For those of us who are “social isolating” or under a “shelter in place” order, we have to be creative with our workouts.
I’ve added some simple whole-body strength sessions to my weekly routine. Here are some suggestions:
First off, I suggest to most athletes I consult with to get some sort of routine, ideally one that allows you to exercise twice per day. Since all of the pools are closed, here’s the routine I’ve settled on:
- M, W, F: a.m. bike, p.m. walk
- T, R, Sat: a.m. run, p.m. walk
- Sun: bike or run
I decided to add some strength to the routine because:
- Strength is good for health and long-term performance
- I got bored just biking and running
- I really like feeling and looking strong.
I came up with two routines, “A” and “B.” I suggest doing set “A” three times per week and set “B” two times per week. .
Here’s an example of how you can incorporate this into your weekly routine:
- Monday: a.m. bike + Strength B; p.m. walk
- Tuesday: a.m. run + Strength A; p.m. walk
- Wednesday: a.m. bike + yoga or stretching; p.m. walk
- Thursday: a.m. run + Strength A; p.m. walk
- Friday: a.m. bike + Strength B; p.m. walk
- Saturday: a.m. run + Strength A; p.m. walk
- Sunday: run or bike; p.m. walk
Keep in mind that none of the bikes or runs I do are long or high-intensity. I’m simply exercising to stay healthy, maintain fitness, and stay active.
Set “A”
Circuit:
- Pushups (start with 10 and build up)
- Squats with TRX or air squats or with ball (10 reps)
- Curls (10 reps, alternating sides)
- Flys (10 reps)
- Rows (10 reps each side0
- Lunges (10 L + R lunges)
- Dips (start with a couple and build up to 10)
- Pull-ups (start with 1 and build up)
Repeat this circuit 2 or 3 times.
Here is a video of me working through many of the exercises I do for Set “A”
Set “B”
This circuit is a leg-focused workout that can be performed three times per week. I recommend doing this after an “easy” endurance workout. For example, do this after a short, low-intensity run or bike.
Circuit:
- Bulgarian Split Squat
- Slide Lunge
- Squat (TRX or med. ball against wall)
- Walking Lunge
- calf raisers
- Straight-leg deadlift
Repeat this circuit 2 or 3 times.
Here is a video of me working through some of the exercises I do for Set “B”