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Sweat it out at Home
Tired of your usual evening runs? Try some new exercises
within the comfort of your own home.
By Serafina Wee
You’ve just ended a long day of online classes. You put on your running shoes and head to the nearby park for a short jog, only to find out that it’s too crowded for your liking. That’s when you realise with all the time you spend at home, it’s the perfect opportunity to try a new exercise.
According to a survey done by EXCLA!M, out of 143 respondents, 64 per cent of them say they have been exercising at home. Here are some exercises that will keep you fit and healthy, without you stepping out of your house.
Dance
According to the National Arts Council Singapore, there were more than 50 dance companies, societies and institutions in Singapore in 2019, making dance a popular form of exercise. With many different dance styles out there, there’s definitely something for everyone to try.
According to the National Arts Council Singapore, there were more than 50 dance companies, societies and institutions in Singapore in 2019, making dance a popular form of exercise. With many different dance styles out there, there’s definitely something for everyone to try.
Not only is dance fun, it is also beneficial to one’s health. Dance involves moving every part of the body, improving cardiovascular health.
Dr Jason Chia, a dancer as well as the head of the Sports Medicine and Surgery Clinic in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, told The Straits Times in an interview that dancing “is a great way to improve flexibility and strength”.
Dancing at home may not require any equipment, but it does require some space to move about.
Mia Grecia Rasjid, who has taken Dance Sport in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, says that the amount of space in the studio is definitely “more than the amount of space at home”.
Despite the lack of space, Mia still prefers dancing at home.
“It is also easier for me to follow the YouTube tutorial at home where I can play the video on my TV,” she says.
Although Mia isn’t a regular dancer, she says that “it's okay to not be able to dance as well as the professionals”, so there’s no harm in trying.
HIIT
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), refers to any physically demanding exercise done in a short period of time. There are many kinds of HIIT workouts. Some focus on specific areas of the body, while others focus on the entire body itself.
According to an article by The Straits Times, many gyms in Singapore have been incorporating HIIT classes into their programmes as early as 2013, making it a popular workout choice.
Most HIIT workouts only require a mat, but weights can also be used to increase the difficulty of the exercises.
Catherine Cheah, a student who has tried HIIT workouts from famous YouTubers like Chloe Ting and Pamela Reif, says that she chooses to do HIIT workouts as it is “effective in burning a lot of calories in a short amount of time”.
During the first few days of trying out HIIT, Catherine felt that it was “difficult to do all of it correctly”, and thus she was “not very motivated to complete the whole workout”.
“However, as I continue to push myself, the HIIT workout does get easier along the way,” she says.
If you like going all out, HIIT is definitely the exercise for you.
Yoga
Yoga is a practice that combines physical postures and breathing techniques. Instead of burning calories or losing weight, yoga puts more focus on one’s mental health.
Ms Lily Yeo, a yoga teacher at Real Yoga Singapore, says: “Yoga calms the mind through meditation and breathing techniques, so it destresses and promotes mental well-being.”
Ms Yeo currently teaches yoga over private Zoom sessions. Although she finds teaching online a “refreshing experience”, she still prefers teaching in a studio. She says that when she teaches a class in person, she can “correct their alignments, which is very important in yoga”.
A yoga session at home only requires a yoga mat. Yoga lessons are also easily found on YouTube as well as on Instagram. However, some may find their homes too distracting for yoga.
For Ms Yeo, she finds that doing yoga at home has benefited her, especially during this tough time.
“It’s a good way to stay healthy, both physically and mentally,” she says.
1 June 2020
About the Author
Serafina Wee
Serafina (or just Sera for short) is a patient and down-to-earth person who can always cheer you up with her many photos of cute animals.
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