7 Apartment-Friendly Exercises That Won't Annoy Your Flatmate

If the raging Coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing lockdown is playing spoil-sport with your fitness plans, here's help. 

During such unprecedented times, it is more important than ever to keep up your fitness levels and work on your health. Fitness expert and influencer Althea Shah of  Énergie Fitness India agrees.

She says, "Even though life may have slowed down, what is of utmost importance is for you to maintain your health. We need to improve our immune system to fight off infections and stay healthy. There are a few exercises you can do at home with minimum or no equipment any time of the day. Exercise for 45 minutes to an hour with moderate intensity for four to five days a week. Just get into comfortable clothes and put on some great music and get moving."

Yes, you can totes work out in your apartment without annoying your flatmate or inviting noise complaints from the neighbours! Althea shares no-noise, no-equipment and no-jumping exercise that burns fat and gets you in shape! 

Warm-up:

Begin your work out with a 10-minute warm-up session. Include side stretching, jogging on the spot, skipping or jumping jacks

For the lower body 

Squats: Grab a chair and place it behind you. Standing in front of the chair with your feet hip/shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and slowly squat towards the chair. Let your butt lightly touch the chair and slowly come back up. Do this 10-15 times Rest for a moment then repeat. 

You can also do this without a chair. Instead, put a stability ball behind your back. This will help you keep your back straight and help you strengthen your core too. Sounds too easy? Then, hold dumbbells in both hands to up the intensity. 

Lunges: Static lunges are great for working all the major muscles of the hips, glutes and thighs. For beginners, you can try this move while holding onto a chair or wall for balance. In static lunges you just drop your knee down. In walking lunges you step forward and bend the knees. Stand with right foot forward, left foot back about 3 feet apart.

Hold weights in each hand if desired and bend the knees to lower the body towards the floor. Keep the front knee behind the toes and be sure to lower straight down rather than forward. Keep the body straight and abs in as you push through the front heel and back to starting position. Perform 1-3 sets of 12-15 reps.

Shoulders 

Shoulder Press: Hold the dumbbells to each side of the shoulders with elbows below wrists. Press dumbbells upward until arms are extended overhead. Lower to sides of shoulders and repeat

. 

Lateral Raise: Hold dumbbells in front of thighs with elbows slightly bent. Bend over with hips and knees bent slightly. Raise upper arms to sides until elbows are shoulder height. Maintain elbows' height above or equal to wrists. Lower and repeat

Legs and shoulders together

You can do the squats or lunges combining it with a shoulder workout if you are pressed for time or if you want to make the exercise more challenging.

Chest Press: Lie flat on a bench, hold dumbbells directly above chest. Bend elbows slightly and maintain them throughout the exercise. Open the arms to the sides. Elbows should remain locked in a slightly flexed position. When upper arms are parallel to the floor, return the weights to the starting position and repeat.

This can be done on a flat bench or an inclined bench. To amp it up, you can form a glute bridge and then do the exercise. 

Push-ups: Begin by standing in front of the wall/kitchen counter with feet together. Place your slightly inverted hands on top of the countertop. With your arms, a little more than shoulder-width apart bend the elbows and try and get your chest as close to the countertop as possible then power it back up. Do this 10 times, rest for a moment then repeat.

You can do this on the floor –on a mat on your toes, military-style. Try and get your chest as close to the mat as possible. Do this 10 times, rest then repeat.

Back

Bent over row/Single Arm Row: Stand upright next to the bench. Place one knee and hand on the bench. The upper body should be parallel to the floor. Hold one dumbbell with arm extended. Raise the dumbbell up to your midsection keeping back still throughout the movement. Slowly lower the dumbbell to start position and repeat.

Do 12-15 reps then switch hands and legs and work the other side.

Arms 

Concentration Curls - Sit on edge of the bench with feet flat on the floor. Holding dumbbell place elbow on inside of thigh, just above the knee. Curl the dumbbell up towards your face. Slowly lower the weight and repeat. Do 12-15 reps. Switch arms. 

Overhead Triceps Extensions: Stand upright, feet shoulder width apart. Hold dumbbell directly above the head with arm fully extended. Clasp the elbow with free hand for support. Let the elbow fold so the dumbbell is lowered behind the head. Extend the arm back to starting position. Repeat for 12-15 reps. Switch arms. 

Stretch

Don’t forget to stretch to cool down and avoid sore muscles. Take your pick for Yoga asanas such as cobra pose, pigeon pose and downward dog to get a good stretch.