Fitness fanatic Tim Robards gives his top tips and hacks for improving health and wellness at home. 

From diets to workout routines, Australians across the nation are turning to the internet for their health and wellness needs.

With thousands of websites, apps, forums and tutorials; the internet has become the go-to for those looking to scrap sedentary habits and embrace the benefits of exercise at the gym, on the street and in the home.

The national rollout of the nbn™ network has made finding the information Australians need easier than ever while also providing access to a platform for professionals like wellness enthusiast and Channel Ten star, Tim Robards, to share their expertise.

“Thanks to the wealth of information at our fingertips now, technology really can make people fitter. I’m determined to get as many Aussies as possible moving.”

To demonstrate the potential for this new frontier of fitness education, nbn teamed up with Tim to create the nbn™ Virtual Workout, a program designed to transform living rooms in to virtual gyms using the most effective piece of exercise equipment available; a laptop with a fast broadband connection.

Many Australians, due to time or cost constraints, can find themselves struggling to find an exercise regime that works for them.

“Exercise doesn’t have to be going to the gym, it can be a walk, an active job or getting your sweat on around the house. Just like the old saying – If you don’t have time for exercise, sooner or later you will have to make time for illness…

"I think it’s always good to keep challenging your body with new skills and routines. You need to keep your body guessing, as it’s always adapting. We also need to keep it fun and fresh so we don’t get bored.”

You’ll be working up a sweat in no time with the nbn™ Virtual Workout as Tim focuses on high intensity interval training, incorporating a routine of animalistic movement exercises, calisthenics, street workout drills and his own “The Robards Method”.

Utilising minimal professional equipment, these exercises aim to build strength and burn maximum fat.⁺ You can start your session through the jump below:

Using Tim’s knowledge as a sports chiropractor, the second session of nbn™ Virtual Workout tests your body’s joint mobility and flexibility.

Through a basic set of exercises, Tim demonstrates how you can advance your capabilities to meet your fitness goals through exercises ranging from yoga to calisthenics, providing the perfect cool down or warm up to high intensity interval training.⁺

Outside of the nbn™ Virtual Workout, we asked Tim what else aspiring fitness fanatics could do to get the most out of exercise in their living space.

Tim Robard’s top 6 hacks for exercising at home:

1. The most effective piece of workout equipment available – a laptop with a fast broadband connection gives you access to the world’s largest database of workout routines available, such as the nbn™ Virtual Workout videos streamable from YouTube
2. The humble workout companion – a stable chair is perfect for dips and keeping you on track with squats
3. Double the chairs, double the fun – two chairs can become your parallel bars for full body weight dips, ab exercises and a variety of chest building exercises
4. Sore muscles? Tape two tennis balls together and use them for rolling your spine or other trigger points to release tension in muscles such as you glutes and rotator cuff (shoulder)
5. Back and biceps – A small investment in a doorway chin-up bar can turn any doorway into the ideal place to train your back and biceps, which isn’t always possible with only floor type bodyweight exercises
6. Balancing act – Try using a thick pillow or two instead of a boss ball to challenge your balance for things like one legged squats and single leg deadlifts. The unstable surface is a great way to recruit more stabilisers and you won’t have to store away extra exercise equipment.

The importance of functional mobility and dynamic exercise within the modern world is vital, particularly as many Australians find themselves significantly more time poor, according to Robards, “We were brought up in an industrialised world where many of us sit at a desk, car, truck or perform a repetitive task.

"We’re built to move around our environment and not be static all the time. This weakens our body and tightens us up leading to chronic pain, headaches, injuries and an overall poorer quality of life.

"Strength and challenge your mobility not because you should, but because you will feel better for it and be able to do the fun things you love for longer!”

Start your fitness journey from your living room with the nbn™ Virtual Workout here (hyperlink to YouTube housed content unless embedded).

With access to fast broadband over the nbn™ network, exercise programs from all over the world are within reach. Check out how more Australians are tuning into online fitness programs from the comfort of their homes.

⁺If you have concerns about exercising, consult your doctor before participating. Stop exercising immediately if you experience pain or injury.