The coronavirus is affecting every aspect of life, from work to play to exercise and fun. While going outside to exercise is one of the few things allowed at the moment, not everyone likes walking down empty streets or trying to avoid people while jogging. Gyms are off-limits, team sports are cancelled, and even beaches are a no-go area in many suburbs. While you should try to exercise outdoors while you can, it's also important to step outside your comfort zone and keep fit at home.
While life is undeniably strange at the moment, it's important to have a routine wherever possible. Whether you're travelling to work or working from home, following a routine is even more crucial during these novel times. If you want to stay fit, you should think ahead and plan how you're going to get a decent amount of physical activity. While you don't need to move or stretch like crazy every single day, creating a routine at the start of the week will help you to avoid procrastination and laziness.
There's a lot of activities you can do at home, with every type of fitness well and truly covered. Whether you're interested in cardio, flexibility, or strength, there really is no excuse not to exercise. While cardio routines are the hardest to perform in a limited space, high intensity interval training (HIIT), skipping rope, and even jogging in place require very little room. If you have a second storey, you could try walking or running the stairs for a good workout. Dancing also provides a great cardio workout, and it's also a lot of fun.
Flexibility and stability routines are even easier to perform at home, especially if you have some experience or access to YouTube. Yoga is the ideal exercise to do at home, as all you need is a comfortable space and a routine to follow. You don't even need experience to get started, after all, yoga is really just a combination of stretching, breathing, and mindfulness. Other flexibility routines you can perform at home include pilates, barre, and even dancing around your lounge room.
While gyms are closed for the foreseeable future, strength training can also be performed at home. Body weight exercises offer tremendous benefits and require no equipment whatsoever. Push-ups are the perfect do-anywhere exercise, sit-ups and squats are easy, and pull-ups will test your real strength from the comfort of your garage or patio. If you like to move while you flex, clear some space and get started with walking lunges or jumping jacks. If you would still like to move some weight, basic dumbbell, barbell, and kettlebell sets are perfect for home training.
Keeping fit at home is more than possible, but routine is key to avoid bad habits and laziness. Domestic boredom is already a big issue thanks to the coronavirus, so remember to mix things up by creating a weekly routine. Combine outdoor walking, jogging, and cycling with indoor fitness routines. Alternate cardio, flexibility, and strength routines. And incorporate fitness into your everyday life to avoid procrastination and make your workouts more fun.
