Since quarantine has started, many of us have found ourselves sitting inside all day on a screen, whether it’s because of school, work, or restrictions. Most of us haven’t had as much exercise as normal. So instead of waiting around any longer, I decided to learn about staying fit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With all of us staying indoors for school, and the weather getting colder and colder every day, I wanted to find ways to stay active inside the house. It is important to make up for the time spent sitting with some sort of exercise. We are no longer moving around the building, or walking to school, and many athletes have been unable to play with their teams due to the pandemic. It is important to be active to stay healthy physically.
Mandy Weaver, Franklin health teacher and physical trainer, recommends doing 100 reps of pushups, planks, squats, etc, for every class. This will help make up for the time you spend sitting in front of a computer. Some exercises, like lifting weights, can be done without taking your eyes off the screen. Personally, to stay fit during Zoom calls, I put my bike on an indoor bike trainer so I can ride my bike in place while still paying attention to the class. This has helped me stay motivated to stay active without taking away time from school work.
Per Governor Kate Brown’s recent “freeze” order, all Multnomah County gyms will be closed to prevent further spread of COVID for at least a month, so instead of going to the gym, Weaver recommends taking an online fitness class. “There are all kinds of online classes being offered by gyms and trainers. Thousands of free Youtube videos.” The popularity of online gym classes has increased during quarantine, and most Portland gyms are now offering alternative online classes so it should be easy to find somewhere to take one.
Another suggestion from Weaver is to have a workout buddy who can hold you accountable. You can train together virtually. Or share your plan to exercise with each other, then give each other updates. This should be easy enough; you can easily workout with someone while staying distanced. Doing workouts over Zoom or just going for a run six feet apart are great examples of healthy and pandemic-safe training. Many online workouts are being offered free-of-charge by the gyms that usually charge you for a membership, and if you already belong to a gym, I recommend checking if they offer an online program. I was surprised at how many local gyms offer them.
I hope that these tips have helped you motivate yourself towards a healthier quarantine. The most important thing is to stay active even if it’s more difficult than regular times. There are so many options for staying fit during a quarantine, so stay motivated and don’t give up on activity.
Photo Credit: Mandy Weaver
