Thursday, December 12

Step 1,2,3 Exercise advise for Isolation

Recently I carried out an Instagram poll asking if you found it harder or easier to workout since being in isolation. Many of you said you find it harder. So let’s embrace this challenge together and see if we can take some simply 1,2,3 steps to help. This is for beginners, intermediate and advanced exercisers.

Whether it’s the lack of availability of a gym, a busier family life or simply the change of routine has disrupted a habit or motivation, we can all adjust.

YOUR HEALTH IS SO IMPORTANT. The condition of our mental and emotional health and our spiritual alertness can also be connected to our physical health.

Try this video, straight from my home to yours, on how to step up our physical condition. We will look at some simple steps and so very helpful apps, requiring little or no equipment which enable you to engage at any level.

Some tips from my workout space to yours

I have some apps that will help you. I have tried to categorise these according to the challenge level.

Before I get into that, the first things to set you going are:

Get dressed. Change into some exercise clothing, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy – an old t-shirt, flexible shorts and some gym shoes or something equivalent. Once you are dressed you are more likely to feel in the mood.

Find your time slot. Try before breakfast, just before lunch, just before dinner or an hour or 2 after dinner. Which one do you enjoy most? Fix that spot in your day.

Don’t be overly ambitious to start with. The target for good heart health is 25 minutes of vigorous exercise/week. This can even include heavy gardening, or an intense session of housework! If you have never worked out before just start by getting dressed, finding your time slot and going for a walk for a few minutes. Build up from there. For more intense enthusiasts, don’t try getting straight back to your previous routine, build to it.

BEGINNER LEVEL WORKOUTS

Try the Seven minute workout app. There are a few different ones, the one I have used is below. If you are a beginner this simple 7 minute routine will stretch you and you need no equipment.

If you fancy a bit of running there are multiple ‘couch to 5k’ apps out there. The one below is accessible in the UK provided by One You Merton. My sister is currently using this one. It will build you up slowly from nothing to 5k over 9 weeks. A fun way to try this.

Icon seven

INTERMEDIARY LEVEL WORKOUTS

If you are at an Intermediary level I would also recommend the Seven minute workout app above, just to kick start yourself back into a routine. Get yourself to the fitness level where you can do 3 reps, this will be your 25 minute workout for the day.

You Intermediate guys will already have an understanding of what will work for you, you just need to figure a routine you don’t need a gym for. There are plenty of YouTube routines you can follow that will make this fun to do.

The app I have used most is the Skimble workout app. This has alot of routines for every level. From just a few minutes intense on one part of the body, to a much longer full body workout or crossfit session. Or stitch together your own from short segments.

Workout Trainer

ADVANCED LEVEL WORKOUTS

If you are at an advanced level you already are an expert at knowing what works for you. It’s simply a matter of figuring out how to do what it is you need for the challenge, but without the aid of a gym or instructor.

There maybe a park near you with some equipment in that you can use. Try googling it. Again YouTube is, as always, a pretty good help.

The app I have enjoyed using to really stretch my abilities using only body weight and little equipment is HeriaPro. Chris Heria will take you through some easy to access but very challenging routines! Let me know how you get on with the handstand push-ups!! This guy has some insane workouts on YouTube also (excuse the unnecessary shirtlessness!)

Heria Pro Logo

Finally if you are really struggling to form the routine you want find an accountability partner – either one who works out with you (still regarding social distancing) or at least someone who will hold you to the routine you have chosen. Setting some goals will increase your likelihood of fulfilling your desire, as long as those goals are realistic!

If you are a runner or cycler and what the fun of an online community of runners and cyclers try the Strava app – look me up on it!

Cycling and Running Strava Mobile App

SET TO IT! Let me know how you get on – leave a comment, or DM me on Instagram or Facebook.