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Joanne Shaw, principal physiotherapist at Gleneagles Hospital shares tips on technique and safety in your home exercise routine.
In response to the country's increasing number of COVID-19 cases, Singapore has put in place several safety measures. Singaporeans are advised to stay at home and practise social distancing. Naturally, this means that gyms and public exercise facilities are closed and anyone who needs to exercise and get some fresh air do it alone. However, being stuck at home doesn't mean you can't exercise.
Here are 12 easy exercises you can do at home that are suitable for both beginners and experienced individuals. What's even better is that you can do all of them with little to no equipment.
Muscles targeted: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes
Potential risk for injury: When done incorrectly, squats can cause knee sprain, tendonitis, tendon or cartilage tears, and lower back pain.
Equipment needed: none
Recommended reps: 12 – 15
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves
Potential risk for injury: Stepping too far forward may cause muscle strains and/or ligament strain and tears. If you step too far back, you may put too much strain on your back knee.
Equipment needed: none
Recommended reps: 10 – 12 per leg
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Pectoral muscles, shoulder muscles, biceps, triceps
Potential risk for injury: When done daily, push ups may cause wrist, back, and elbow pain.
Equipment needed: none
Recommended reps: Start with 10
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Oblique abdominal muscles
Potential risk for injury: If you hold the side plank for longer than you're able to, you may get a strain injury.
Equipment needed: None
Recommended reps: Hold for 15 seconds
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Hip flexors, chest, neck, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques
Potential risk for injury: Doing too many sit-ups may cause abdominal muscle strain as well as lower back and neck injuries.
Equipment needed: None
Recommended reps: 10
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Gluteus muscles, abdominal muscles, hamstrings
Potential risk for injury: Raising your hips too high may hyperextend your lower back and lead to strain.
Equipment needed: None
Recommended reps: 10
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Erector spinae, obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis
Potential risk for injury: If you don't pay attention to your form, you run the risk of injuring your lower back.
Equipment needed: none
Recommended reps: 5 – 12 per side
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Triceps, pectoralis major, trapezius, serratus anterior
Potential risk for injury: Doing chair dips excessively may lead to tears of the tendons or ligaments.
Equipment needed: Chair
Recommended reps: 10 – 15
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Abdominal muscles
Potential risk for injury: The repeated force of crunches can cause the discs in your back to bulge and press on nerves, which could cause lower back pain. This can potentially cause a herniated disc, also known as a slipped disc.
Equipment needed: None
Recommended reps: 10 – 25
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Back muscles
Potential risk for injury: If you push yourself too much, this exercise may strain the lower back muscles.
Equipment needed: None
Recommended reps: 8 – 12
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Gluteus maximus, hips, obliques
Potential risk for injury: Lateral leg lifts can cause hip and back pain when done incorrectly.
Equipment needed: None
Recommended reps: 10 – 12 per leg
How to do it:
Muscles targeted: Biceps
Potential risk for injury: Constant overuse of your biceps can cause bicep tear or strain.
Equipment needed: Dumbbells (3kg or 5kg recommended)
Recommended reps: 10
How to do it:
It's important to stay hydrated before, during, and after exercising. Water helps regulate your body temperature and lubricates your joints. Drink 2 – 3 cups of water before and after your workout and drink 1 cup of water every 15 minutes during your workout.
If you plan on exercising in the morning, make sure you eat a well-balanced breakfast to fuel you through your workout. Focus on carbohydrates for maximum energy.
Warming up before your workout raises your body temperature and increases blood flow to your muscles. It also lessens your risk of injury. Cooling down allows your body to recover your pre-exercise heart rate and blood pressure.
If it hurts, stop! Pushing your body past its limits can result in serious injury.
An exercise buddy can help motivate you and keep you company on your workouts. In view of social distancing measures, do so virtually.
Make sure your fitness goals are achievable, specific, and time-bound so you can focus your efforts and develop a more structured personal fitness plan.
As much as we try to avoid them, workout injuries can happen to anyone – beginners or otherwise. Workout injuries are more common than you think and can be anything from a pulled muscle to a broken bone.
If you experience any injury while working out, the first thing you should do is stop, and follow the RICE method to prevent further harm. RICE refers to:
While some injuries may heal on their own, you should seek advice from a doctor if the pain does not improve or gets worse over the next few days.
You should also be mindful that serious injuries warrant an immediate visit to your nearest accident and emergency department. These include:
Depending on your injury, you may need rehabilitation to fully recover. When in doubt, seek medical advice on when you can safely return to your normal exercise routine after your injury or read on to find out how to avoid injuries while doing home workouts.