Staying Active During the COVID-19 Crisis
Self isolating during the COVID-19 crisis isn’t fun, but you can use this time to jumpstart your fitness routine
In my first article, I had mentioned that I would be covering 3 categories: technology, design and fitness. Given the current state of affairs with the COVID-19 spread, I thought I could share what I have been doing to keep myself active both physically and mentally while I am self-isolating.
Personally, the following routine has kept me feeling energised throughout the day and allows me to focus on work better. It requires no equipment so you just need a little space and some discipline and it can do wonders for you.
Morning:
As part of my morning routine, I try to focus on my mental health and then do a quick routine to get myself physically engaged.
- Mindfulness meditation: Staying at home makes it harder for me to compartmentalize work and leisure. There are days when I am working way past the time I planned to be done by and it then slowly creeps into my personal time. I realized my compartmentalization was based on my location, which I assume would be the case with most of you.
To fix that problem, I turned to using intention setting during my morning meditations. I stick to around 10–15 minute sessions on Insight Timer and use the last few minutes to set my intention for the day along with how long do I expect to spend on a task. This has helped me to maintain self-discipline as I accomplish different tasks throughout the day. - Stretching or Burpees: Depending on my workout schedule the day before and how well I have recovered, I end up doing 10 minutes of stretching or burpees in the morning. If your muscles are feeling sore or tight, it is preferable to stick with a full-body stretch. However, if you are planning to work on strength then 10 minutes of burpees can do wonders when it comes to getting rid of morning grogginess.
Evening:
This is by far my the most effective part of the workout routine. On alternate days, I try to do the Body Combat workout by Les Mills. It is a full-body, martial arts based workout that focuses on core, agility and endurance. It allows you to burn close to 550–700 calories in a 45-minute workout.
I usually just put on this video on and follow it. Requires no equipment. Just an exercise mat and a towel is enough. It is definitely going to get very sweaty!
The video below is the one I follow:
The other video below is better suited for beginners. 3 different instructors do the same workout with different intensities so if you can always start with the low intensity one and incorporate the advanced moves as you get familiar with the workout.
Trust me! Doing this workout 3 times a week for a few weeks will bring out great results in terms of how you feel. Below is a screenshot of a recent workout I did and felt really good after that.
Note: I would refrain from this workout if you have back problems as the kicks can take quite a toll on your back if you are not bracing your abdominal muscles while performing it. So be careful!
Night:
I usually try to keep it simple it night. I start off with journaling my thoughts and how I felt throughout the day. I follow it up with another 5 minute meditation to check in with myself.
It is crucial to look after your mental and physical well-being in this period so I would highly recommend committing to some sort of a workout routine. I hope my routine helps you stay active in this time! Please feel free to ask me any questions or share your self-isolation routines.
Happy WFHing and stay safe!
