Chrissy Chitwood

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Top 10 Housecleaning Workout Tips

By Fitness

Do you feel like you’re always doing housework but never have a chance to work out? Well, here’s your chance to work out and get your housework done at the same time.

Remember when you were a child and used to race to try to finish your chores quickly before playtime? Well, now you’ll be doing your chores quickly for a different goal. Speeding up your movements while doing daily housework, weekly cleaning or even de-cluttering is the key to burning those extra calories.

Try these tips when you’re cleaning your house to work off extra calories, increase your energy, feel better and have more fun.

1. Run or walk quickly up the stairs of your house throughout your cleaning session. (Keep your hand lightly on the stair rail for safety.)

2. Squat to pick up items on the floor or at lower reaches. Squat: Place your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, keeping your feet facing forwards. Then push your hips back as if you’re sitting into a chair, while keeping your back straight and stomach muscles pulled in.

3. If the item is too low to reach by using a squat position, do a hamstring stretch while you’re reaching for the item.Hamstring stretch: Place your feet hip width apart. Then bend at your hips and while keeping your knees straight, reach for the floor with your hands. The aim is to place both hands flat on the floor with your knees straight. Try to hold the stretch for 10 seconds before picking up the item(s)

4. Race your timer, your partner/spouse, family or friends to see who can finish cleaning an area first. You don’t have to be a kid to race. Look at all the marathon runners. You can run a cleaning marathon! 😉

5. Vacuum! Vacuuming at a quick pace actually can be a good workout and burn calories. Remember to use good posture and big movements so you’re using your arm and leg muscles. Also, remember to bend your knees and rise to work your legs as well as your arms.

Pull your belly button in towards your spine so that your posture is good throughout and your core (abdominal muscles) are working. This will reduce the risk of lower back pain. Just think, daily or weekly vacuuming can become part of your workout regimen as well as keep your house clean and ready for entertaining.

6. Scrubbing or washing the dishes: Ever notice how your arms feel tired after cleaning the dishes or scrubbing the counter? Using quick, full movements while doing this type of cleaning can be added to your arm routine. Try to use the same movement (circular, square, zigzagged, etc.) for approximately 20 repetitions (reps) each direction. Then switch arms and do the same.

You can do this when you’re cleaning your dishes even if you have an automatic dishwasher. Again, the quicker you move, the more calories you’ll burn and the faster you’ll finish cleaning.

Whether you’re scrubbing the counter, cleaning the floor, or washing out the shower, you can use these tips any time you’re using your arms to clean an area. By switching arms, directions and doing 20 reps throughout your cleaning, you’re going to be working both arms evenly and improving your coordination by using your weaker arm (generally your non-writing arm). And you’ll be toning your arm muscles by doing strength endurance.

7. Dance! Dance around the house or room while you’re cleaning. You’ll have more fun and get a good workout while you’re at it.

8. If you must sit down while you’re cleaning, de-cluttering or organizing, (which I know is necessary at certain times, like when you have that stack of papers that is going to take a while to organize), try to sit with your best possible posture. If you notice that after a bit you’ve started slouching, just sit up straight again and pull in your belly button to work those stomach muscles!

9. Use a range of movement in everything you do. If you’re sitting down, stand up and shake your legs and arms to get your circulation flowing before sitting back down again. When cleaning a room, switch areas often to increase your movement. The bigger your movement and action, the better workout you’ll have and the more your body will respond.

10. If you have a lot of cleaning/de-cluttering to do, try setting a timer every 15-30 minutes, then have 5 minutes where you stretch, walk or jog in place, dance to some music, do jumping jacks, jump up and down or even meditate. While you’re cleaning, decide what you’ll do on your next 5 minutes. Sometimes it’s best to choose one thing, such as stretching. Other times you may want to vary it and just keep moving for 5 minutes.

Be sure to use that 5 minutes for you. By having a regular break to revitalize your mind and body, you’ll work quicker and feel better for it. Plus, by the end of your cleaning session, you actually could have done a workout for the day. For example, by the end of three hours of 30-minute cleaning spurts, you’ll have completed a 30-minute workout. At the end of 6 hours you’ll have done a 60-minute workout. This doesn’t even have to be done all at once. If you’re spreading out your cleaning throughout the day, this works just as well. Just take that 5 minutes every time you’ve done 30 minutes.

Remember, every bit helps when it comes to working out and being active! Even 5 or 10 minutes a day of additional exercise makes a difference in your health and well-being. You’ll feel better for it, have more energy and enjoy your cleaning, too.

