7 Fitness Routines You Can Do Anytime & Anywhere

7 Fitness Routines You Can Do Anytime & Anywhere

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This quarantine time period has challenged us all to rethink our daily habits. Along with this, we’ve had to become resourceful and open to trying new things, especially in regards to our fitness routines. While many of us have previously relied on fitness classes or gym workouts, that’s not currently an option.

Fortunately, there are many fitness routines that we can do anytime and anywhere. To inspire you to stay active, here are 7 of my favorite fitness routines that can be done at home or outdoors. Whether you want to lose weight, tone up, or sculpt your muscles, these workouts can help you reach your goals.

Hiking

To start with, getting outdoors into nature not only can boost your health and happiness (to learn more, read this article about “The Art of Forest Bathing”), but it’s also a great opportunity to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Hiking up hills and mountains burns calories, increases blood flow and gets your heart pumping, but it also helps to strengthen and tone your muscles.

Walking

Another great way to spend time outside is to go walking. Whether you take your family for a stroll in nature or you go for an energizing power walk around your neighborhood, getting outdoors helps to increase your oxygen intake and boost your metabolism. It also helps to lengthen and elongate muscles, relieve tension, and help you de-stress (which we can all benefit from right now, especially).

Barre

If you want a long, lean, sculpted physique, take a cue from the svelte ballerinas who do Barre exercises. As shared by Women’s Health, “Barre class is a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates, that focuses on low-impact, high-intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can.” You can see examples of Barre exercises that you can do anytime and anywhere by checking out the 5-part “Barre on the Beach” Tutorial Series on Inspirations & Celebrations.

Stretching

Whether you have tight muscles, soreness, or just want to relax your body, stretching is an essential activity that is so good for you. Whenever we experience stressful situations or heightened emotions, we often feel the tension in our bodies. That’s why stretching is so helpful, as it can help to reduce these aches and pains. Plus, it increases flexibility, which is important for keeping our bodies functioning properly. As you do your stretches, remember to pay attention to your breath.

[Photograph by Rachel Krueger]

Mat Pilates

From toning and sculpting exercises to elongating movements, Mat Pilates is a fantastic fitness routine that can be done anytime and anywhere. As shared by PilatesAnytime.com, “Mat Pilates is a strengthening and lengthening form of exercise that focuses on your core (trunk) muscles while also training your arms and legs. Mat Pilates is based on the original exercises Joseph Pilates developed to strengthen his own body as a very young man and then began teaching others.” It’s awesome for helping to improve your balance, stability, and strength. Plus, it’s also beneficial if you have suffered from injuries or ailments (like back pain or scoliosis).

Yoga

To help you improve your strength, stability, and ability to relieve stress, yoga is a wonderful fitness routine to do. Originating in ancient India, yoga is a mind-body practice that is designed to integrate breathing and meditative exercises with poses to create a holistic, full-body workout. Yoga can also be helpful in relaxing an overactive mind, improving your ability to focus, and enhance your sense of vitality and energy. To learn yoga exercises you can practice anytime and anywhere, check out the 5-part “Yoga in the Vines” Tutorial Series on I&C.

[Photograph by Rachel Krueger]

Dancing

Last, but certainly not least, one of my favorite fitness routines to do anytime and anywhere is dancing. From hip hop and ballet to modern dance and Zumba, I’ve taken all types of dance classes over the years. Not to mention – I’ve always enjoyed just turning on my music and dancing around my home. Dancing improves aerobic fitness, increases circulation, and torches calories – which makes it a great fitness routine for weight loss and overall conditioning.

Given the current quarantine situation, dancing has been one of my fave ways to let go of my inhibitions, burn calories, and have fun in the process (even while stuck at home). I recently encouraged my Instagram followers to join me in a “Club Quarantine” dance-cardio workout.