Barbie's Top Tips For Working Out At Home

Hi friends,

At such a scary and uncertain time, it’s important to look after your health – both physical and mental! I am sending so much love to each and every one of you, and hope that you and your families are staying safe and well. I am currently in self isolation and doing my best to stay positive. I keep thinking of those less fortunate who may not have a cozy home, loving family or warm food to eat.  I keep reminding myself that we are all in this together and am constantly thinking of how I can be of service in this strange time. As cliche as it sounds, focusing on the positive and what we can do to help others will help curb stress and anxiety - we’re all feeling it, so let’s diffuse the tension by talking to others and offering support in all the ways we can. Count your blessings, take care of yourselves and your families, stay safe and listen to all the guidelines and advice given by the government. We’re all in this together, and we WILL get through it together!

To help you do so, I’m sharing how I’m staying fit and active from the comfort of my own home!

Here are my top tips:

1. Warm Up.

When you work out from home, it’s tempting to skip the warm up and get straight into your session. But please, avoid doing this!

Warming up your muscles before diving into a session is so important! Try some dynamic stretching – don’t hold a stretch for long, just move your muscles and warm them up, to prevent injuring yourself during the workout. This only has to take five to ten minutes, but it’s super important for getting the most out of your workout, and preventing injury! Some of my favorite warm up moves can be found on my IG video library - I love inch worms, glute bridges, slide shuffles, and jumping jacks :) 

2. Focus on FORM.

When you’re working out from home, you don’t have a trainer nearby to correct your form, (unless you want to virtually workout with me!!) so it’s super important to focus on activating the mind-muscle connection, and following all the cues from your trainer if you’re following along on an app or virtual  workouts like the ones I offer. Take the time to research correct form for any movements you’re unsure about, because good form is essential for avoiding injury and maximizing your workout!

3. Pick a Workout You Love!

Now more than ever is the time to choose workouts you love, and ENJOY moving your body in ways that feel amazing!

For me, I love HIIT style workouts, but I also enjoy yoga and on rest days I’ll walk my pup for an hour, so I alternate between these styles regularly. You won’t often find me doing pilates or cycling, as they’re just not my favorite types of fitness! Take the time to figure out what movement styles you love, and focus on incorporating them into your daily life at home! You’ll see, your workout will become something you look forward to!

4. Cool Down.

Like your warm up, a cool down is essential for a good workout. Your cool down should focus on static stretching, targeting the muscles you used throughout your workout to stretch them out and loosen them up, preventing cramping and injury later! It also helps you recover faster, and relaxes you, bringing your cortisol and adrenaline levels back down!

So, even when you’re stuck at home, you can still move your body in ways you love, feeling the benefits of exercise – both physically and mentally! If you’d like to schedule a virtual one-on-one workout with me, just send an email to Barbie@summerfit.us or you could jump in to one of my virtual classes. All workouts can be done from your living room with no equipment required and are only 30 minutes long!  A great way to start, end or give yourself a mid-day work break. You’ll feel so much better for it!

Sending you all love and hope you’re staying healthy and well,

XX Barbie