With the global pandemic now encompassing all of the ends Earth, students are now going to be spending more of their school days at home. Although this initially presents itself as a promising opportunity (no more having to fake being sick to miss school! Side note- running a blow dryer over the thermometer always does the trick- but you did not hear that from me), kids will miss out on the crucial physical activity that most of us almost solely rely on school for.
Without the structured physical education through sports or P.E. classes, it is essential that we keep ourselves accountable for our physical well-being. Even if you are not one of humanity’s better-coordinated constituents (my non-sports players), you would still walk to your bus stop or car in the morning, move around between classes, and maybe take part in the occasional hacky sacking. It is easy to take for granted how dependent we are on school for movement.
In the perfect utopia, everyone would hit the gym daily for strength and cardio workouts. However, in my case (as I’m sure is the case for a lot of you), I am too lazy, too tired, or more likely rushing through homework I procrastinated on to attempt tedious exercise. Luckily, many accessible methods can make it easy (and fun!) to keep ourselves healthy. Aim for the nationally recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day; you can call it your “power hour.” Here are some ideas to get you started.
1. At-home workouts
This one is a personal favorite. All you need is a quick google search for a workout that fits your liking. I suggest mixing up the type of exercise you do e.x. Cardio, core, biceps, aerobic, etc. Those 6-packs are only a YouTube search away my friends.
2. Walking
This one is so easy, even a baby could do it! Well, maybe not haha. Walking outside is especially relaxing, and short walks add up! Try using a fit bit to monitor your activity and steps. I have been going on long walks with my family recently, and I can say for sure that I have seen more people walking outside in the past few weeks than I have seen in the nine years I have lived in this neighborhood combined!
3. Yoga
Physical benefits are the tip of the iceberg of the multitude of benefits from this activity. You can join an online class, or even look up some more videos. Your body will thank you for the added the added flexibility and mindfulness.
4. Customize it
How you get your physical exercise is completely up to you, but remember to set goals for yourself and keep a consistent routine. For the past few weeks I have been attempting the 75 hard challenge, which has really pushed me to maintain a routine. You can check it out here- https://andyfrisella.com/pages/75hard-info
Enjoy!
