Get fit in the great outdoors – even if it is just in your garden
There are plenty of ‘quarantraining’ exercises you can do in any green space, says
It’s been the shred of light lifting us out of lockdown gloom: spring is finally upon us and, with the garden now among the most distant climes we’re allowed in, being outside has become a saviour like never before.
If you have outdoor space, recasting a corner into a makeshift workout emporium functions both as a permanent reminder to keep active, and means of soaking up the mood-boosting benefits of being in fresh air.
Even without a green patch of your own, there are still ways to get fit beyond four walls while observing lockdown measures...
Get gaming
Becoming your children’s PE teacher – especially when juggling a day job, and the small matter of the rest of their education – is likely not the career path you had in mind. But use their need to burn off energy as an excuse for you to do so, too – and add a little competition to the mix as an incentive, such as seeing who can do the most jumping jacks or press-ups, or racing between garden posts.
Since last Monday, mountaineer Ricky Munday, 43, his fiancée and her six-year-old son have embarked on a burpee challenge at their home in Wrexham every morning – 50 repetitions, increasing by 10 each day, followed by a 4pm bleep test (a 20m shuttle run that gets progressively faster).
“The two adults are exercising properly and the young one joins in for fun,” Munday explains.
Run together – apart
Running is the easiest way for those minus outdoor space to get a cardio boost in. If motivation feels minimal, Zoom run clubs may be the answer. Darren Fox, founder of Fuse Fitness, launched his first virtual group run on Saturday in response to his clients wanting a way to connect with others and work out in one. Over the course of 45 minutes – while “keeping to the rules of social spacing” – participants could sprint or jog together apart, spliced with instructions from Fox such as to “stop and do 10 squats, then carry on running,” he says. “Everyone’s going at their own pace, so where you get to is where you get to.”
Kit up
Dust off those dumbbells gathering dust in the garage – as online deliveries boom, getting your hands on new kit may prove tricky. For more discreet workout fare, skipping ropes, kettlebells and weighted hula hoops can be used either alone or combined as part of a circuit.
If equipment is in short supply, Smith suggests getting resourceful: bottles filled with water, pots of paint and compost bags make reasonable tools for “quarantraining”, as do the tins you likely have a fair few of at the moment.
It’s not all about gear, though. Body weight routines can be just as effective, and Tabata – 20 seconds of movement, with a 10-second rest – is a good way to maximise the intensity of a workout in a tight time frame. Decide what your exercises will be – squats, plank, bicycle crunches and short sprints, for example – and work in the 20-second window as rigorously as possible for around 15 minutes, or as long as you want your routine to last. Perfect in a garden and, provided you keep your distance, doable in the park, too.
Stretch under the sun
“There’s generally more space in a garden [than a studio], so it’s a great time to challenge your balance in standing postures like Warrior 3,” says Boudicca Fox-leonard, a Telegraph writer and yoga instructor.
“From a high lunge, lift your back foot up and tilt the body until your back leg and torso are parallel to the ground. Supporting leg is straight. Spread the arms out wide like you’re a flying bird.” To finish, lie back down on the ground, legs lengthened, and enjoy the view above.
Watch and learn
Most gyms have switched to online classes “to help people stay physically fit from the confines of their home or garden,” says Mila Lazar (@milalazar), an instructor at Another Space fitness studio, who has been streaming sessions on social media. Subscription apps such as Fiit and Peloton feature a range of options – from meditation to HIIT – to get stuck into if you’re unsure where to look first.