Staying Fit at Home
Posted on April 30, 2020
Thank you to Sam Norton for this article and demonstration video about staying fit at home.
During these unusual times of isolation it’s important for your mental and physical wellbeing to be doing some physical exercise. Considering that you would normally have a couple of PE lessons a week, coupled with playing a school or club sport and physical movement with your friends every recess and lunchtime, you can quickly see the effect that the current restrictions are having on your health. Regular exercise not only maintains muscle tone, healthy weight, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance, it also releases endorphins, giving you the “runners high” that makes you feel happy and upbeat. Exercise can give you a more positive outlook on your day, make you more productive and give you a sense of accomplishment. Choose something that you enjoy, something that’s appropriately challenging and something that’s sustainable. Below are a few suggestions that can help you maintain a physical fitness regimen:
Do something every day: It doesn’t have to be super hard and it doesn’t have to be the same thing every day.
Try a range of different activities: You could mix up cardiovascular activities like walking, running or cycling with some resistance or body weight exercises on alternating days.
Establish a routine: You may benefit from working out at the same time each day. After a few days of doing this, fitting in a workout just feels normal.
Do something before school: Even a 10 minute workout at 7 a.m., for example, you can wake you up, oxygenate your brain and get you ready for your first lesson of the day.
Include your friends: Work out at home with your brothers and sisters. Establish an online chat to challenge your friends. Download a workout tracking app like Strava so you can check up on each other. When you talk to people it keeps you accountable and motivated.
Join Friends’ School Fitness on Strava: Get the Strava app for your phone or smartwatch and share workouts with your friends from school.
Don’t go overboard!: A good workout should challenge you but still leave you wanting more. It’s no good going flat out on Monday if you can’t walk on Tuesday. Leave a bit in the tank at first. You can gradually build up the intensity and volume later.
Keep working out, keep a smile on your face and enjoy the rewards that being fit and healthy can bring. Your PE teachers are looking forward to seeing you back at school, as fit as ever and hearing about your creative workouts when face-to-face learning resumes.
