Being able to adapt to any circumstance is an extremely valuable trait, and one that has become hugely important in today’s world. Yet for many, it’s a key element of their everyday life. With extensive experience in the luxury hospitality field across cities including New York and London, Hotel de Rome’s General Manager Gordon Debus has encountered all kinds of situations and solved myriad problems throughout his career. Today, he approaches the challenge of lockdown with the same passion, flexibility and energy that he applies to his job, and shares an insight into his daily workout routine, adapted to use items around the home.
“As public gyms are closed, I’ve changed my programme from classic Crossfit to HIIT exercises. Each day begins with a short warm-up, followed by stretching. I then focus on one muscle group for strength and finish with a Workout of the Day, before concluding with a cooldown for optimum muscle recovery,” Gordon explains, and here’s what he does:
Gordon’s everyday warm-up
50 jumping jacks
30 high knees
20 alternating lunges
10 squats
10 knee push-ups
10 windmills forwards (circling of extended arms, max rotation)
10 windmills backwards (circling of extended arms, max rotation)
or a 1-mile run
MONDAY
Strength – Shoulders
Exercise: Pike push-ups from a chair
Repetitions: 3 sets of 10
How: Get into a push-up position with your feet on a chair. Move closer to the chair with your legs extended and your upper body going into an upright vertical position. Do a push-up with your head between your arms until you touch the floor.
©Andreas Tobias
Exercise: Side arm raises
Repetitions: 3 sets of 8
How: Using a water bottle rack or item of the appropriate weight, slowly raise your arms out to the sides and lower slowly.
Exercise: Frontal arm raises
Repetitions: 3 sets of 8
How: Using a water bottle rack or item of the appropriate weight, slowly raise your arms in front of you and lower slowly.
Workout of the day
5 sets of:
25 climber
25 sit-ups
25 squats
Cooldown
Easy running or cycling, followed by stretching
WEDNESDAY
Strength – Chest
Exercise: Hand-release push-ups
Repetitions: 3 sets of 12
How: Prepare for a normal push-up, but lift your hands from the ground for a second before the push on the way up, with the body remaining straight. Try to be controlled on the way down and explosive on the way up.
©Andreas Tobias
Exercise: Straight chess presses
Repetitions: 3 sets of 8
How: Lying flat on your back, take a dumbbell, water bottle or can in each hand and lower them at an 80° angle with straight arms to the floor. Lift them and bring them together above you in a controlled movement. The weights should meet over your chest when your arms are fully extended above you.
Workout of the day
5 sets of:
10 burpees
20 high knees
15 push-ups
20 lunges
Cooldown
Easy running or cycling, followed by stretching
FRIDAY
Strength – Back
Exercise: Deadlifts
Repetitions: 5 sets, according to ability
How: Using two cases of water or similar, focusing on keeping your back straight, in one controlled movement, lift the weights from the floor to hip level. Keep the weights close to your legs and ensure you lower the weight in a smooth way without dropping it or losing tension.
Exercise: Pull-ups
Repetitions: 3 sets of maximum effort pull-ups, according to ability
How: Using a secure bar, perform pull-ups, ideally until your chin is above the bar. If extra support is required, use a rubber band around the legs or feet looped over the bar.
Exercise: Arm raises to back
Repetitions: 3 sets, according to ability
How: Lean forward into an almost 90° angle. Lift a weight such as a water bottle up without bending your arms. Make sure to keep your tension in your back and remain in a straight line. Bring the object as high as your back.
Exercise: Supermen
Repetitions: 2 sets of 15
How: Lie face down on a mat or flat surface, with your arms and legs outstretched in a straight line. Raise your straight arms and legs 4-5 inches off the ground, and hold them for five seconds before releasing gently.
Workout of the day
1-mile run
then
4 sets of:
20-meter shuttle sprint, followed by 10 push-ups
30-second break
20-meter shuttle sprint, followed by 10 push-ups
30-second break
20-meter shuttle sprint, followed by 10 push-ups
30-second break
Cooldown
Easy running or cycling, followed by stretching
SATURDAY
Easy 3-mile run and extensive stretching
Before you know it, you’ll be fitter coming out of lockdown than you were going into it.
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