Feature

Spring into fitness

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Quarentine Excercise
Graphic by Brieanna Heim.

With the weather getting warmer, many will look outside to get their daily dose of exercise while others will continue going to the gym or look for ways to work out at home. However you get your exercise, what’s important is to stay safe. There are plenty of ways to protect yourself from COVID-19 while keeping up with an exercise routine. 

  1. Wear a mask. Whether outside or at a gym, make sure to keep your face covered. While it may feel unnecessary to wear a mask outside, it’s still important to protect oneself and others from COVID-19. 
  1. Go for a walk or a run outdoors. Since gyms have been a hot spot for COVID-19, consider avoiding them if possible. Now that the weather is improving, find a route you enjoy so you have a reason to get outside. Apps such as Nike Run Club, Map My Run by Under Armour, and Zombies, Run! are great ways to track cardio. Zombies, Run! even lets users interact with pretend zombies to help stay motivated. Look at the forecast a week ahead so you don’t get caught in a rainstorm or run when it’s too hot. Even if you don’t feel like going for a run, grab a yoga mat and find a place to do a workout in the sun. 
  1. If a rainy day comes along, there are plenty of exercises to do at home, many of which don’t even require equipment. Squats, lunges, pushups and Pilates are perfect for doing at home. YouTube has a plethora of videos and channels you can follow along with, some of which focus on proper techniques to avoid injury. Nike, Blogilates and Yoga with Adrienne are a few suggestions. If you’re up for a challenge, chairs, stairs and weighted backpacks are just some of the household items you can use to up your workout. 
  1. Mix up your workouts. It’s a great way to keep things interesting. Alternate between cardio, weightlifting and yoga/Pilates. Or, find new routes to run to keep from getting bored. 

You don’t need a fancy gym, especially in a pandemic, to have a reason to work out. Simply getting outside and moving are great ways to help relieve stress and anxiety. Finding something you enjoy doing is a great motivator.  

Image courtesy of Brieanna Heim

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