Anyone who knows me knows my love for group fitness classes — a love sparked by F45 and strengthened by Orangetheory. As someone who is largely independent and prefers to do most things solo, group fitness classes sneakily made their way into my heart. I love the energy of the studio, the aspect of community and the motivating coaches...and unfortunately the coronavirus pandemic put a stop to it all.
I definitely struggle to find motivation to exercise on my own, thus why I attend group fitness classes. However, during the pandemic I've had to find new ways to get moving that aren't too boring and allow me to feel the same burn as I do in class.
Since my Orangetheory membership was paused mid-March, I've tested out a bunch of new exercises and workouts that I typically would never do. I've tried Chloe Ting's 2 Week Shred Challenge and I'm not going to lie to you — I didn't end up completing the whole two weeks. I downloaded the obé fitness app and found that it's actually a really great alternative to in-person classes! I've also found inspiration through Instagram fitness influencers. Some of my faves are Cali Fuller, Rachael DeVaux, Maddie Lymburner, Megan Roup and Whitney Simmons.
No matter if you prefer HIIT or low-impact exercises, there's something out there for everyone. The online fitness industry is booming right now and although I miss the gym, I'm here for it.
I may know very little about the science behind working out but I do know how great it makes me feel! I love HIIT classes and throughout my search for the perfect at-home exercise routine, I found a love for Tabata-style workouts. Tabata is a type of HIIT workout typically comprised of eight sets of fast-paced exercises performed in 20-second intervals of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Each Tabata set is four minutes long and often includes a variety of moves to switch things up and keep it interesting.
I've become the resident fitness expert within my family and friend group because I'm always sending around workouts, so I decided to share a workout of my own! Inspired by virtual fitness classes I've taken and workouts I've seen on online, my 25-minute Full Body Tabata is one of my favorite routines to do! It's pretty easy to follow once you get the hang of it and can be done with modifications or household items if you don't have any fitness accessories at home.
Each set consists for 4 minutes of work and 1 minute of rest, for a total of 5 minutes per set. With 5 sets overall, this 25-minute workout will have you feeling the burn in no time. Although it's technically a high-intensity workout, you can absolutely modify the moves to make them low-impact. Another easy modification is to ditch the weights and the jump rope altogether and do everything bodyweight.
Lace up your shoes, fill your water bottle, grab whoever you're quarantined with and blast some motivating tunes — it's time to crush this workout! Make sure to let me know if you try it out and tag me on your Instagram story with a post-workout sweaty selfie!
Need some new threads to motivate you to hit the at-home gym? Check out some brands I love and my favorite sneakers for high-intensity exercise.
Can't find the perfect workout playlist? Here's mine.
