The Art of exercise while self-isolating
Whether you’re selfisolating or practicing social distancing, The Bachelorette NZ host Art Green says it’s still important to schedule in time for a workout.
The former personal trainer and self-confessed advocate for health and fitness believes a workout in the comfort of your home is good for your body and your mind.
‘‘I think movement and activity is one of the main ways people can help to keep their mental health in good stead,’’ he says.
‘‘If people are self-isolating, now is a good opportunity to factor exercise into their days and focus a little more on their health.’’
With the coronavirus numbers continuing to rise, working out from home might become the new normal. Gyms are widely acknowledged to be a place where germs are easily spread and, if you’re a member of one, you may have already noticed it has upped its hygiene levels by constant sanitising of the equipment.
Late last week, the Les Mills chain sent an email giving members access to its online portal so members have the option of doing their favourite group fitness workouts from home.
If you are planning a workout from home, Green says find a routine that uses your own body weight – squats, lunges and crunches on repeat which don’t require any expensive equipment. Green’s go-to is called The Scientific Seven Minute Workout, which he recommends doing 2 to 3 times a week.
‘‘It’s as close to a full body workout you can get with just using your body weight’’’ he says. ‘‘The workout is 12 exercises and you do 30 seconds on each exercise, followed by a 10-second rest.’’
The routine, which now has many variations online, first appeared in American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal in 2013 and, like its name suggests, takes only seven minutes to complete.
The exercises include: jumping jacks; wall sits; pushups; abdominal crunches; stepups onto a chair; squats; tricep dips on chair; planking; kneehighs running in place; lunges; push-up rotations; and side planking.
To ramp up your workout, Green suggests doing three rounds of exercises, with a small, one-minute break. Alternatively, substituting burpees for jumping jacks, squat jumps for squats and lunge jumps for lunges will give you more of a challenge. And contrary to what many people think, you don’t need a whole lot of space at home to work out.
‘‘You need 2 square metres,’’ says Green. ‘‘I think most people could find room in their lounge, even if they need to push the couch aside. You can even use your couch for tricep dips as part of the exercises.’’
Green believes we should all be moving and doing something active every day, regardless of whether you’re in self-isolation. But he acknowledges, even when you have a good plan, it can be hard to activate.
‘‘I struggle with motivation as well,’’ he says. ‘‘But I always think I never regret doing a workout afterwards.’’