We’ve been in lockdown for nearly 4 weeks now, so understandably some of us may be feeling a little cooped up. Staying active, even for 30 mins a day or less, will give big benefits to our fitness, and overall health and wellbeing. At a time when so much is happening that we can’t control, putting things in place for yourself that you can rely on become even more important. Here are our top tips for staying active while staying put. All of these activities can be done in very small spaces, and with a minimum amount of equipment, so give them a go!
What you’ll need:
- A yoga mat. If you don’t have one, a towel will do the trick as well.
- Make-do weights. Use books, water bottles – anything you can get your hands on.
- Resistance bands. If you don’t have anything to hand, you can do these moves perfectly well without them.
- Plenty of water. This one’s crucial. Hydration is key so make sure you have plenty of water to hand.
Now to get you started – here’s some inspiration to get you moving, right in your living room:
Exercise regularly
Put in a schedule in place for yourself to exercise regularly throughout the week. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a session though; there is a lot happening right now that’s hard to keep up with. As long as you put in an effort to exercise as much as you can, you’ll still get massive benefits.
Reach out to your wellness community
Link up with your friends and family via Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp or Facetime, so you can work out together, if you’re home alone. You’ll be much more motivated to stick with something if you’re doing it together.
Try something new
Have you always been a runner, or a cyclist? While you can still strap on your trainers and keep doing just that, consider using this time to do lots of core strengthening exercises / yoga to increase your flexibility and avoid injuries.
Find something for you
There is so much out there for you to try, from Yin Yoga (which is very slow-paced and very restorative), to very intensive HIIT classes that include lots of high-intensity exercises that can be performed on the spot.
Look at what suits you – and just start, somewhere
Don’t feel bad if you’re not performing like a fully-fledged athlete right off the bat. Fitness has to be built up. There are amazing services out there that will help you, and that are hosting online sessions delivered by local providers. Try MoveGB, FIIT or Freeletics. Make sure you share your experiences too, so people can find out more about them that way too.
Be patient and kind to yourself
Don’t try and do too much, all at once, especially if you’re new to regular exercise. Take it slow, especially at the start of your new exercise programme, and build up very slowly. There are lots of modifications that you can do to make exercises more accessible for you. As always, if you have any underlying health conditions that prevent you from exercising or aren’t feeling well – give high intensity exercise a rest for a while!
We’d like to pull together exercise activities for you to keep you moving – what would you like to see? Tell us what would help you staying active while staying put.
