What a trying time! If you are anything like me, your day lacks structure and you are multitasking all day long. Between your kids needs and your own work obligations you find your head spinning. I am sure you are also finding joy in what is most important; stillness to get centered, bonding time with whomever you are quarantined with ;), and getting back to basics. This time is undoubtedly stressful, but there are many ways to implement self care. Long walks, Zoom dates with friends, healthy tequila drinks, family movies, and movement.
Food for thought during this time:
High intensity workouts are stressful on your body. The goal of training is to impose stress on your body thoughtfully and with intent and then recover. The BALANCE is what is important. Periods of (good workout)stress and periods of recovery are important. We are all different when it comes to the ratio. When you recover you adapt and grow stronger, faster, and more conditioned. Too much stress from any source, as in workouts or a stressful time in life, taxes your adrenal system which will elevate your cortisol (stress hormone) level. This can make you irritable, have difficulty concentrating, lead to headaches, fatigue, weight gain, acne, muscle weakness, slowed healing, and more.
So your workout needs may change during this time. Just be sure to check in with yourself and assess what you truly need. It could be yoga, a walk, a bath, an intense workout (I’ve got you). You do have the gift of time and should be choosy. You will end up more well-rounded and healthier in the end.
If movement is what need and you have little to no equipment and want a low intensity session consider bodyweight movements. BODYWEIGHT movements are a great way to build a strong core foundation, improve your strength training movement mechanics, increase your range of motion, and master moving like an athlete.
Ways to progress simple bodyweight movements:
- Change the tempo – slow down or speed up. Slowing down helps to engage the muscles and speeding up helps when you want to make a perfectly executed movement more metabolic.
- Make the movement unilateral. Make two arm/leg movements single arm/leg once you have mastered the classic version. Challenging your balance, core, and putting more load on the muscle worked.
- Add a decline or incline. Incline makes the movements easier and decline makes them harder. For instance you can do an incline push-up which reduces load and makes the movement easier for beginners.
- Make a one plane move multi-planar. Step out push ups and squats are a great way to move through the side to side plane / frontal plane. Transverse lunges work the body diagonally, challenging your brain and challenging the core.
- Make the movement compounded. Challenge your heart by making it circulate blood throughout a wider range. For instance doing a push-up while adding a core move works more muscle so your heart has to work harder.
