As we’ve been navigating through our professional and personal lives during the Covid-19 lockdown, some fitness enthusiasts have also been driving home an important point: the importance of health and fitness. Physical fitness is not just crucial for a healthy body but imperative for a healthy mind and emotional wellbeing. While there are go-getters who always make the most of the situation at hand, and more so during quarantine when the world is finding ways to stay motivated through social media, writing, reading, binge-watching and probably even working on one’s sleep cycle, an important aspect of good health once again. Even though laziness seems the new normal amidst others ‘newness’ that staying at home has brought, there’s no substitute to self-care and fitness in every way – physical, mental and emotional.
“All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.”
Physical exercise has obvious benefits for the body. But did you know that moving your body and breaking a sweat also improves your mood, alleviates depression and aids cognitive abilities? That rush of endorphin and dopamine when you finish a challenging yet satisfying workout are just what you need to stay mentally and emotionally fit.
Various Facebook groups namely Fittr, Fitness2Flash, Apurvaa Yoga, Yoddhas – Indians Fighting Against Cancer, Ketogenic Diet India and even several celebrity-run and institution-run pages are working towards a healthy community that goes above and beyond being connected virtually. These Facebook pages have found an increased audience as everyone, however fit they’ve been previously, have taken to working out together while practising social and physical distancing and keeping their motto of staying fit in mind.
“COVID-19 has upended the lives of billions of people around the world. As this global public health crisis advances and more people are physically separated from their communities, we hope connecting with people on Facebook, makes it easier for people to stay home, healthy and safe,” says Facebook spokesperson.
Benefits of working out at home:
Home workouts are a great substitute for your gym sessions. There are a number of different types of home workouts/exercises:
A) Using basic equipment such as Dumbbells, Resistance Bands/Tubes
B) Using everyday household items such as backpacks, water bottles, buckets and even brooms
It’s a good idea to start with basic bodyweight exercises and gradually add progressions and increase the intensity. This way, the difficulty levels are increased slowly which helps you break a sweat and strengthen your muscles while also avoiding injuries. You can add a mix of push-ups (regular and advanced), circuit training (a series of exercises in rapid succession with little or no breaks in between) and more.
Pro tips on core and upper body exercises :
1. Push-ups
This is the evergreen move to maintain upper body chest, shoulder and tricep endurance. Push ups also teach the body to work as one interconnected unit because the feet and hands push the body away from the ground together. This move is a favourite among swimmers to help complete long workouts. Also a favourite of boxers and most sportspersons.
Beginners – 2 sets x 10 reps
Intermediate – 2 x 10 reps with feet on a chair or bench
Advanced – 3 x 15 reps with feet on chair and hands on two chairs kept shoulder width apart.
2. Use free fitness apps
There are a number of free apps that feature a variety of workouts:
- Apps like Yoga for Beginners feature free 10 minute workouts that canboost energy and help flexibility and toning.
- The Daily Workouts app features a series of 10, 20, or 30 minute workouts targeted toward abs, arms, legs, or the full body.
- The Nike Training Club app features new daily workouts targeting lower body, upper body, core, etc., as well as a backlog of other workout videos. Workouts last from 15 to 45 minutes. While some of the oneson the app are typically only available to those paying the $14.99 per month premium membership fee, Nike recently made all videos free and available to everyone.
3. Take a walk
The health benefits of walking have long been documentedand include reducing the risk of heart disease, strengthening bones and muscles, and improving your mood, according to the Mayo Clinic. Walking just 30 minutes a daycan make a difference.
If you’re worried aboutleaving the house while social distancing, make sure you keep a six foot distance between yourself and others, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and consider wearing a mask.
4. Dance at a Zoom party
Dance is a a beneficial form of exercise, improving heart health and lowering anxiety, according to the University of California, Berkeley.
Looking for a way to keep dancing even during quarantine? Choreographer Ani Taj and fellow dancer Sunny Hitt, theater director Sam Pinkleton, and theater producer Jenny Gersten came up with Social DisDance, a “three times a week club that happens in everybody’s home,” Taj says.
Screenshot of Social Disdance party.Photo by Ani Taj
Social DisDance takes place for about an hour on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. EST, Fridays at 8 p.m. EST, and Sundays at 5 p.m. EST. Party-goers log into both a designated zoom conference and a designated DJ mix (created for each party), and dance “together” to the given mix.
Participation is free, though attendees are invited to donate to a cause highlighted during each event and to tip the DJs or Social DisDance team via Venmo for their work.
Stay focused and believe on continuity.
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