Don’t forget to turn the music up while you’re cleaning. Join me next Tuesday for the Top 5 Housecleaning Workout Songs. Happy cleaning! 🙂

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Deborah says

    Hello! I’m participating in iFellowship. Enjoy this day the Lord has made and may you be glad in it!

    Deborah
    homemakerhoney.com

  6. Jenny says

    Hi There! I’m coming over from ifellowship day! I’m now a new reader and loved your trips for the day 🙂

  7. Elisabeth LaMouria says

    Awesome! LOVE it – I’m over from iFellowship – love the idea for your blog and happy you started it! I’m in the process of getting my Pilates Instructor Cert. and think that moms being fit is SO SO SO important. I don’t blog about it, but if you would ever want to come by and do a guest post, I would LOVE it! 🙂
    God bless,
    Elisabeth

  10. SUE says

    This is such a great post! If I only cleaned my house, I would be in better shape! – LOL

    Blessings to you from iFellowship 🙂

  12. Monika says

    Great article and tips! You sound just like FlyLady. 😀

    One quick recommendation for a paperwork or must sit declutter, Try sitting on a yoga ball instead of a chair or sofa. The yoga ball requires better posture and works your abdominals too.

    Happy cleaning!

    • Christina Chitwood says

      Thanks so much for your comment, Monika! Great tip. 🙂 I love sitting on a fitball/yoga ball when decluttering, working at my desk or working at the computer. It does indeed encourage better posture and gets those abs working more! Have a great weekend!

  13. Alicia says

    What a great health and fitness blog. I love this post on fitness and housecleaning. Thanks for stopping by and visiting me at Healthy Living & A Balanced You…… I connected to your facebook page too.. Have a great Day!

  18. danialkarag33 says

    The task of house cleaning might sound a tad too mundane but it pays to keep a house spic and span. Cleanliness at home helps in improving quality of life in terms of better hygiene and orderliness. A cleaning service either for an office or home can make the place look as good as new.

  19. suplemen fitness says

    I don’t think it would be work in my country ( Indonesia) as people here prefer use maid to do the house cleaning and they spent more money going to gym..LOL 🙂

  25. Shark Cleaning says

    Great ideas. One can expect to burn a good amount of calories with this all the while doing essential tasks. Keep posting such innovative ideas so that your readers can make the most of their time.

  27. Sandy says

    Thanks for the great article! I always vacuum at a quick pace to get the bloodstream flowing but I never thought about actually dancing while cleaning. My kids will for sure be laughing next time at me. 🙂

  28. Jordan Schoner says

    Awesome… I Love It !!!
    I learned a lot about your idea. It was amazing that you have to less your some calories by doing your chores in your house. For instance you don’t have to exert an effort to go to gym to less your calories. Can you imagine that doing chores in house is a great way to exercise. Because of you I have an idea how to get benefits from cleaning my house.
    If you also are planning to sell your house, you can visit this website to know more about how to be successful in the process. http://www.pleasebuymyrealestate.com

  29. mosaid says

    Nice article. I’ve had a look at Dyson product and its reputation recently. I was really amazed by its innovative features. it was the first company to produce bagless vacuum cleaners and eliminate filters so that users don’t have to clean them every time. Approved for allergy sufferers, all new Dyson upright and canister vacuums are certified asthma & allergy friendly by the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. Have an insight by going on DysonDC40.net

  31. Kathy Pacheo says

    Hey Christina,
    Guess m gonna fall in love with house cleaning after reading.Perfect blend of words and practical advices.Thanks for such a clear writing.
    Amen..!!!! 🙂

  33. Alvin Keller says

    Hello Christina,
    I must say you’re one of the talented blogger . You merge fitness with house cleaning in a tremendous way .
    Thanks for sharing these great tips , my Wife really liked them.
    Cheers 🙂

  34. Matthew Morrissey says

    That’s an amazing post.I must say these latest gadgets have made our life easier but at the same time they are making us lazy and due to which we do not workout and as a result we have to suffer so many problems.These tips are really worth implementing in real life.

  35. Tony says

    LOL. These are great! I need to suggest some of these to my wife. She always complaints that she dont have enough time in a day to exercise.

  38. Florence Dunn says

    Hey!
    This is really awesome as it is making them learn about taking care of their home as well as their health too. People should learn something out of it and apply it to their own lives 🙂

    really awesome share!
    Keep up the good work!
    Thanks alot for the post 🙂

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