Maintaining your fitness at home
There’s never been a more important time to look after your health and wellbeing and keeping yourself active – even in isolation – is a big part of that.
If you’re wondering how you’re going to get your fitness fix while you’re confined to your home, fear not, there are plenty of ways to stay active.
Work out in your living room
There are a whole host of classes available to watch and download on your television or laptop. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing yoga class or a challenging cardio session, the options are endless. For an even more uplifting exercise experience, work out to a playlist of your favourite music.
The NHS has uploaded some ten-minute workout sessions for you to try
Fitness challenges
Why not take this opportunity to set yourself a fitness challenge you can complete at home? We’ve created an example workout challenge which could help you improve your fitness and strength by gradually increasing the intensity over a two-week period.
Download the example challenge hereWalking
Walking can have such a positive effect on your mood, health and wellbeing.
If you’ve got a pedometer (or a pedometer app on your phone) you could try setting yourself a target number of steps to complete while pottering around at home to help ensure you’re moving around as much as you should be.
Take more strolls around the garden, march on the spot while doing all your usual daily activities or use your stairs for exercise and see your step count soar.
Setting a target will also give you the incentive to move more, while helping to lift your mood, provide a sense of achievement and improve your mental and physical health at the same time.
Exergames
Video games that require you to move and physically interact are a great way of staying in shape and will also provide hours of fun. Whether you’re playing a virtual game of tennis, ten pin bowling or mastering your favourite dance routine, this method of exercise is a great way to pass the time and stay active at home.
Dancing
Dancing is the perfect way to release endorphins and give your body the work out it craves.
Improving balance and co-ordination, as well as relieving stress, dancing is an aerobic activity and, best of all, anyone can do it. Stick on your favourite music and let loose in your living room or learn a whole new dance discipline by finding a class you’d enjoy online.
Homemade gym
Why not use household items and furniture to create a makeshift home gym?
Circuit training provides the ultimate all-body workout and by combining exercises such as push-ups and jumping jacks with some homemade equipment, you can create a circuit that’s both challenging and fun.
Filled squash/milk bottles can make a great alternative to dumbbells, bags of sand or sugar can be used to create kettlebells and you can also use your bottom stair for step-ups.
Please do check in with your healthcare team before undertaking any kind of new exercise regime.
