The coronavirus pandemic arrived unexpectedly and has changed all our lives in 2020. Many of us have become furloughed from our jobs, or worse, have been made redundant, and for those of us that still have jobs, we find ourselves working from home. No longer are we able to go about our daily lives as non-essential shops are closed, and pubs and restaurants are no longer able to serve their patrons.
We are also forced to abide by lockdowns, where we are unable to see our friends and family and must only leave our own homes for the most essential reasons. Being cooped up at home has meant that we have had to find things to do to occupy ourselves, otherwise, we will go stir crazy, and our mental health will suffer, so one of the best things we can do is start a fitness regime to knock ourselves into shape.
In this article, we are going to take a look at how to make the ultimate lockdown fitness regime and how to stick to it, so read on to find out more.
Work Out What Fitness Activities You Enjoy
The key to sticking to any fitness routine is to do an activity that you actually enjoy, otherwise, you will be unmotivated, and it is unlikely that you will have the desire to wake up every morning and put on your exercise gear. The nature of a lockdown means that you cannot leave home except for outdoor exercise or essential shopping, so in this regard, your options are pretty much limited to running or cycling.
Cycling can be an expensive hobby to take up, however, the barriers to entry for running are very low as you only require a pair of trainers, so consider this option if you feel like running could be the activity for you and you have a limited budget. Alternatively, there are plenty of activities you can practice in the home, from yoga with the help of an online tutorial to turning your garage into a personal gym. So, consider carefully what you would like to do to keep fit as you must enjoy it if you want to have a hope of sticking to it.
Follow a Program
Whatever exercise you choose to do, one great way of keeping yourself motivated is to follow a program so that you have a goal to strive for. Experts from NotOneRival.com recommend that if you are a beginner in your chosen activity then you use an online guide to ensure that you are doing it properly then you follow a carefully tailored program to keep yourself injury-free. If you are going to be doing press-ups and pull-ups, you must get your technique right at the outset, otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your body. Similarly, if yoga is your bag, follow an online class and then you will not only ensure that you get into the correct positions, but you will be part of a community that will help keep you motivated to do your daily class.
Have Rest Days
When you start a new fitness activity sometimes you will get so into your routine that you forget to have rest days. This can be one of the worst things that you can do as you will end up injuring yourself, especially if you are starting from scratch. It is vital that you take it easy at the start and don’t push yourself too hard so you won’t lose motivation. Plan your weekly routine and aim for 4-5 days of physical activity, and then 2-3 rest days. As your body becomes more accustomed to your chosen exercise, then you can up your workload, but remember, you should have at least one fitness free day every week to let your body recover.
Reward Yourself
If you really want to stick to your routine, you will need a reward to help you get through those tough times when you really can’t be bothered to go for that early morning run. Plan to eat your favorite food after your routine, or reward yourself with a glass of wine. Anything that you can look forward to will help you through those dark days.
As we have learned, there are many different fitness activities you can do during the lockdown, but you must choose something that you enjoy doing, or you are unlikely to stick to your plan. Once you have chosen your activity, follow a program so that you have a goal and so you know that you are doing your activity correctly. Make sure you have rest days and reward yourself after a particularly tough session. If you follow this guide, your new fitness routine will be a doddle to stick to!
