INTRODUCTION
So, England has been in another lockdown! Which, if you look on social media, everyone is buzzing about! (Obviously being sarcastic here). As we enter our third week of lockdown I thought it would be worth talking about how my workouts have changed from the first lockdown. Taking notes and remembering the workouts from the first lockdown I have made a few changes and adjusted a few things, Made a few purchases and also changed up some of my goals and workouts.
What have I changed since the first lockdown? Well, a few things, a few surprising things. In this blog we are going to go through and explain what I have adjusted or changed completely for my home workouts during the second lockdown, Workouts changes, equipment changes and biggest is the mindset. So let us dive into what I have learnt from the first lockdown to bring into the second lockdown workouts.
WHAT HAS CHANGED?
The first big thing that has changed in the Second Lockdown is my workouts. I have changed from doing your usual bro split and focusing on a pump to more functional fitness. I have been doing a lot more EMOM (Every Minute On The Minute) workouts and AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible).
I have also changed my movements and exercises. As I am trying to keep my workouts at a high intensity. I have moved towards more “Olympic lifts”. Doing a lot of Clean and Press, Snatch and Thrusters. I don’t have access to a barbell or rack and plates so I am having to use some dumbbells (More on that later). So doing a lot of single-arm exercises. Which is helping me in my stability and core work.
I have also found myself doing Burpees. I don’t know why. I find them an easy way to get the heart rate up without the need for any cardio machines. (I really miss the Rower). So performing burpees with most workouts. Started with a standard burpee but have since moved on to chest to floor burpee. Making it much harder! Much, much harder. If you are looking for a way to increase your heart rate in your workouts, Throw in some burpees. They never get easier.
I would also add that my mindset has changed this lockdown. I went into it wanting to achieve great workouts. Looking forwards to workouts. Because of the changes, I was excited to try them. Which is something we always say, don’t be scared to make changes to keep it fresh and exciting.
WHY THE CHANGES?
So why the changes? Why did I go from sticking with the bodybuilding during the first lockdown to more functional workouts in the Second Lockdown? Well, the main reason was access to equipment, I was reaching the point where I was overtaking my equipment. I did look online for some more gear, but everywhere was either sold out or expensive. Another big reason was, as I have touched on above, my mindset in the first lockdown wasn’t the best. So this lockdown I wanted to get the most out of it. The best workouts and results I could.
So I thought it was time to change things up, I decided to program some functions/CrossFit workouts and I haven’t gone back since. The main reason is it is a lot quicker. I can get a full workout in about 30-40 minutes. I can still train “body parts” and specific areas.
They are very high-intensity workouts, minimal rest and various movements, full-body movement throughout. Plus They are fun! Only need two dumbbells and a Timer (Download our amazing timer here).
WILL YOU CONTINUE WHEN YOU RETURN TO GYM?
So will I return to the gym once they re-open? Yes. I love my home workouts, and I will carry them over to the gym. All that is going to change is the amount of weight on hand and also I can switch between barbell and dumbbell and kettlebell.
As we have always said home workouts just be just as effective or even more so as long as you have the right workout and the right mindset. Plus the other upside of going to an actual gym is that I will be able to train with a friend and see all my ‘Gym friends’.
Will I be going back straight away when they reopen? I don’t think I will. As my home workouts are amazing and high energy, I might give it a week or two and continue to workout at home. Then once that mad rush has calmed down, I will venture back into the gym. I will have to play it by ear.
WHAT EQUIPMENT ARE YOU USING?
So, since we did go into another lockdown, and currently the nation is unsure of future lockdowns. I decided to purchase a set of dumbbells. I purchased two 22.5kg dumbbells. Why did I buy these? They were the only ones left in stock. As mentioned above, I have changed my exercises around a bit, so going from 17kg to 22.5kg doesn’t seem like a huge jump, however, performing thrusters and clean and presses seem so much harder.
Apart from that I haven’t bought or used any other equipment. I use my foam roller regularly. For stretching and rolling but also using it (Along with a few pillows) to make an “incline bench”. I am finding myself foam rolling more often, the main reason is that as most of us are working from home and sitting most the day it is good to roll out your body. I am also finding that since changing up my exercises my legs are a lot sorer. So rolling them regularly.
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
They have announced that we will be coming out of this Second Lockdown and going back into a Tiered system on 2nd December. However, after my three weeks in lockdown, do I feel like I could continue to workout from home? 100%! I feel like my home workouts have great intensity, no commute, no waiting for equipment and also, no membership payments!
Will I be returning to the gym once they open? I might go a few days a week and continue to workout from home. As with the first lockdown, I believe that the gyms will be so busy during the first few weeks when they re-open. So I will be cautious and plan workouts wisely.
CONCLUSION
So there you have it. My sessions from the first lockdown and what I have changed during this lockdown. What have you learnt and changed during these lockdowns? Head over to our Instagram and let us know what you have changed from the first to the second lockdown. It has been a bit of a weird time, gym opening and closing (If they should have shut in the first place is a whole other subject). However, it looks like they will continue no matter “tier” your area is in.
Remember if you are still working out from home, then you can download our free home workout application and get free access to some amazing home workouts. You can click here or below to download Sets & Reps for free!
Written by Kieran Blacker
Kieran is the CEO and Founder of Sets & Reps. He decided to make an application that helped people get a gym workout when not at the gym. He designed, Coded and built the application himself.