The coronavirus outbreak and the resulting lockdown that followed has kept most of us restricted to our homes. Self-isolation and social distancing are crucial to preventing the spread of the highly contagious virus, which has already affected millions of people across the globe. But being indoors the whole day doesn’t need to take a toll on our fitness goals!
The World Health Organisation recommends all adults get a minimum of 150 minutes' moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes' vigorous-intensity activity every week. Even a little physical activity at home is better than none at all. So how can we meet the necessary wellness guidelines without going outside?
There are plenty of ways to stay fit indoors and in quarantine, inside our very homes. We’ve done the homework for you and gathered a few simple, fun ideas for the whole family to stay active at home. Whether you’re a fitness freak or you hate exercise, there’s something in this list for everyone. Take a look!
- 1. Take an exercise class online or check out YouTube workouts.
- 2. Work at a stand-up desk instead of sitting all day. Or switch between sitting and standing at half-hour intervals.
- 3. Do bunny hops from one room to another.
- 4. Do yoga to build flexibility and strength.
- 5. Learn a new dance routine and rock the blues away. Or just put some music on and enjoy freestyle dancing.
- 6. Use free weights while watching TV.
- 7. Or use water bottles as DIY dumbbells.
- 8. Do crab walks around the house.
- 9. Play indoor games that you have at home - foosball, air hockey or table tennis. Or try bowling with plastic water bottles and any ball you have on hand.
- 10. Run a frog race with your kids for a fun exercise in the hallway.
- 11. During TV commercials and ad breaks, get up from the couch and do some squats.
- 12. Play catch with a soft ball.
- 13. Go up and down the stairs of your building or residence (without touching the handrails).
- 14. Try no-equipment, stay at home exercises like lunges, push-ups and crunches.
- 15. Play hopscotch in the living room with your little ones.
- 16. Do headstands and tripods in the house.
- 17. Jog on the spot for 30 seconds at a time.
- 18. If you own a Wii, Xbox or PlayStation, play interactive video games.
- 19. Do all the regular household chores. Sweep the floors and clean the windows.
- 20. Take a brisk walk while talking on the phone with clients, colleagues, family or friends.
- 21. Try rope skipping if you own a jump rope.
- 22. Use wrist weights while blow-drying your hair, while cooking, or while doing other simple tasks.
- 23. Play broom hockey with any small ball and regular sweeping brooms.
- 24. Do wall sits with back to the wall and knees at 90 degrees to the hips.
- 25. If you have pets, play with them for an hour daily.
- 26. Practise high knees and jumping jacks daily.
- 27. If you have a toddler, give him/her a few piggyback rides around the house.
- 28. Run an obstacle course with your home furniture like chairs, side tables and footstools.
- 29. Play balloon volleyball with the whole family.
- 30. Set 10 minutes aside in the morning for meditation. It helps rejuvenate the mind for every new day.
Go ahead, try any of our 30 innovative indoor activity ideas to keep yourself and your loved ones fit during the lockdown. Also be sure to get health insurance, to stay safe from the risk of high medical bills, should you fall ill. After all, you don’t want your finances drained because of an unexpected health problem.
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has set us all on a unique health journey, and we are excited to assist you in yours! So until the gyms, swimming pools and exercise classes open again, we can all get creative and stay healthy at home. Sit less, move more, and use the resources you already own to prevent long term damage to physical and mental health.
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