The pandemic has required us to be flexible and change how we do life. Quarantine made life very isolating. If you were someone who loved going to the gym, like every other business, they were also required to close. During quarantine, what did you do for physical activity? With your kids home, how did you make sure they got some exercise?
Exercise Strategy
Because we had to maintain distance, we had to get creative when it came to exercise. Here are some safe ways to exercise.
● Exercise outdoors
● Exercise by yourself, with a friend, or in a small group
● Engage in non-contact activities that allow physical distancing
● Rethink recess
● Work on improving your general fitness
● Clean and disinfect any equipment you use alone or with others
● Exercise using your body weight
● Stay in touch with your fitness community online
Exercise outdoors
Fresh air and exercise are good for your overall health. Going on a walk or bike ride with your friends or family is a safe way to be with others and get some physical activity. Go to a lake and kayak or take a hike.
Exercise by yourself, with a friend, or in a small group
Since community gyms closed, many people upgraded their home gym or set up their first basic home gym. Meeting up with a friend or in a small group to exercise was a way to be together and stay active.
Engage in non-contact activities that allow physical distancing
Limiting physical contact was the best. Choosing activities like running, bodyweight workout routines, and fitness videos allow for additional spacing. Also, disinfecting any workout equipment is important.
Rethink recess
Kids need exercise, too. With distance learning, it’s easy to forget recess. Physical activity is an important part of the school day and helps kids not only with fitness, but with mental focus and concentration as well.
Work on improving your general fitness
Taking advantage of free online workout classes is a great way to work on your general fitness. You also have options such as:
● Home gyms
● Home-based video workouts
● Web-based exercise programs
Clean and disinfect any equipment you use alone or with others
Disinfecting and cleaning any exercise equipment lowers the spread of Covid. Even if you and your family are the only ones using the equipment, it’s wise to still wipe down the equipment.
Exercise using your body weight
Using your own body weight with a circuit-type program can be an effective way to maintain strength and aerobic health in a short period of time. Bodyweight workouts can incorporate a variety of movements that don’t require equipment, including:
● Burpees
● Squats
● Lunges
● Pushups
● Yoga
Stay in touch with your fitness community online
Staying in touch with others also required a little creativity. Whether you’re a competitive athlete or a weekend warrior, stay in touch with your friends and teammates through appropriate social media channels. Consider on-line challenges for steps, or stationary bike rides, or even run a “virtual race” together and compare times.
Fitness Strategy
● Make fitness fun
● Go social
● Make the world your gym
● Pump yourself up
● Break up your workouts
● Stretch
● Eat healthy
● Get sleep
● Say goodbye to peer pressure
● Consider your mental well being
● Work with a personal trainer
Make fitness fun
Fitness should be enjoyable. A great way to accomplish this is to crank up the tunes, take a class, or have fun with your kids. Stop dreading your workouts!
Go social
Social media isn’t everything, but it is one way to stay connected with others. Announce your fitness goals on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Your community will encourage you, offer tips, and hold you accountable so you don’t miss a workout.
Make the world your gym
You don’t have to go to a gym to workout. Do some stretches while you’re in line at the grocery store, ride your bike to work, or take the stairs.
Pump yourself up
Negative self talk will only discourage you and accomplish nothing. Celebrate your fitness goals as you meet them and applaud yourself for getting fit.
Break up your workouts
Don’t try to do everything at once. Rather than doing one long workout session, break it up. Do 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there. Make exercise enjoyable and fit in with your lifestyle.
Stretch
Flexibility relieves muscle tension and improves posture. You can stretch anytime and anywhere.
Eat healthy
Healthy eating will also help you feel better. It will give you energy before and after a workout. Drinking lots of water and staying hydrated is essential.
Get sleep
It’s important to get good sleep. Exercising regularly will help you sleep and wake up more rested. After a long day at the office or the stress of a busy schedule, your body needs rest for its physical and mental well being.
Say goodbye to peer pressure
Make fitness about yourself and your own goals. Don’t be pressured to keep up with your friends. Everyone is different. If anything, your friends should encourage you to exercise and meet your goals.
Consider your mental well being
Exercise helps your mental well being. The sense of accomplishment you feel when you’re done working out will inspire you to keep going.
Work with a personal trainer
Personal trainers can be very beneficial to a successful workout. If you’re newer to the exercise scene, a personal trainer can provide guidance and support to help you get started. Another great reason to work with a personal trainer is if you’re returning to exercise after an injury. Personal trainers can work with you and make sure the exercises you’re doing are safe and individualized to help you get back to your normal workout routine.
Popular Fitness Apps
Here is a list of some of the best fitness apps in 2022:
- Sworkit- Best overall fitness app
- C25K- Best for fitness beginners
- Strava Running and Cycling- Best for running
- Tracker Gym Log- Best strength training app
- Pear- Best personal training app
- Foodility- Best meal-tracking app
- MyFitnessPal- Best calorie counter
- Fooducate- Best for nutrition
- Nourishly- Best for meal planning
- Happy Not Perfect- Best for stress relief
- Calm- Best for meditation
- SleepScore- Best for sleep
Regular exercise has its benefits. Yes, the pandemic has changed how we exercise but there are so many tools available to help us succeed. Just because you don’t like going to the gym, doesn’t mean there isn’t something out there for you. Figure out how to fit exercise in your schedule and enjoy doing it.