Living Room Workouts So You Don’t Have to Miss a Minute of March Madness

After having to cancel the 2020 tournament due to Covid-19, the NCAA Basketball National Championship has returned and will once again take over group texts, email chains, and grocery store conversations around the country.

If you’re a basketball fan, chances are you’ve already turned your living room into a college basketball-watching eutopia upon the arrival of March Madness.

You’ve got the perfect tournament set-up - more than one TV so you can simultaneously watch games, cold beer on ice, wings and nachos heating up in the oven. Your phone is across the room to keep distractions at a minimum. The only thing on the schedule is to watch some basketball.

But what about your workout?

Who would want to leave the couch for anything? Let alone - to workout.

If you’re not one to take days off, here are some living room friendly exercises that require limited equipment and space so that you can work off all those wings and beers without missing a minute of the game!

The Blue Bloods

Blue bloods are programs we can depend on time and time again to deliver. These are the teams we all know as a model of consistency. Missing from this year’s tournament are a few of the traditional blue blood programs like Duke and Kentucky, so taking their place are these classic, but dependable exercises.

Push Ups

One of the most basic, but effective forms of exercise is the push-up. Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL superstar Herschel Walker attributed his Herculean physique to a strict routine of push-ups - and only push-ups - that he started at a young age.

Push-ups are important for building scapular and rotator cuff muscles to provide further support for your shoulders and assist with the formation muscles.

There are a bunch of different push-up variations you can try. There’s wide grip, triangle, even one arm. Each will engage some slightly different muscles, but all are effective.

Planks

Maybe you ate one-too-many slices of pizza before tip-off. I’m sure you’re not the only one. Planks are a simple abdominal workout for anyone looking to tone and flatten their stomach area. Your plank can range from 10 seconds - if you’re a beginner - or for minutes at a time, depending on the intensity of your workout. Be sure to keep your back straight and your butt up, not sagging. Planks might not seem like much, but you’ll work up a sweat in no time.

Body Weight Squat

You don’t need a squat rack to get those legs engaged. The first few sets of body weight squats will come easy, but it won’t be long before you start to feel the burn.

Maybe you have some dumbbells laying around. You can hold them in your hands while doing squats for some added weight and intensity.

The Sleepers/Underdogs

Sleeper picks and underdogs are what make March Madness so incredible. Small programs from small-budget institutions who come out of nowhere to defy the odds are easy for fans to rally behind.

Here are a few unique exercises you may not be as familiar with, but are just as effective as any of the blue bloods.

Burpees

This is a popular exercise for athletes all around the world that engages the entire body - legs, hips, buttocks, abdomen, arms, chest, and shoulders. Burpees blend the benefits of a push-up and squat on top of some grueling cardio. These are a great way to add some rigor to a simple living room workout.

Set a timer and try to bang out as many burpees as you can. Or, decide on a number of reps and track the time it takes to complete them.

Never heard of a burpee before? Check out the instructions below to mix it into your next workout.

1. Begin in a squat position with your knees bent, back straight, and your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your hands to the floor in front of you so they’re just inside your feet.
3. Keeping your weight on your hands, kick your feet back so you’re in a pushup position, with your palms on the floor and your knees off the ground.
4. Complete one pushup. Be sure to keep your back straight.
5. Jump your feet back to their starting position. Imagine a frog kick.
6. Stand and reach your arms over your head.
7. Finish the rep with one small hop and repeat the exercise.

Resistance Band Training

Frequently recommended by physical therapists, resistance bands provide a high intensity and low impact exercise that’s easy on your muscles. With over 50 exercises available and the power of over 10 machines, KoreTense is your best bet when it comes to a reliable resistance band kit. Once the tournament is over, you might never want to return to the gym again.

Twist Squat

This exercise was introduced to us by @DexFitness21 as a part of his Lower Body Burner on #WorkoutWednesday. It blends a basic squat along with some additional cardio. Make sure you throw some music on in the background because this exercise will really get you moving.