March 2020
By: Sangeeta Benbow
Adult Fitness and Wellness Program Director
We know our members are dedicated to their exercise! While The Connection is closed, we have options to help you stay fit and healthy with short videos by our staff and general information on our website, Facebook page, and blog. And of course, there are thousands of workouts online through YouTube and Netflix including meditation music and guided relaxation practices.
Besides the physical health benefits, it’s also good for our mental health to stay active. It’s important to take standard precautions to protect yourself from COVID-19, but there’s a lot you can do at home that requires no equipment.
Focus on the basics such as
Ideas on how to keep happy and healthy while at home.
- Planks
- Push-ups (on the knees or against a wall is fine)
- Squats
- Lunges
- Leg lifts,
- Crunches
- Bicycles
- Burpees (or jogging/marching in place)
Combine these exercises for a simple workout that will build strength and get your heart rate up. One way to build a workout is to do 4 rounds of 5 exercises (include some strength and cardio in each block) for 45 seconds of work, followed by 15 seconds of rest. Choose exercises that target different areas of your body and you’ll have a full-body workout in 20 minutes.
Keep Moving. When the weather allows, and while practicing “social distancing” take a walk or ride your bike in your area! Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and good sneakers, and stay on safe roads/trails. If you have a dog, they will love the extra walks. It may be easy to sit for extended periods when you’re forced to stay home. Every 20 minutes, get up and walk around for a few minutes. If you’re on the computer, take your eyes off the screen periodically. Stay mentally active too. Hobbies, puzzles, reading, talking to friends or anything to keep your mind busy will keep you from getting bored.
Stay Connected. Even if we can’t physically be with our friends or extended family right now, talk on the phone or via Skype or Facetime. Now it is especially important to stay connected by other means!
Ask for help! Many towns are offering seniors or homebound people assistance with shopping or getting medication.
For people looking for specific guidance during their home exercise, there are plenty of tutorials available online, whether on YouTube, Netflix or other portals. One example is the online yoga platform EkhartYoga, which is offering free gentle yoga and meditation classes online to people during the outbreak to help counteract the escalation of stress and anxiety that comes with it. “We can only begin to imagine the stress of being in isolation,” says yoga teacher and platform owner, Esther Ekhart. “While, thankfully, the majority of us aren’t in physical danger, we can’t fail to escape the news, which in itself can cause worry and anxiety.”
Keep an eye out for home instruction videos from some of The Connection’s adult fitness instructors! We are all hoping for a quick return to The Connection and our normal activities. In the meantime, let’s keep active and stay connected.
Feel free to email me at sangeeta.benbow@theconnectiononline.org for exercise and mind-body questions! I look forward to seeing you all soon.
In good health,
Sangeeta