Stay active, and fit, even if your gym is closed.
Your gym may be closed, but there’s no excuse not to keep up with your routine
Gym closed? I hear ya. Gyms bring people in close proximity to each other and have plenty of touchable surfaces, which isn’t compatible with the latest public health measures designed to reduce exposure to COVID-19. So even if your gym hasn’t closed down, you might want to consider giving it a pass for the next few weeks.
That doesn’t mean you have to stop exercising. Working up a sweat starts a cascade of cellular and molecular changes that improve immune function, mood and overall health. Never has the expression “exercise is medicine” been more fitting than right now when Canadians are trying to stay healthy. Fortunately, there are plenty of exercise options that respect the need for social distancing, be it a home workout or one that can be done in the great outdoors. The goal is keeping the workout simple, effective, efficient and regular. To get the most out of your exercise routine, try alternating between 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise one day and 20 minutes of more vigorous exercise the next day. You don’t need fancy equipment or specialized gear, just a willingness to work up a sweat instead of hunkering down on the couch with the remote in hand.
To help you make the transition from fitness club to home-based workouts, here are some resources that can turn your living room into an exercise studio:
FIND AN APP-ETITE FOR VARIETY
Your mobile device has the potential to deliver excellent home workouts featuring some of the world’s best trainers. And with the help of screen mirroring, you can project workouts from your phone, tablet or computer to your TV screen.
Some of the more popular apps have shown incredible community spirit and extended their free trial period for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. There are also plenty of free apps that deliver a great home exercise experience. Many of the workouts don’t require any equipment. And for those that do, get creative and use stuff you have around the house or order dumbbells or kettlebells from an online retailer who delivers.
Here are some apps to try out at home:
DOWN DOG
The Down Dog team has expanded beyond its initial yoga app to include other exercise options — HIIT, Barre and a 7-Minute Workout. All workouts are customizable (length, intensity, focus; upper body, lower body, core), easy to follow and the production clean and simple. Access is normally limited to a paid membership, but all apps managed by the Down Dog team are free until April 1. Children and teachers have a free subscription until July 1. For more info on this special promotion visit www.downdogapp.com
PELOTON
Peloton has a series of apps that don’t require their popular stationary bike. It too has extended their free trial for 90 days. All the workouts, yoga, strength training, meditation, cycling and running, feature topnotch instruction and music.
NIKE TRAINING CLUB
All free all the time, there’s no shortage of workout options including core strength, speed work, restorative yoga and full-body workouts. Choose the workout length and intensity of your choice and get moving.
7M WORKOUT
Despite the title, this free app offers interval workouts from seven to 24 minutes. Simple but clear visuals set you up for success.
SWORKIT (FREE FOR KIDS, 7-DAY FREE TRIAL FOR ADULTS)
This is a pricey option for adults, but the kid workouts are free. And while kids are probably better served running around outdoors, there’s no harm in giving some of their 15-minute workouts a try — just be prepared to exercise alongside your kids.
GET SOCIAL … FROM A DISTANCE
Several fitness clubs are engaging their displaced members by offering free workouts through IG TV (Instagram) or Facebook Live. If you don’t already, follow your club’s social feeds to see what’s available. Some clubs are opting to put up a paywall to help compensate staff who aren’t working due to the shutdowns — so if you can afford to pay, your contribution would be much appreciated.
There are also several trainers who feature regular Instagram workouts. You might have to engage in a fair amount of trial and error before finding a trainer you like, and the workouts are usually short and sweet, but there is no shortage of quality trainers offering their expertise for free. Here are some suggestions: @getfitwithgiddy,
@kaisafit, @charleeatkins, @beverlycheng, @bjgaddour.
YOUTUBE
There’s an abundance of fitness videos on Youtube. Be careful however, once you go down this rabbit hole, it could be hours before you come up for air. Here are a few options to try: Fitness Blender, Sweaty Betty, Make Your Body Work
TAKE
IT OUTDOORS
Beyond the opportunity to walk, run and cycle, moving your workout outdoors has the advantage of fresh air and sunshine, which also offer their share of health and wellness benefits.
If you want to add some challenge to your walking, running or cycling workout, map out a route and repeat it every other day, trying to beat your time from the day before. Or consider trying some intervals. Warm up at an easy pace for five minutes and then alternate between one minute fast and two minutes easy, repeating the fast/easy intervals 10 times. You can also try out some of the more popular apps like Strava, Map my Run, Nike Run Club or Runtastic, all of which map your route, distance, speed and calories burned in real time.