The COVID-19 quarantine crisis has thrown us for a bit of a loop. On the one hand, we are grateful to take an impromptu staycation without feelings of #FOMO, but on the other hand, we are going stir crazy because all forms of outdoor entertainment are closed. So now we have to think of creative ways to keep up our fitness while we are stuck indoors. We spoke to Kirschen Katz, a celebrity yogi in Los Angeles, about innovative ways we can exercise at home, whether this means investing in some at-home workout equipment or just not getting bored of the same exercise. Katz works with celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Julia Roberts, so you bet she knows how to make a fitness journey fun.
Dedicate An Area To Workout
When you are home and sequestered for a period of time that is ongoing, it helps if you set a corner of your home apart and keep your equipment out. It keeps it on your mind and easily accessible. “You’d be amazed at how easy it is not to practice yoga or do crunches or stretches when your mat is hidden in a closet,” says Katz. “Access and awareness [are] key, and presumably, it puts a little guilt there, too.”
Every Little Bit Counts
It is easy to feel like if you do not do an entire hour of practice, it is not good enough, but Katz says this can’t be farther from the truth. “Little mini sessions make it easier to stick to a program, very much like taking breaks from your work,” she says. “Start with one favorite pose and build from there to do several, but do them with intent and with good form, so you get the best benefit from each.” Or enjoy a five-minute Shavasana session, adding some breathwork. “Think of this as your sacred time to take care of yourself and cultivate your own sacred space, a space you can’t wait to get to and give it 100 percent, even in small intervals.”
Create the Right Ambiance
There are so many ways you can create your very own “yoga shala” at home. Music is key, and Katz’s favorites include the Isley Brothers, the O’Jays, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang and more. Explore what music you like to listen to during your practice. “Some of my clients have set up their space heaters, so the room becomes an instant ‘hot yoga’ room. If you want to up the ante and the temperature dial, so it’s more like a hot yoga studio, go for it,” says Katz. “Also, I usually give my clients gorgeous scented pillows from the Sonoma Lavender Company, which are great to have in the room for a more sensory experience.” Last but not least, explore applying essential oils. “Orange, which invokes happiness, is the all-time winner,” Katz adds.
Have The Right Equipment on Hand
To make-at-home workouts easily accessible, Katz recommends you have your favorite yoga mat on hand, plus maybe a jump-rope or two for a simple, super effective and inexpensive cardio booster when options are limited. “My go-to mat is Jade’s Harmony mat. It’s the perfect amount of thickness while providing great traction.” Another more affordable mat option if you are just starting out, is Gaiam, which also offers all of Katz’s favorite yoga accessories like blocks, straps and bolsters. For clothes, some of Katz’s trusted brands are Beyond Yoga, Terez, Heroine Sport, Lorna Jane and Alo and Carbon 38.
Improvise When Necessary
When in a studio or clients’ home, Katz does multiple stretches at their home ballet bar, but I do not have a ballet bar and most of us do not, so she recommends swapping out the kitchen sink for one. “It is the most sturdy, the right height for the most part anyway, and you can grab it to hold yourself for some opening stretches of the upper body, arms and opening chest and back and even legs,” she says. And of course, if you have them, us the stairs. “I’ll walk 10 sets of 20 steps to get my prana flowing!” Lastly, if you are looking for some light weights and do not have them, a full water bottle can help, or a gallon of milk or laundry detergent with a handle can double up, if necessary. “Additionally, rolling a towel around a rolling pin can be a great substitute for a foam roller.”
At-Home Weekly Plan You Can Follow
To get started at home, Katz recommends following this plan that does not include much equipment and doesn’t involve merely doing a bunch of crunches.
Monday:
A.M.: 45-60 minutes fast walk, or 30-45 minute run (outdoors, if possible).
P.M: 20 minutes yoga stretch with 10 sun salutations and 100 sit-ups.
Tuesday:
A.M.: HIIT 5-minute warm-up, next ten minutes add five sets of 45-second sprints, dropping back to regular pace in between, 5-minute warm-down.
P.M.: 30-minute yoga stretch (holding poses 30 seconds), 100 sit-ups.
Wednesday:
A.M.: 20 minutes brisk walk, and either 20 minutes of stairs or 20 minutes of jump rope.
P.M.: 20-minute yoga stretch with 5-minute breathwork.
Thursday:
A.M.: Rest.
P.M.: 40-minute yoga practice with 100 sit-ups, 5-minute breathwork.
Friday:
A.M.: Repeat HIIT.
P.M.: 10 sun salutations and 10-minute freestyle dance.
Saturday:
A.M.: 45-minute LSD (long, slow distance run), or 1-hour hike.
P.M.: Rest.
Sunday:
A.M.: Hike in nature, urban hike, or 1-hour bike ride.
P.M.: Play.
Workout Routine With Zero Equipment
- Hang on to your kitchen sink, lean back and stretch out your back, turn around with your back to the sink and hold onto your sink with your hands behind you, lean forward and stretch out your chest.
- Arm circles: 4 in both directions (forward and backward)
- Back to the sink, two sets of 10 clean push-ups.
- If you have stairs at home or building, hit the steps for 20 minutes at an even, steady pace, not racing. If not, jump rope for 20 minutes.
- 2-4 sets x 30-second planks (either on hands or forearms) rest in down dog.
- 100 sit-ups.
- Bridge pose 30 seconds.
- Dance for three motivating songs.
- Stretch to cool down.
- Hydrate!
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