As the country is in the middle of a second national lockdown, gyms have been forced to close. Without the specialist equipment that gyms provide, workout regimes are being abandoned left, right and centre. Buying dumbbells, weight benches and the like sounds simple on paper, but it is actually very expensive, and so people are understandably turning to other methods of keeping fit during lockdown. With that in mind, Nu Vending are proud to bring you some top workout tips for working from home. 

The 55/5 Rule

While this is not strictly an exercise or workout tip, it’s arguably more important. The rule is as follows: five minutes of every hour at your desk should be spent moving around. Whether that’s walking to the kitchen, walking around the garden or even actually doing a few sit ups, it’s important to maintain some hourly motion. 

Desk Exercises

You don’t even need to leave your chair to do exercise! Consider some leg raises under your desk –  these are great for stretching your calves and hamstrings, as well as a little work for your core. 

Squats

A simple but effective leg workout. Stand up straight with your arms out in front of you, and slowly lower yourself down until your knees are almost at a right angle, keeping your back straight. Hold for a couple of seconds and then slowly return to full standing position. Repeat 10 times for a set; you can do multiple sets with a 15-30 seconds rest in between.

Planking

Planking is deceptively difficult, but it’s an excellent core workout. Get into a press-up position, either on your hands or on your forearms; tense your core with your legs stretched out behind you, and hold that position for 30 seconds. Repeat three times with a 15-second rest between repetitions. 

Star Jumps

From a standing start, jump in the air and extend your arms and legs outwardly, making a star shape. Land with your legs back together. Repeat 10 times for a set, and do multiple sets if you wish. If you have downstairs neighbours, jumping up and down may disturb them, so consider doing star jumps in a park or open space if possible. 

Meditation

As well as physical fitness, preserving mental wellbeing is crucial in this prolonged period of enforced isolation. Take a few minutes every day to relax and meditate: sit in a room away from distractions like phones, laptops, televisions and other people, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Doing this for 5-10 minutes will calm you and help you disconnect from the stresses of work. There are some excellent apps available, like Headspace, that can help you venture into the world of mindfulness.

Eat Well

A good diet underpins any and all fitness routines. No matter how hard you work, how many squats you do or how long you can run for, you need to supplement your exercise with healthy food in order to get the full benefits. Eat good-sized portions of healthy food for breakfast, lunch and dinner at regular times, and snack on things like nuts or fruit to keep energy levels up.

While we may have been working from home for some time now, the added restrictions of a national lockdown have increased the feeling of isolation and completely removed a lot of people’s access to fitness equipment. But as long as you can do a few press ups, go for a walk or a jog, or simply find some time to yourself to meditate, you can help keep your body and mind in good condition whilst working from home.

Nu Vending is proud to be a leading supplier of vending machines of all kinds for customers throughout the country. From chocolate and confectionery to hot drinks, salads and sandwich machines, we can supply you with whatever you need to keep you, your staff and your guests fed and watered. For more information, contact us today.