Exercise: you either love it or you hate it. For those of you that love it, it might feel like the coronavirus outbreak is going to destroy your progress. But don’t worry, there are ways around it. For those that hate it, you’re probably excited that you can get away with chilling out and watching Netflix since gyms are closed! But exercising will strengthen your immune system, improve your mental health, and make you feel better about yourself during this frightening time. Express.co.uk reveals eight ways of exercising from your home.

Can I leave my house?

Last night Boris Johnson announced that the nation is going under lockdown conditions.

People will only be allowed to leave their home for “very limited” purposes:

• Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
• One form of exercise a day – for example, a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household
• Any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
• Traveling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home

Taking the one form of exercise a day is important for your mental health, but if you are unable to then there are things you can do at home that work just as well.

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Walking or running

If you’re a smart-watch owner, you’re probably already anxiously tracking your steps to see how little exercise you’re doing.

As established above- it is okay to go for a walk or run, as long as you keep more than two metres away from other people and you only go once a day.

The typical goal on smart-watches is to achieve 10,000 steps-a-day.

Either get competitive and try to achieve this every single day or set a goal that is more suited to your abilities.

Challenging yourself and achieving physical goals will give you something to work towards and stimulate your mind as well as your muscles.

If you need a little push, download an app like Couch to 5K.

Fitness DVDs

Ah, the humble fitness DVD! From Zumba to Davina McCall, there are so many guided workout DVDs on the market to choose from.

Think of a fitness DVD as your own virtual personal trainer but for much cheaper.

You can even follow Youtube videos for no cost at all.

Think about the kind of exercise you enjoy, as well as how much space you have to work with and your equipment.

During these gloomy times, it is important to do things that make you happy.

If you have a large living area but no equipment- why not try a dance workout DVD?

If you have a lot of equipment, try something that incorporates these.

For example, you might already have dumbbells or resistance bands.

Search on Youtube for a workout that requires these things and make the most of what you’ve got.

If space is an issue for you, try yoga, pilates, barre, or something that includes some simple floor work.

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Yoga

Yoga is great for the body and the mind, and you hardly need any space to be able to practise.

Total beginners or experts could follow Youtube Videos, or purchase a book of yoga poses to work from.

There is also a range of apps that will guide you through a virtual yoga class.

Once you get into it, you’ll be feeling really zen!

Yoga is perfect for anyone who is feeling anxious, as the need to focus on your breathing will transport your mind elsewhere.

Dancing

Working out doesn’t need to feel forced. If you love to boogie on the dance floor, dancing is a great way to get your heart rate up and burn some calories.

Stick on your favourite album or create a playlist of your favourite songs and get moving!

If you’re a particularly smooth mover with experience, why not watch some music videos and try to learn the routines?

A huge trend at the moment is the app TikTok.

The app is full of users all doing the same viral dance routines- most notably the Foot Shake.

Look into it and get practising!

Apps

Go onto the app store and type in ‘Fitness App’, and you’ll be bombarded with options.

Most of these innovative apps will let you have a free trial for a couple of weeks or a month, so you can try out as many as you like without committing to paying a fee.

Many of them allow you to pick a level of difficulty, so don’t panic if you are a total beginner.

There really is something for everyone, depending on your experience, what you enjoy doing, and your goal.

Examples include:

• 8fit
• Seven
• Tone It Up
• Keelo
• NeoU
• Shreddy
• SWEAT: Kayla Itsines Fitness
• Six Pack in 30 Days
• Butt Workout by 7M
• Yoga Wake Up
• Daily Yoga

Cleaning

During the outbreak, it’s important that we keep everything at home squeaky clean… but did you ever think about the fitness benefits?

Cleaning your home is a great workout, and you can burn up to 190 calories on a tough job like scrubbing away dirt and grime.

Stripping your sheets, doing your laundry, and making your bed is a great upper body workout.

Hoovering the stairs, dusting, washing up- you name it, they’re all exercise.

If you’re really on the ball, why not add some squats, lunges, or heel raises while you’re doing these things?

Gardening

Getting fresh air is a huge part of a successful workout for some.

If you have a garden, why not keep it looking pretty during this time?

Gardening is working out without realising you’re working out.

It’s great for your bum, as you’ll be doing plenty of squatting while weeding.

Think about your great your abs will be with all that hoeing!

Using a lawnmower adds to your step count while whipping your back muscles into shape.

In fact, you can burn up to 280 calories an hour from mowing the lawn.

Carrying water cans and tools, pushing around a wheelbarrow, and picking are all great ways to tone up your arms and shoulders.

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