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This Covid times really sucks.
But hey keep your head up, we all are going through hard times.
What do you think about lowering your goals? Maybe doing a 12min workout per day would be a nice start for you. Start slow and then increase your goals.
I love to use apps to help me out. Have you ever thought about meditation? Maybe this could help you out... just 5 min a day... I use HeadSpace
And for the physical activity, I use a new app developed by friends of mine that adapts all the in-app content to the user's fitness limits. Maybe it can workout for you... It's called Strive.

Be patient with yourself. It is allowed to skip one day of fitness training, but try to focus on the long term goals.
Keep your head up !!

So I started out my own body weight fitness journey as a 300 pound guy at home with two things.

1. I was recommended and ended up buying Convict Conditioning. A purely body weight fitness guide that brings body weight excises back from cardio and into serious muscle gain through easy and slow progressions. Convict Conditioning on Amazon

2. For more general information and extremely helpful wide knowledge, I read up on the body weight fitness Reddit wiki page

They have a great community and an excellent set of progression routines.

The key to serious strength and conditioning for body weight fitness is slow progression build up. Both of the sources have tons of information on how weight loss and muscle building can be done with just your own body weight. Read those sources and use the information.

And please, please, PLEASE. Go SLOW! This is a lifelong thing, don’t try to rush to doing the crazy stuff or try and jump into the next progression exercise. Don’t skip progressions. Tendons and ligaments strengthen much much slower than our muscles. Go slow and do the easy stuff to build up the parts of your body that aren’t muscle as well.

> My only question: is there some strength training program someone can use at home that excludes the use of equipment/weights? Due to the pandemic all gyms are shut down here and I don’t have equipment at home.

How will you do pulling exercises, or complicate easier bodyweight exercises?

The minimum equipment investment for the program above is a pull-up bar, which is cheap and accessible: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K

> Firstly, failing the vertical pull exercise being a viable option, how important is it to have all 6? Would 5 be sufficient? Essentially would the impact be of having 5/6 but not incuding vertical pulls?

You'd be neglecting major muscle groups, which would lead to both visible and invisible muscle imbalance and possible risk of injury.

If you're going to cut out a major compound exercise, choose rows. Together, chin-ups and deadlifts can recruit most of the muscles involved. Further reading: https://outlift.com/the-5-big-compound-lifts/#7-the-fall-of-the-barbell-row

> Secondly, if I were aiming for all 6, which vertical pull exercises would you recommend if working out at home

Any kind of pull-up. Chin-ups would probably suit you most as they target the biceps more.

Doorway pull-up bars are cheap and accessible: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K

> How woud you best spread these now 9 or 10 exercises out over a 3 day period?

A PPL program as described above: day 1 (push): bench press/push-ups, overhead press/pike push-ups, day 2 (pull): pull-ups/chin-ups/lat pull-downs, rows, day 3 (legs): deadlifts, squats, (repeat), day 7: active recovery. Do any isolation exercises in the relevant day.

https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/0671633813

Buy this. Dont listen to anyone else about anything.

Youtube is dog shit. Everyone has the latest and greatest. This is all you need. Tired and true techniques whos job it is to be in shape.

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https://www.amazon.com/New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Updated/dp/0684857219/ref=tmm\_pap\_swatch\_0?\_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Most are pretty basic. You have probably already done dips on a bench or couch. Biceps curls.

The biggest problem is legs. Being a skier and kite surfer, your legs are probably already pretty strong. The weight vest is some resistance, but if you get a belt with a chain, that can give add more resistance.

https://www.amazon.com/DMoose-Fitness-Premium-Belt-Chain/dp/B01MUANNJY

I have a regular weight belt and used a carabiner to put a chandelier chain on the metal buckle. Then issued a second a carabiner to loop the chain around a dumbbell for dips. But can also use it for Bulgarian squats. If the chain was longer, I could attach plates to it instead. But my 35 pound dumbbell is fine for me.

Goblet squats is another option, but I don't like them since my dumbbells are too small.

https://www.google.com/search?q=goblet+squats&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=ivsn&sxsrf=ALiCzsbBRlpmq6yI_GlNYgaESLN6ewWCRg:1658095687710&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwifueDj94D5AhWIkokEHWDkCWYQ_AUoAXoECAIQAQ&amp...

Overhead press with dumbbells standing or on a bench is pretty simple.

All serious gym-goers are eventually impacted by grip strength imbalance at one point, and as the old saying goes, "You're only as strong as your weakest link".

I'd suggest you buy a pair of heavy hand grip strength trainers from Amazon (don't buy anything below 100lbs) and start using them in your spare time. At the gym, start mixing up your grips, doing dead hangs at the end of pull/chin-up sets, and farmer walks with the heaviest dumbbells you can manage.

Try a muscle roller like this to help get the lactic acid moving out of the muscles.

