Step it up, get your heart racing
We’re all sitting a lot more than usual, as we wait for things to return to normal. That restlessness you’re feeling, part of it is the body’s natural urge to get off its haunches. Even if you don’t exercise, a normal day involves commutes, grocery shopping, stairs. For those who do work out, there are now no gyms, tennis courts or swimming pools. Fortunately, it’s really not hard to get a workout in at home, even if you have no equipment, and not very much space.
SWEAT IT OUT
If you’re the type who likes to get your heart pumping, put on running shoes, turn on some music and jog on the spot. “You can follow that up with some stretches and high-knee jumps,” says Hitesh Chhabria, assistant technical training head at Gold’s Gym India. It’s also a great time to turn on aerobics or Pilates videos on YouTube and give a new workout a shot.
FAMILY SESSIONS
Tension building? Loved ones getting on your nerves? There are few things that break the tension like a dance party, and that’s essentially what zumba — or any easy aerobic workout done to music — is. So turn on the tunes, and get going.
SLOW IT DOWN
Lots of time and less to do – these are the perfect conditions to step into the healing practice of yoga. All you need is the space taken up by a yoga mat, and the span of both arms stretched out on either side. “I’ve been using this time to get deeper into my practice of yoga and haven’t taken a break the whole of last week,” says Dolly Singh, 37, a content creator. “Even if you don’t have a mat, put two towels together to help keep you from slipping. That’s really all you need.” Free YouTube videos abound. Just don’t overdo it; don’t be ambitious; and stop the second something starts to hurt.
CHORES TO WORK THE CORE
Unless you have live-in help, the chores are on you now.
The good news is, scrubbing, dusting and mopping can be good workouts for the shoulders, arms and back. Focus. Breathe. Stretch those arms, and don’t be afraid to put your back into it.
“A combination of housework, cooking and running around behind my six-year-old have me on my feet for most of the day,” says Shruti Rao, 30, a homemaker from Bengaluru.
“To add to that, I do some floor and core exercises along with basic training using dumbbells. In order to give my body continuous exercise, and boost my immunity, I’m going to continue my workout at home until it’s safe to go to the gym again.”
Pro tip 1: Squat to work those thigh muscles; don’t bend.
Pro tip 2: Cooking has quite a few bits of free time built into it. Use them to do countertop exercises or gentle stretches; if nothing else, just bend and touch your toes.
Whatever you do, get off those haunches. As they say, sitting is the new smoking.