Home activities have become the theme in 2020. No matter what type of activities (work, social, recreation), finding ways to perform them from home is currently the ‘new norm’. Exercising from home has always been a topic of interest, but primarily for time management reasons. Now, exercising from home has become even more important than ever. 

For those of us that have fitness equipment at home, exercising from home should be a much easier transition. It’s time to dust things off, make some space, and get moving. If a home gym isn’t an option, there are still ways to stay active. Here are a few ideas that cover all levels of abilities.

• Commercial Interval Workout: TV can be a draw to many that are unaccustomed to staying at home.  Make your show of choice a workout. During each commercial get up and move. This can be something as simple as marching in place or you can turn it into a high intensity workout. Most commercial breaks are at least two minutes. “Hey boomer, what if I’m streaming without commercials”, you say? Well, binge eating, and drinking is less than healthy and so is binge watching the first two seasons of Ozark. Hitting the pause button every 7-8 minutes and performing a 2-minute interval can be done. If you need ideas on exercises, click here. 
• Online Fitness Classes: If following an instructor through a routine is your thing, a quick online search will result in a number of classes for you to follow. For those missing their classes and instructors at The Pointe, follow Ballwin Parks and Recreation on Facebook or check out Ballwin’s website for the Home Sweat Home fitness class series. Depending on popularity, new routines will be added. 
• Grab A Partner: Ok, this is a tricky one. Working out with a partner is, of course, not in the spirit of a shelter-in-place order. Shows like The Jetsons are no longer fiction, however. If we can live stream video one another for a conversation or happy hour, why not for a workout? Get your routine together, perform a set/interval, and motivate your friends in between…….live! This technology is sometimes taken for granted, but if you are old enough to remember watching The Jetsons (either the original from the 60s or the reboot from the 80s), it truly is out of science fiction. It’s time to use it and workout with a friend. 

Physical fitness has always been important to our quality of life. The word, fitness, sometimes intimidates or is perceived as unattainable/not worth it. Fitness level is relative, and it is the physical activity that is important. During this unprecedented time for us it is important to stay active. Not for vanity, but for our health. The American College of Sports Medicine has an initiative, Exercise Is Medicine. Medicine isn’t just something you take when ill. It is how you live to prevent and treat illness. Regular physical activity improves the immune system, period.

As we make our way through this ‘new norm’, it is important to keep physical activity in our lives. While trips to the fitness center are not an option, find ways to be active at home. The time we now have allows us to reflect on how important regular physical activity is to our health. You have complete control over being physically active. The only question to ask yourself is, “How important is my health?”