Gyms are closed. Park runs cancelled. Sports fixtures postponed. The current situation has meant that home workouts have had to become the new norm for those wanting to keep fit. This has spawned the rise of people such as Joe Wicks becoming “The Nation’s PE Teacher” and social media influencers turning into Personal Trainers overnight. We don’t think it would be unreasonable to say that there has never been more fitness content available.
An increase in free time has led to people exercising more and making the most of their “government-mandated exercise quota”. This is great to see and very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but, at the same time, it is also important to rest and look after your body. There are plenty of ways you can improve your physical and mental health by staying inside, here are 5 of our favourites:
Table of Contents
Yoga & Meditation
Twitter and the news can seem a bit overwhelming at the moment so setting aside an hour a day to put your phone on silent can be beneficial for not only your physical but mental health as well. Yoga is a great way to improve your flexibility and muscle strength while also reducing the likelihood of injuries. You don’t even need a yoga mat; a carpet or garden will suffice for some relaxing stretches and movements.
In addition to, or instead of yoga, you may prefer to be more static and partake in some meditation. It is a relaxing way to reduce stress and anxiety, something that is likely higher than usual at the moment as well as controlling pain and improving your sleep.
Eat Well & Hydrate
Alcohol sales increased by 22% in March as people are increasing the amount they drink during the lockdown, while an extra drink or two is nothing overly worrying, it is still important to drink plenty of water and eat well. Celebrity chefs have taken to YouTube and Masterclass to share their knowledge, but some of this can seem a bit too complicated for the average home cook, but it doesn’t mean that eating well is out of reach. MOBKitchen is changing the cooking game via social media with healthy, fun and simple recipes on Instagram, each paired with a new song to listen to as you cook! If you look after your body, it will look after you. There is no point exercising if you then counteract all the hard work you’ve put in with lots of snacks and greasy food. You will lose weight faster by eating sensibly alongside working out, not to mention all the other benefits of a proper diet.
Have a Bath
Having a shower after a workout is all well and good but, while you’ve cleaned the outside of your body, you haven’t helped what’s inside. A hot bath with a bath bomb infused with CBD oil can aid pain relief, loosen tense muscles and of course, help you relax. Maybe this is when you have that extra glass of wine after a long day at work.
If having a bath isn’t possible or your cup of tea, you can help your muscles in other ways such as using a CBD cream which can be massaged into aching joints and sore muscles to aid recovery, meaning that when you want to work out, your body is ready.
Go for a walk
If you are one of those people who have that need and desire to be outside, you can do that but still, rest. Taking a long walk alone or with a family member gives you fresh air and light exercise without over-exerting yourself.
Watch Something!
There is no need to feel guilty about not exercising. As we mentioned in the beginning, there has never been more content available, and this isn’t just the case for fitness. Sit back and relax after working from home all day and enjoy Tiger King on Netflix, a DJ Livestream on Facebook or endlessly scroll through TikTok. Give your muscles a break from being active and allow them to rest and recover while you do the same.
Written by Rajiv. He is writing content for Serpwizz. You’ll find me playing with my dog Gizmo in between copious cups of coffee and even the odd donut or three 😛
