handy man recommended unless you know how to safely bolt it to the correct part of the ceiling). Yoga trapeze’s will keep you flexible and are great for posture and alignment. You can also hook a yoga trapeze to a secure and very strong tree branch, or bars at a playground! There is a stand that you can buy for a yoga trapeze, too.
Check out my blog post How to Use an Aerial Silks Trapeze! Plus—Benefits, Pros and Cons!
STRETCH STRAP
A stretch strap is awesome for deep stretches and flexibility (minus the inversions of a yoga swing). A stretch strap will assist you with deep stretches if you are feeling cramped up. You can get deeper stretches on a stretch strap rather than regular stretches. It feels really good!
WEIGHT LIFTING GLOVES
Weight lifting gloves will give you that grip you need for an effective workout whether it’s holding onto a weighted jump rope, speed jump roping or lifting your leg with a weighted ankle weight on. These help make a difference when your hands are getting a little too sweaty, but you still want to continue working out because you’re not done yet.
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I hope you enjoyed these home workout ideas and I hope that you’re staying healthy and safe!
XX,
How to Use an Aerial Silks Trapeze! Plus—Benefits, Pros and Cons!
An anti-gravity routine for home!
Aerial Silks Trapeze:
A relaxing, anti-gravity exercise routine for home!
Stretching, hanging and posing on an aerial silks trapeze is one of my favorite things to do at home.
Aerial trapeze is a form of anti-gravity exercise, which has a host of benefits (which is posted below). It also feels amazing to stretch out after a long day, and once you get started, you will want to stretch on this daily. The trapeze is actually easier then it looks once you get the hang of it. After you have given it a shot it becomes addicting!
Simply hanging upside gives gravity a chance to elongate, relax and stretch out your back. Gravity pulls our back down daily in the opposite direction while we are sitting and standing upward, and hanging upside down releases it.
There are a ton of different positions on the trapeze I like to stretch to and benefit from.
Check out the chart below for more stretching poses. There are tons more positions to explore on Pinterest, try searching “yoga trapeze positions.” Also, there are videos I sometimes like to follow along to on Youtube.
History of Inversion Therapy and Zero-Gravity Positions
*Citations included. The corresponding sources are linked at the very bottom of this post.
According to this journal on Inversion Therapy & Zero Gravity, inversion therapy was actually used for health benefits back from Ancient times. In 3000 BC the humans used inversion poses and it shows on the first drawings discovered by archaeologists. “They use value of inverted poses of the body to re-balance the body, to increase blood circulations, stimulate the brain, relieve pressure on abdominal organs. In 400 BC The Father of Medicine, Hippocrates hoists up a patient on a ladder with ropes and pulley to harness the force of gravity in an effort to stretch patient and relieve their ailments.” (1.)
Inversion therapy on an aerial silk trapeze is a form of zero gravity concept (weightlessness) developed by NASA for astronauts. Gravity is the cause of many compressive negative effects on the body over time, such as sagging organs, compressed joints, and discs, varicose veins, baggy eyes, decreased height of half-inch every 20 years, and a long term effect of pulling the body downward. Scientific research showed that zero-gravity positions minimized the huge gravitational stresses astronauts experience during takeoff. Also, inversion postures (a form of zero-gravity positions) help relieve and neutralize the negative effects of gravity on the body by allowing proper heart, back, and leg alignment. (1., 2.)
Pros + Cons and Precautions of Inversion Therapy
It’s really important to understand the pros and cons before starting any form of wellness routine or exercise. Below, I have listed a few points I have found through my own research before continuing with the aerial silk trapeze. Of course, do your own research before beginning and ask your doctor. There might be something that is left out from the points below that pertains to you.
Pros:
Inversion therapy is used to cure back pain caused by degenerative or herniated discs, spinal stenosis or other spinal conditions. (1.)
Inversion therapy increases the space and reduces pressure between the vertebrae and nerve roots in the spine. (1.)
Inversion therapy helps sciatica, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, muscle spasm, and even lymphedema. (1.)
Inversion therapy can result in a realignment of the vertebrae, rehydration of the invertebral discs, relaxation of the muscles and reduction of recovery time. (1.)
Inversion therapy has been shown to stimulate venous return and the lymphatic system, increase oxygen flow to the brain, help maintain our original body shape, help maintain correct posture, contribute to overall general good health, and avoid prolapsed internal organs. (1.)
Increases joint mobility and flexibility. (1.)
Increases mobility of the spine. (1.)
The weightlessness position takes the forces of gravity away from the spine and produces relaxation of the spine and extremities muscles. (2.)
The direct benefits of the inversion therapy are improving of the lymphatic system and increase of venous return produce facilitation of the autonomic nervous system and its baroreceptors increasing oxygen flow to the brain centers and remove of the waste products into the venous system, inhibit the spasmed and tight muscles in scoliosis, spinal muscles spasm leading to improve of original body posture and decreasing of recovery time. (2.)
Removes wastes from the spine. (4.)
Decreases inflammation (4.)
Increases blood circulation through surrounding muscles. (4.)
Cons and Precautions:
It can be dangerous, and even deadly, to hang upside down for too long as blood pools to the head. Start hanging in a moderate position for 30 seconds to 1 minute at a time. Then increase the time by 2 to 3 minutes.
Listen to your body and return to an upright position if you don’t feel well. (4.)
Invert for a short period of time (static 1 - 3 minutes, intermittent 5 - 10 minutes per session. (2.)
It takes time to adjust to inversion therapy. It’s best to start off in shorter increments (slowly building from one-minute sets to three) to get used to the process. This can help reduce side effects such as dizziness or muscle strain. Be careful not to overdo it. (4.)
Invert slowly then return slowly and progress slowly. (2.)
Invert only to a comfortable angle. Full inversion to 90 degrees isn’t required for all patients. (2.)
If you have inner ear problems, glaucoma, or a retinal detachment, an inversion table can make it worse, even to the point of causing bleeding from the eyes if there is too much pressure. You should also avoid inversion if you have a heart condition, fracture, osteoporosis, or hernia. (3.)
Even if it is helpful, the effects of inversion therapy won’t be long-term. (3.)
It can increase your blood pressure. (3.)
It can make some pre-existing conditions worse. You should also avoid using an inversion table if you have a heart condition, fracture, osteoporosis, or hernia. Inversion can be dangerous for those who are overweight or pregnant. (3.)
There’s no evidence to support that inversion is more beneficial than performing inversion in standing or sitting positions (4.)
I love my aerial trapeze and basically have it hanging all the time so that I can use it whenever in passing :) Below is linked the aerial trapeze that I have used the last 2 years, and am happy with. Of course, there are many different brands to choose from, too.
What you’ll need:
Scroll down for further reading in “SOURCES.”
Xx,
Laura
Disclaimers:
I am not a doctor, physical therapist, dermatologist, or nutritionist. My blog posts are not meant to give advice but purely to share my own experience and to entertain. I cite references taken from my own online research and post them to routines that I choose to move forward with. What I use may not work for you. We all have unique health conditions and concerns. Always do your own additional research.
I am an Amazon Associate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I am providing links to products I mentioned in this post for your convenience. I personally use these products. They work for me but might not work for you. So please do your own research.
I purchase all the products used in my posts and I am not sponsored by any company.
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