For many people, exercise can be a mental challenge. It can feel boring and repetitive without any other purpose than getting fit. Those with personalities that need something useful to do often exercise better in the gym because of the focus and the help of others. But the lockdown has made trips to the gym a problem. There is a solution to that problem, and it involves household chores. Everything from cleaning the yard to fixing your roofing can be an exercise. You need to know how to do it. Here are some potential chores that can ensure that you are fit and strong.
Gardening And Lawn Maintenance
For those who want to sweat, your lawn is the busiest part of the house. There are a variety of things that can get your muscles pumping here. For one, raking leaves looks simple, but it gets your muscles working in three planes of motion. Your arms and back will feel the burn after a particularly leafy autumn day. You can also get an even more powerful workout by packing up all the leaves in bags and carrying them out for disposal. Do the proper squatting posture when you lift them to get the full effect. Other activities in the lawn that will get you fit are planting new flowers and doing some mulching.
Cleaning The House Exterior
A house’s exterior gets very dirty, especially when the weather is really bad. Dirt and dust get spattered on the walls while leaves fall into the gutters. This is where you can get some exercise. Cleaning windows is much more strenuous work than many people think. Your arms will get the same work out as several push-ups after cleaning a few windows thoroughly. You should also go up to the roof and see if any of the tiles need fixing or the gutter needs cleaning.
Keeping The Bathroom Clean
Your bathroom can be the dirtiest part of your home. It also needs to be one of the cleanest. You don’t want to shower in the bathroom with dirty tiles full of grime. This is where you come in. Cleaning and scrubbing the tiles will have you leaning down and stretching a lot. Additionally, the scrubbing action can be a good workout, especially with stubborn deposits. You can expect to burn as much as 100 calories for every 15 minutes of scrubbing. Most bathrooms will take an hour to clean so you’ll be burning a lot.
Washing Your Car
While not part of your house, your car needs just as much attention. Even when you are not driving regularly, dirt and dust accumulate on it. It would be best if you washed it regularly to maintain its look. For those who want a workout from it, do it like Mr. Miyagi does: wax on and then wax out. The movement is pretty good in opening up your shoulders after hours of hunching over your computer. Your arms will also feel the burn if you make the simple motions of alternating directions.
Vacuuming Your Rooms
Another great way to ensure you are fit around the house is by vacuuming. While the main motions of this chore will stretch your body out and work your arms, the real core exercise is getting everything out of the way. You will be lifting a variety of furniture most of the time. This ensures that you can reach even the most remote spots. Some of it will be very heavy, so get someone to help you out. If you can’t lift something, then you should try to go down to floor level, which is another exercise.\
Do The Laundry – By Hand
A lot of people have a washing machine, and it is a great time saver. However, if you have nothing but time, then hand washing your laundry is a full-body workout. Your legs will be supporting your body as you carry buckets of water. Your core will be squeezed as you lean over the laundry basket. Finally, your arms will get a workout as you scrub your clothes clean. It is not easy to do and will take you hours to get through a single basket load of laundry, but it can be very effective. Do it once a week and leave the other load for conventional washing.
Combining your fitness regimen and household maintenance can be a big time saver. Instead of wasting time on two separate activities, you can get fit and keep your home in good condition at the same time. The sense of achievement should satisfy those who need to
