Scott Dickens is a two-time Olympic swimmer and Director of Strategic Partnerships at FORM
As a swimmer, I’m used to having an entire stretch of pool for my workouts. So naturally, one of the biggest challenges for me during self-isolation has been to adjust my workout routine to not only be completely land-based, but also fit into a much smaller amount of space.
At FORM, we make wearable technology for swimming, more specifically smart goggles that display metrics in real-time while you swim. So suffice it to say, we are all about working out with intention. The same intention can be applied to exercising in a small space. It’s definitely doable, you just need to find exercises that can cram high impact into low square footage.
Luckily, I’ve found a few exercises that allow me to fit a big workout into a small space.
Tabata
- The focus of Tabata is 20 seconds of all-out exercise, and 10 seconds rest. Choose exercises like squats, jumps, push ups, assisted push ups, speed skaters, burpees, lunges, split squats, dips, skipping, jumping jacks, etc. Choose between 4 – 8 exercises. Do 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off – 8 rounds (4 min total)
HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training
- HIIT workouts can be done a number of ways. A favourite of mine is selecting 6 exercises and doing 5 rounds. For example, push-up, squats, burpees, core, shoulder press, curls. Do each exercise once, back to back, and then do that 5 rounds through for 30 minutes. For a longer workout, you can increase the total number of exercises or do the workout again with 6 new exercises.
- Do 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off or 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off – 5 rounds
Deck of Cards workout
- Each suit (spaces, clubs, hearts,
diamonds) represents a different exercise, and each suit is 85 reps.
Either go non-stop, or take 10-15 seconds rest after each card when
needed. Choose four exercises to perform, or do two exercises per suit and
divide by odd/even. Eg:
- Squats, Pushups, Core, Split Jumps
- Squats, dips, push ups, core
A few favourite core workouts of mine include:
- Mountain climbers
- Plank Variations
- Russian Twists
- Reverse Crunch
- Side Plank
- Dead Bug
- Obliques
- Standard crunch
- Standard crunch legs out
- Explosive in and outs
- V sits
- Alternating V-Sits
- Leg lifts
- Hip Plank – hips up, feet on ground, alternating legs out
- Standing up exercises
- Bicycle
Body Weight Leg and Arm Workouts
Depending on ability, do 3-5 rounds of 10-20 reps. Or pick 4 and do 50 of each. You can add weight to your workout by holding heavy objects like water jugs, or fill a backpack with heavy objects.
For legs:
- Burpees
- Jump squats
- Jump lunges
- Lunges
- Back, front, side
- Explosive Jumping jacks keeping core tight
- Squats
- Split Squats
- Single leg squats
- Wall Sits
- Walking lunges
- Broad Jump
- Side to side speed skaters
For arms:
- Push up
- Push ups diamond
- Push ups feet up
- Push ups wide stance
- Push ups narrow tricep
- Push ups split stance
- Dips on a bench, chair, stairs
- Shoulder press – water jug, fill a backpack
- Curls – water jug, fill a backpack
- Rows – water jug, fill a backpack
- Up-right rows – water jug, fill a backpack
- Shoulder Raises – cans of soup, 5-10lb object
- Chinups – if have you have the ability with home set up
- Lateral raise – cans of soup, 5-10lb object
- Bent over back flys- use objects of light weight to 5-10lb