HOME FITNESS BY GORDON DEBUS

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.