Let this article serve as a manual not just in quarantine (without heavy weights) but also in how to always maintain higher hormonal response.
So we experienced this kind of thing:
No gyms. No access to heavy weights. Crisis. We lift tables, cupboards, people, pets.
If you’ve trained with heavier weights, now it won’t be as easy to achieve as high a hormonal response in a situation where the big iron is not available.
Street workouts are a good option, but depending on the conditions, recommendations and restrictions it might not be doable.
But something can be done.
(If you haven’t been training with heavier weights, you didn’t have a great hormonal response from the workouts anyway)
Get yourself some weights/training equipment, the heavier the weights the better. Hold anything relatively heavy, under the condition that you can handle it comfortably. Like a backpack full of books.
Do the exercises that can be done without extra weights – squats, push-ups, crunches or any ab exercises, pull-ups, dips… and use weights to increase resistance. Focus on doing compound exercises.
If possible, do a sprint after each workout 3-4 times (less than 10 min. in total) as described here (you can do more than 3-4 times depending on how well adapted you are).
Use all the techniques (but still gradually!) from these principles of progress.
If you don’t have access to heavier weights, do more reps and minimal breaks between sets and exercises.
Do supersets (1 set of an exercise and immediately after without rest do 1 set of another exercise). 3-6 supersets.
Example workout:
..
- Superset no. 1
– 1 set squats until failure. Immediately after (no rest):
– 1 set push-ups until failure.
Then, 10-30 seconds rest, and again. Do 3-6 supersets. Or depending on your strength and fitness – the first 1-2 supersets as a warm-up, and then do it with the backpack full of books. In the end of superset no. 1, have 1-2 minutes rest before superset no. 2.
- Superset no. 2
– 1 set pull-ups until failure. Immediately after (no rest):
– 1 set dips* until failure.
Then, 10-30 seconds rest, and again. Do 3-6 supersets. Or depending on your strength and fitness – the first 1-2 supersets as a warm-up, and then do it with the backpack full of books. In the end of superset no. 2, have 1-2 minutes rest before superset no 3.
- Superset no. 3
– 1 set crunches until failure. Immediately after (no rest):
– 1 set superman back extensions** until failure.
Then, 10-30 seconds rest, and again. Do 3-6 supersets.
In any case, always and forever warm up before the workout.
All this is intended to cause as higher a hormonal response as possible.
Your workout must not last more than 60 minutes, ideally 45 minutes. All exercises and repetitions done in 45 minutes means done fast and intensely. No whimpers, quarantine or not.
* Dips
** Superman back extensions
