
Gyms are closed, fitness studios are out of commission, it seems almost all familiar exercise options have dropped out of our lives, for the time being at least. Most of us are working from home and keeping isolated. In this situation however, we have an even greater duty to our health to keep active and stay fit! The good news is that there are still plenty of ways to keep your body moving in ways we’re not used to, but that’s not a bad thing at all, learning something new. We should be excited to explore new fitness options, as there are so many available to us. Curious? You should be! Read on for Lockdown Exercises: 5 of the Best to do While Self-Isolating!
1. Running
Running is something of course that many are familiar with. It one of the easiest ways to get a workout in, but it needs a certain amount of caution, as injuries are very common, especially if running technique is poor. If you haven’t run for a while, start small with short distances and at a slow pace. You can then gradually start building up your distances and pace, but don’t rush it.
Remember, that we are recommended out once a day to engage in a form of exercise, so if you would rather use that for a walk, then do a different workout for your main session when you get back home.
2. Tune into IGTV Workouts
So many gyms and personal trainers are running workout sessions on Instagram live or on webinars. These lockdown exercises are absolutely great when you need that extra push from a group, and will also make you accountable, as they are run at scheduled times.
The workouts vary in type and length: HIIT, Toning, Yoga, Pilates, Barre, Kickboxing, and last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. There are so many to choose from, and they are all free to access! Have a look on Instagram for workouts from some of your favourite fitness brands, like SoulCycle, Psycle London, PureGym and a myriad of others.
3. Use Ready Workouts
Ready workouts are awesome, if you can’t make an Instagram Live class time, or just like working out on your own. You can find these on gym and sports brands’ mobile apps (Nike Training, Gymshark etc), saved in Instagram stories or on websites.
Many fitness coaches and trainers post some amazing workouts, often with videos too. There are no-equipment workouts, one-kettlebell and dumbbell workouts – one for any equipment set up. Make sure that you are doing exercises correctly to ensure you don’t get injured. If you’re unsure, message a personal trainer (or us if you want!) and simply ask.
4. Dancing in Your Living Room (perhaps not on the ceiling!)
Dancing can help you release your emotions and feel lighter. So, turn on your favourite song and do some improvising to the beat or follow a Zumba workout! Go for some up-beat songs, so that your movement is more intense. Dancing is a great way to get innovative with your lockdown exercises and involve your family members too. As a bonus, listening to music releases happiness hormones: serotonin, epinephrine and dopamine, which means you will finish your workout much happier than when you started it!
5. Do Some Housework: Gardening / Cleaning
Housework and gardening are also great ways to get some low to medium intensity lockdown exercises in.
Gardening can actually be quite physically demanding (as well as therapeutic), if you do it for extended periods of time. Sometimes, something lighter, just not as intense as HIIT, but something that can distract your mind is just what’s needed. We don’t have to do intense sessions every day, we just need to ensure that we keep movement in our daily routines in some form for at least 30 minutes.
Movement is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. With all the limitations of the coronavirus lockdown at the moment, it’s harder than ever to stay active, but as the old proverb says: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. Also there’s something about scarcity that gives you your survival instinct ‘bite’ back.