Remote work has multiple benefits, including the lack of a commute and the ability to be present for our families. However, it’s easy to get comfortable in a home setting and forget the importance of daily exercise. In addition to enhancing your mood, physical activity will help you maintain productivity as you work far from your colleagues.

Working in isolation can also affect you emotionally and mentally, leaving you feeling drained despite only taking steps between your couch and coffee table. You can include short exercise sessions during the day to re-energize and recharge. Some easy exercises to start with include:

1. Chair Squats

Chair squats should be part of your workout routine if you want to build stronger leg muscles. It will strengthen your lower body, including your calves, glutes, and quads. Also, it’s an excellent activity for beginners who want to acquire the correct form to do squats since the chair provides support.

To start, stand in front of the chair, and ensure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Your spine should be neutral and your chest and head raised. Ensure your core is engaged as you bend your knees and slowly lower your hips towards the chair without sitting down. Get up again and complete ten reps.

2. Wall Pushups

If you want to strengthen your chest with an easy exercise at home, you can try wall push-ups. This exercise is ideal for people with back problems as it exerts no pressure on the spine. Additionally, the push-up will strengthen your abs, lower back, and shoulders.

The starting position for wall push-ups is a little over one arm’s length away from the wall. Your body should form a 45-degree angle once you position your hands against the wall. Additionally, your palms should be placed at shoulder height with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight during this exercise to prevent spinal injuries.

3. Skipping

You don’t have to go to the gym for a cardio workout, as you can work up a sweat in your living area with a jumping rope. Skipping will improve your heart health, boost concentration, and increase stamina. Moreover, it will reduce anxiety and depression, which can affect remote workers. Skipping works exceptionally well when included in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with other cardio workouts like burpees.

4. Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are among the best bodyweight exercises to improve mobility and promote heart health. Many personal trainers love the efficiency of mountain climbers as they engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. As a result, you’ll strengthen your abs, hips, glutes, leg muscles, and back.

The correct technique for mountain climbers is:

• Start at the plank position with your weight evenly distributed between your hands and toes. Your hands should be under your shoulders.
• Keep your abs engaged, back flat, and form a straight line starting from your head to your toes.
• Pull your right knee forward to your chest and push it back to the original position
• Alternate the right and left knee as you maintain the core stability

5. Calf Raises

Calf raises are an easy exercise to do at home for stronger calves. You don’t need a pricey calf raise machine or a gym instructor to get started on calf raises.

To start, stand with your arms by your sides and feet at hip-width. Next, contract your calf muscles, glutes, and hamstrings, rise on to your toes, and lift your heels as high as possible. Pause at the raised position for a few seconds before lowering your heels.

If you’re up for the challenge, you can add a dumbbell and an elevated surface. To start, hold a dumbbell with your left hand and balance on your left foot’s ball on the elevated surface. Leave your right toes to rest on your left ankle, and raise your left heel as high as you can.

6. Glute Bridge

Spending most of your workday sitting on a desk can easily result in lower back problems and weak glutes. You need bodyweight workouts that will activate your glutes, strengthen your lower body, and boost hip flexibility.

To complete a glute bridge, lie down on a soft surface like a yoga mat. Your knees should be bent, palms down, and feet flat on the ground. Additionally, your shoulders, hips, and knees should form a straight line when you lift your hips from the ground. Also, keep your core drawn in and squeeze your glutes hard as you do the exercise. Hold the position for a brief moment before lowering your hips back down.

7. Side Plank

If you want to switch from the forearm-supported plank, you can try the side plank to build your endurance. This exercise will protect your spine, leaving you less vulnerable to a back injury, and improve balance and coordination. Moreover, the side plank will strengthen the muscles in your hips, shoulders, and sides of your core.

To complete a side plank, lay on your right side, with your right elbow under your shoulder and your forearm flat on the floor. In addition, your left leg and left foot should be stacked on top of the right leg and foot. Contract your abs and lift your hips until your body assumes a straight line from head to feet.

In Summary

Working remotely can impact your physical health, which is why you should prioritize daily exercise. Moreover, physical activity will leave you energized, productive, and healthy. Many people assume that they need to buy equipment to start home workouts. However, you can use your body weight for exercises like mountain climbers, planks, and chair dips, or readily available items like bottles for squats, lunges, and calf raises.

Photo by Maryjoy Caballero on Unsplash