As we continue training at home, you're probably looking for some ways to change up your workouts. In this blog, you'll find some of our favorite pieces of at-home workout equipment you can incorporate in your workouts without having to leave your house!
Chairs
Chairs are one of our favorite pieces of exercise equipment here at Target Training! One great way to incorporate chairs into your workouts is with single-leg glute presses with your shoulders on the chair. This challenging exercise will strengthen your glutes (the muscles in your bum) that are essential for turnout, toe height, posture, power... almost every Irish dance skill!
Soup Cans
Cans of soup make a great substitute for hand weights! You can hold one or two cans to intensify your squats, lunges, or calf raises, or try working on your posture by doing these tricep extensions with your cans. Your triceps (the muscle on the back of your arm) is the muscle that keeps your elbows straight while you dance.
Steps
One of the best ways to intensify calf raises is to stand with your heel hanging off the edge of the step. This increases the eccentric motion (the lengthening of your calf muscle), meaning your calves have to work harder for you to get all the way up on your toes! Your calves are a key muscle to strengthen to improve toe height, and having good calf muscle endurance has even been shown to reduce your risk of injuries like ankle sprains and stress fractures!
Pillows
Want to reduce your risk of injury? Try standing on one leg on a pillow! Improving your balance with an unstable surface is essential to reducing injuries like ankle sprains. Try balancing on one leg on a pillow for 30 seconds on each leg. Want to make it even more challenging? Close your eyes. Doing so will work your proprioception, your ability to know where your body is in space.
Ready to take your training to the next level without ever leaving your home? Check out the Target Training Online Institute! You'll find guided workout videos for every Irish dance technique, 30-Day Challenges, monthly training plans, nutrition manuals, and MORE! Join today and get a FREE 14-day trial of the Trainer subscription, no code needed. Click HERE to get started.
Happy training!