How to Stay On-Track During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Let’s not get it confused, being stuck at home in quarantine SUCKS. The temptation to just let everything you have worked hard for go, hunker down on the couch for the next 12 hours, and sip on (yet another bottle of) wine is a very real temptation. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Implement some (or all!) of the following strategies can be your first line of defense against the side effects of this “shelter in place” Now’s the time to focus and stay on track. Let’s begin.

1. Keep a routine.
This might be the most important thing to do. Maintaining some semblance of regularity, especially when it comes to fitness, can be a valuable asset in keeping the body and mind in a good place. Routines are proven to yield marked reduction in stress and anxiety, plus improved overall mental health. An example of a routine can be as simple as getting up at the same time as you normally would to go to work, keeping meals around the same time, and keeping your workouts as a break during the day. Do you usually workout over lunch? Insert a home workout or walk outside around the same time. Do you typically work out after the work day? Set up a group call with friends (or a trainer) to “meet up” and virtually do a workout together. With all the uncertainty in the world, this is one piece of your day you can control, and it’s more important than ever to keep a clear, level head so that you can tackle the rest of the checkpoints on this list.

2. Bring mobility to the forefront.
Training is all about ebbs and flows. For the time being, with all the extra hours of sitting around, accessing and maintaining ranges of motion should be your number one focus. Extended sitting yields an increase in
overall flexion of the body, so focus on getting the body EXTENDED and opened up. Here are a few great bang-for-your-buck exercises to sprinkle in throughout your day to battle all this extended inactivity:

Another way to implement this strategy is to really double-down on any mobility weaknesses in your training. Need to improve on squat depth? Work on some extra ankle/hip mobility drills every day. Do your shoulders hurt? Work on some base shoulder stability and range of motion drills so that when you’re back in the gym and getting after the iron, you can do so with even better form, and without any pain! You’ll find a collection of these drills on our YouTube channel. Let us know what you think!

3. Frequency is king.
There are three points of the triangle that is fitness programming: intensity, frequency, and duration. While quarantined, the focus should shift to higher frequency (1-3x/day) workouts that are shorter in duration (10-30 minutes) and lower intensity. You could tackle this by doing just a few exercises (1-3) multiple times per day or a modified gym workout almost every day (5-6x/week). Since the intensity is low, these methods are approachable and easy to implement. Not to mention, we all know you’re sitting around in sweats all day, so you’re always ready. Check out these two methods below:

Method 1 – A few exercises throughout the day, every day
(Alternate Day 1 and Day 2 throughout the week, doing 3-5x/day)

Day 1:
Pushups (5-20)
Squats (5-20)
Prone I , Prone Y or Prone T (5-20reps)

Day 2:
Split Squat or Step back lunge (5-10/leg)
Plank (or Plank with shoulder Tap) (20-40 sec)
Glute Bridge (10-20 reps)

Method 2 - Modified gym workout almost every day
Do a more standard Strength/Conditioning body weight program found here. (If you have some equipment at home and want a program tailored to what you have available, we can write up a custom program for you. If you want to take the additional step and meet virtually to workout together, we can do that too. Reach out to us!)

4. Eat like an adult.
Stressful times often cause us to throw constraint to the wind: eating like kids (boxed snacks, cereals, candy, etc.) and drinking more than usual. Sure, these treats give us a quick dopamine spike, but we eventually nose-dive. The chances of maintaining any progress in health and general well-being drop significantly with this nose-dive, but you’re in luck…we have a solution. Eat like an adult MOST of the time.

This rule should apply ALWAYS, but especially these days. Exercise the 80/20 rule, meaning that 80% of your diet should still consist of veggies, lean proteins, fiber-rich grains and fruit. The other 20% can be opened up to all of those “guilty pleasures” we have. I would not recommend the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to try a new or extreme diet for the simple reason that this causes more stress on the system (something none of us need right now), and with fewer distractions there’s an increased chance for those “screw it” scenarios. Find a diet you can keep, maintain a routine (see #1), but allow a treat or two as you battle this tough time.

There you have it; four easy strategies with potentially massive impact. Get the most out of this shitty situation we are all in by zeroing in on what matters now: your mental health, mobility, and eating habits. You’ll thank me later when you come out of this quarantine a stronger version of yourself. Ill see you on the other side!