Staying healthy and fit has become an ever increasing concern for people worldwide as gyms and studios are shutting down due to the pandemic. Medics have thoroughly explained ways to stay healthy including social distancing, self quaratninging, washing hands, avoiding face touching, sanitizing surfaces and of course keeping your immune system strong during this time by sleeping the right amount of hours, eating the right foods and exercising plenty. While staying healthy is a main concern, it is something you have less control over which is why you should focus on what you have full control over, staying fit.
Staying fit while not having access to your usual indoor facilities might seem challenging but now can be the time to branch out and try something new or bring back old hobbies. Medstar Health recommends the following tips for safely exercising during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Exercise outdoors
As long as you are responsible, taking your exercise outside is beneficial. While practicing the proper self distancing some new hobbies to try could be hiking, biking and running. Use this time to visit a trail you have had on your bucket list or take a run down the prettiest street in your neighborhood. One of my favorite websites for hikes on Oahu is: http://www.oahuhike.com/
2. Home based fitness
This is the best time to become the fittest you can be! Following the pandemic many gyms and studios have made access to their classes free and easily accessible. Arianne Cohen of the fast company shares some of the many free classes:
Core Power Yoga. Sixteen hour-long yoga classes, plus four meditations, on its website.
Echelon and Peloton. Both apps offer a wide variety of live and on-demand classes (yoga, dance, core, Pilates) in addition to the in-home Spin classes they’re known for. Both apps are free for 90 days.
Barre3 and The Bar Method. The ballet-meets-yoga-meets-Pilates classes are free for 15 days.
Daily Burn and Gold’s Gym. Miss gym classes? Try a 60-day free trial of the Daily Burn’s sleek at-home classes, with a variety of specialties such as postnatal. Or hit the 600 audio and video classes on the Gold’s Amp app, which is free until May 31.
Planet Fitness. Planet Fitness has a free daily class at 7 p.m. ET on its Facebook Live page.
3. Home exercise using your own body weight
Worried you can't keep up because you don't have the proper equipment? Don't worry there is still a large variety of workouts on youtube using your own body weight.