We are all missing an open dojo at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that it should stop you being active at home!
More and more of us are spending time at home and thinking about other ways of being active.
Official advice recommends against non-essential contact and all unnecessary travel – including working from home if you can – which means our routines are going to be changing.
But staying active is more important than ever right now, and even if you’re mostly in your house at the moment, there are plenty of ways you can still do so.
To help, we’ve compiled into one place some of the most handy exercise ideas that are out there for keeping active in and around your home.
And if you’ve found a great way to keep active online, use the hashtag #StayInWorkOut on social media to share it with others.
Remember to check government advice if you think you have any symptoms linked to coronavirus.
Getting outside
Walking
You can absolutely still go outside, for a walk, a run or a cycle – or for many of the other ways you normally get active outside. Make sure that you familiarise yourselves with the latest official advice on social distancing and on general hygiene first and stick to that, but you definitely don’t need to stay stuck indoors if you are well enough.
At this time many community, club, and leisure facilities do remain open. If you’re using these facilities, remember again to understand the advice on social distancing and ask your facility what they are doing to help members and users with this.
Walking is one of the easiest ways to get active, if you have some space or you’re able to leave your house, of course.
Find out a bit more about its benefits and take a look at some other useful resources at https://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/activities/walking/
Couch to 5k
Couch to 5k is a nine-week programme of podcasts that does exactly what it says on the tin – taking you from the couch to running 5kms.
Consisting of three runs a week, the programme gradually builds up intensity and gives you a choice of coaches – from the NHS’s Laura, to multiple Olympic champion Michael Johnson.
For more information about the Couch to 5k Challenge, visit https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/
National Trust
The National Trust is, where possible, keeping as many of its gardens and parklands open, free of change, alongside coast and countryside.
Click the button below to search National Trust locations, and ensure you follow the government’s social distancing guidance.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/search?view=map
Exercising At Home
This Girl Can has put together a useful list of exercises to try at home, from table top press ups to living room wall sits – and they’re great for women and men alike.
Click here to read about more ways to exercise at home
Online Home Workouts
If you can’t go to the gym, or perhaps don’t want to, you can bring the gym into your own home.
There are a number of websites with online home workouts that you can watch and do whenever you want, some for free or with a free trial. For example,
- Fitness Blender has over 500 free workout videos
- Les Mills has a 14-day free trial that gives you access to over 800 online workouts
Other gym-free workouts
From sofa workouts to cardio jumps, the NHS has put together illustrated guides showing some other equipment-free workouts, many of which you can do at home.
Click here for gym-free workouts
Only got a few minutes? The NHS’ 10-minute workout ideas are perfect if you’ve only got a bit of spare time when you’re at home.
Click here for 10-minute workouts
With the kids
These Disney dance-alongs are a perfect, and fun, way to get active with the kids. One of the dance-alongs, which This Girl Can has made in partnership with Disney, is below, but you can get moving to all of them by clicking the button below.
