Try this stay-at-home workout: No equipment necessary

Here’s a confession you might relate to: Staying motivated to keep up an exercise routine at home during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult. While some of the challenge stems from being in the same space I live and work, another reason for the slip in my motivation is simply boredom with the same routine.

Still, I’m determined to exercise while staying at home because moving the body is one of the best ways to manage stress and anxiety in these uncertain times. 

Like most people, I don’t have a home gym or exercise equipment beyond a yoga mat, so my routine has to be simple and something I can do using furniture or household items.

That’s what makes a workout I found on Shape.com so appealing. The “Ultimate Home Workout” by Jessica Smith, requires nothing more than a floor and a sofa, or similar piece of furniture. The combination of eight exercises offers an “effective total-body cardio and strength workout,” and can be adapted to suit a range of fitness levels.  

After testing the workout, I can vouch for its effectiveness. I felt a little tired and also invigorated. But mostly, I noticed that my mind was released from the angst that has gripped me in the past month. That’s a win-win in my book.