Another option is a massager like this one which you can place on your arms or any sore muscles for a pretty good massage. It's not vibrating and lame. It actually kneads pretty damn good. Sometimes a little too good.

To be honest I don’t off the top of my head, I would guess Google or another search engine would be your best bet in finding some. I just looked it up and it showed a probiotic on Amazon with bifidobacterium, but I would look more into it as I am not super familiar with it.

Deskcycle is the brand name. If these links doesn't work, just search Amazon for Desk bike. I'm sure there's others using the same technology and may be cheaper. Just something I had picked up.

DeskCycle Under Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser - Portable Foot Exercise Cycle for Sitting with LCD Display - Mini Stationary Peddler for Adults & Seniors, Physical Therapy Workout Equipment https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B1VDNQA/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_VF839TBM9N8C5FRVRQW7

Deal of the day: DeskCycle 2 Under Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser with Adjustable Leg - Mini Exercise Bike Desk Cycle, Leg Exerciser for Physical Therapy & Desk Exercise https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BDRFMZK/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_dl_2N8E9Q4RC372RNFMNQ51

side shoulder raises, dumbbell rows, overhead press, abs/posture/cardio/yoga routines you see on youtube

if you get a bench, you can start doing dumbbell presses
if you get a bar, you can start doing pull ups (seeing my pullup number climb was super motivating for me)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fullbodyworkout.bodyworkout.bodyweightworkout.workoutformen Check out this app, the best free workout app you can get. You input your weight, height and target body weight. So it calibrates a workout plan for you. If you're a beginner it will ease you in at first and then progressively get more difficult. It also has a water intake tracker and footsteps tracker.

Pair it with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sillens.shapeupclub For better results

Few side notes: Practice the correct for for the basic exercises like push ups, dips, and planks before starting starting the routine Try as hard as you can to get through the first 1 and a half weeks. Take a lot of water Sleep for atleast 6 hours a day, 8 hours is best if possible.

This sounds close to what I was doing at the beginning of the pandemic last year. I'd recommend getting and purchasing the dumbbells app, which has a lot of flexibility in features. You can set up a routine for each muscle group, and it has a decent variety of exercises for the main groups.

As far as how much to do, it really depends on what you are capable of right now. I think most agree trying to do 3 sets each of 8 reps is pretty typical for a beginner. Follow each set with a 45-90 second rest, with 90 seconds in between exercises.

As far as purchasing more weight goes, expect to pay ~$2.50/kg USD. If you have Walmart, and they have them in stock anyway.

A lot of sets of exercise bands that you can buy actually come with a little packet that has exercises for your whole body. Abs may be part of it but I’m not sure. I own these from Amazon and they are super cheap and great for just starting out. They come in 5 different resistance levels.

Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands with Instruction Guide, Carry Bag, EBook and Online Workout Videos, Set of 5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVDVHTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Zm3ZDb584DXVC

A wrist roller. They don't take up a lot of space, not very expensive and give your forearms and wrists a hell of a workout!

Here's one from Amazon

Thanks for replying!

I'm using the Zombies, Run 5k app, it is a great training tool and keeps me at a good level consistently. So I think I'll be ok in not pushing too hard this time...

And thanks for the advice on resting. I've been told this before but I stupidly ignore it when I get too into my fitness. I'll make a better effort this time to make it a core part of improving.

Cheers!

I've been using the free version of this one. I've been following the Strong Lifts 5x5. It's pretty bare bones but I like it.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.anthonyng.workoutapp

Highly recommend the back pod on amazon. Using it 1-2x a day helps a ton.

https://www.amazon.com/Backpod-Treatment-Smartphones-Computers-Costochondritis/dp/B01LYNZBV3/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&keywords=back+pod&qid=1602717447&sr=8-17

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I had costo for a while, took almost an entire year to get rid of. Nonetheless the back pod helped a ton.

What you want is a whey isolate. Its got less calories, carbs, and fat but more protein than whey concentrate.

And less lactose. I use a grass fed whey isolate, muscle feast. Which is highly ranked in terms of purity and quality on labdoors website.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M2X4KM2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qhVcFbZQWQ87N

I have recently read the Fast 800 book. Basically it is intermittent fasting 2 days out of 7. However before doing that, you stay on 800 calories a day for 2 weeks. They switch to the 2 days of 800 calories and 5 days of .Mediterranean style eating. I personally don’t follow the Mediterranean eating. I have been eating healthy 1900 calories 5 days a week and then 2 days at 800.

The book is cheap on Amazon, I got it for £5.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1780723628/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had a trial subscription to the Gold's Amp

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fitradio.gold

I really enjoyed it and the workouts were good, guided by coaches, and music selection was decent.

optimum nutrition good standard %100 whey is what I decided on after a lot of comparison. I find Amazon the best place to get it, Costco carries some of their products as well but not always this particular one.