With the global outbreak of coronavirus, experts advise that we stay home and apart from other people as much as possible to prevent the transmission of this highly contagious illness in our communities. If you’re someone who thrives on working up a serious sweat in group fitness classes or intense, up-close-and-personal sessions with a physical trainer, you may notice your physical fitness routine has dropped off somewhat during these days in self-isolation. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. Here are some ways to stay healthy without leaving the house.
1. Make DIY Dumbbells
Have you found yourself missing the free weights available at the gym? Gallon jugs with screw tops can be an excellent training tool to replace standard hand weights. When filled to the top, these containers can weigh approximately eight and a half pounds. If that feels too heavy for you, pour some of the water out until it reaches a weight that allows you to train safely. Grab a pair of gallon jugs, secure the lids tightly, then use them for exercises such as back rows, lunges, curls and squats.
2. Put Your Bodyweight to Work for You
If the idea of making DIY weights doesn’t appeal to you, get creative with at-home bodyweight exercises that require no equipment at all. Planks, push-ups, lunges, squats and presses are all examples of activities you can do that rely on your weight for resistance.
3. Add Workout Moves to Your Household Chores
Being home nearly all the time probably means you’ve found yourself doing more housework than usual. While cleaning the house can count toward your daily calorie burn, you can make it into a workout circuit with a little creativity. Next time you’re about to clean, put on some up-tempo music and intersperse brief bursts of activities like squats, triceps dips or sit-ups between tasks such as sweeping and mopping. It will take you longer to get your chores done, but you’ll have a greater sense of accomplishment at the end.
4. Try “Exercise Snacking”
If you know you need to stay active, but you can never seem to find the time for the expert-recommended 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each day, a technique called “exercise snacking” is one way to sneak more fitness into your schedule. The idea is to incorporate short bursts of exercise into your daily routine. One way to do this is to set a timer that goes off every hour to remind you to get up and move around for five minutes at a time. This approach keeps you from being too sedentary, and it also helps break up your day.
Don’t Neglect Your Physical Fitness During COVID-19
There’s a close link between your mental health and your physical health. You’ve probably noticed this if you’ve ever finished a tough workout and felt a rush of endorphins. Exercise is an excellent coping mechanism and form of self-care for many reasons. With these techniques, you can stay healthy without leaving the house and be more productive during self-quarantine.
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