To eliminate the spread of COVID-19, all public gatherings have been banned indefinitely, including games and sports. While the strategy may have been disappointing for most of us, it is the only way that we can prevent the spread of this deadly pandemic from one person to another. However, the biggest challenge comes with staying active while staying at home as we can no longer enjoy the college matches and gym workouts. This is especially true for children, who are now engaging in virtual learning rather than going into school. A lot of people have been asking ‘is the virutal era affecting childrens activity?’ and whilst there is little evidence at this moment in time, the answer is almost undoubtedly yes. Thankfully, there are ways you can get your children out and being active. But what about you? Fortunately, I have come up with some simple measures, from creating a home gym DIY style, to getting out into your garden. We will cover strategies to help me and my loved ones to stay active during this pandemic, some of which are discussed below, and you can steal!
Exercising Outdoors
Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, most public places have been shut down, including gym facilities. Even though a few ones may be operating, I have chosen to keep my family and me safe by exercising at home instead of putting us at risk by visiting the gym. We always work out together as a family in the fresh outdoor air, which is fun and keeps every member active during this season.
When the weather is great, we also participate in challenging activities such as hiking new paths and trying water-based sports such as kayaking. I also encourage the younger athletes in my family to play by themselves or in small teams. In addition, I supervise kids that play in small groups and discourage them from using sporting equipment, jungle gyms and anything else that encourages direct contact with each other and possibly contaminated surfaces.
Exercising Alone, With A Friend or In Small Groups
In addition to working out outdoors during this COVID-19 pandemic, I also keep active by exercising alone, with a few friends, or tiny groups of less than ten members. Doing so does not just minimize the chances of spreading the disease but also motivates me to exercise adequately and achieve my training goals amidst all the challenges. As long as we wear face masks and keep our distance we should be safe. Exercising with a mask may not be the best thing, but it’s much better than catching COVID-19. If you want to stay really protected you could purchase one of the N95 masks from Pandemic Pal, but otherwise just a normal facemask should provide sufficient protection considering you are outside and social distancing. If someone doesn’t have a facemask and they want to do a group workout, it is best for them to view websites that have them available to get the right one for them.
When exercising in the company of family and friends, I always ensure that we adhere to all the CDC guidelines. I also pick activities that allow us to maintain the required distance between each other while preventing direct contact as much as possible. Hiking and biking are our favorite sporting activities during this season.
Engaging in Non-Contact Activities
We are still in a pandemic and one of the measures that I have to ensure I adhere to when I am outside is limiting physical contact between myself and another person. The CDC recommends a social distance of 6 feet between individuals, which calls for activities that adhere to the same for anyone that chooses to exercise outdoors or in groups.
Several activities allow this kind of spacing, including tennis and biking. Additionally, we also engage in running, fitness videos, and bodyweight workout routines. In cases where we have to use any training equipment, we ensure that it is adequately cleaned and disinfected before and after use by every individual.
Rethinking Recess
With schools on a compulsory break and all children at home learning online, I have had to rethink about recess and how I can do it at home. Physical fitness is one of the most significant aspects of every school day, and it helps the learners be fit, mentally active and enhances their concentration. Therefore, I have been forced to develop a combo of both structured and unstructured physical activities into my children’s school days while at home during this pandemic.
Working on Enhancing My General Fitness
Having a strong core and high aerobic fitness levels is crucial for attaining general fitness. There are several measures that I apply to improve my general fitness. Some of them include working out in my home gym while following suitable web-based training and home-based workout programs. With the countless fitness instructors that offer free online workout classes, nothing can hinder me from keeping fit and active during this pandemic.
Other tips that I use to ensure that I stay active during this Covid-19 pandemic include cleaning thoroughly any equipment that I use either alone or with friends and exercising using my body weight, and staying in touch with my fitness community online. Staying in touch with other fitness enthusiasts online boosts my morale and prevents me from making excuses for not working out.