This blog is going to be a little different due to the Coronavirus circumstances that we are dealing with now, better known as Covid-19.
Since we are having to stay inside our homes more this blog will be about ways to exercise and stay active and healthy while staying home.
Be sure you stay informed about restrictions or mandatory self-quarantines in your area.
If you are having to stay inside your home and wanting ideas about exercising here are a few ideas. You can get resistant bands to work your back, biceps, triceps, and legs.
For an inside cardio workout you can do jumping Jack's, high knees, butt kicks, burpees, switch jumps, run in place, ride stationary bike and ect. You can also get creative here and come up with your own ideas. You can do 5-10 sets for 15-30 seconds a set or more depending on your conditioning.
Other inside activities as in yoga, and dancing are good ones. Here is a link YMCA360.org for other ideas. Here is one more meditation. Meditation is good also for controlling anxiety and stress. To start meditating, simply bring your full attention to your breath. Sitting with uplifted posture may help, and eyes may be closed or open. When you notice your mind wanders with thoughts like, "What am I going to have for lunch?" come back to your breath without judgment.
Prolonged or chronic stress can negatively impact the immune system by reducing the body's ability to defend against viruses and bacteria. This is why meditation is a good exercise.
A great source of getting ideas for exercising is www.youtube.com and others websites like it.
Staying active and exercising during this time is so important to your health to help keep your immune system strong. Exercising is good for flushing the lungs of bacteria. It also reduces stress hormones like cortisol. Keeping these hormones levels down helps keep the immune system strong. Also exercising will increase endorphins that regulate mood. That will help keep you in a better outlook on life.
Now lets look at outside workouts. People might be afraid to ride outside in the colder weather for fear of illness, but that’s not necessarily true; there is no data that you will get sick from really any respiratory pathogen when riding in cold weather, Nieman says.
Getting 30-60 minutes of exercise can strengthen your immune system. Which is a very good idea considering the situation we're in now. Lots of places have shelter-in-place mandates.
Due to the mandate of social distancing 6ft. We can engage in solo outdoor activity. You should avoid gathering in groups.
As of March 18, USA Cycling has recommended races and other gatherings, such as races and group rides be canceled or postponed and is suspending permits on all events through May 3. However this is not to say that you can't ride and work on your Cycling skills and training on your own until the group rides start back up.
You may ask, is my immune system weaker before or post workout? As you deplete your glycogen, your immune system does not function as well as it normally does. Also mental or physical stress—caused by exerting yourself can lower resistance.
However, that doesn’t mean you need to quit riding or exercising altogether. There is a very strong connection between regular exercise and a strong immune system.
If people are using public bike shares, If an ill person has used it right before you, they could leave behind their viruses on the handlebars. If you wipe it down with antibacterial wipes before you use it, that should protect you against being exposed. Here is an idea, wear disposable gloves and throw gloves a way when done or wash your non-deposable gloves and dry under heat. Do not touch your face while exercising. When finished, wash hands with soap and water.
People are going to parks, trails and sidewalks to walk and bike away their cabin fever. There is an advantage to doing this. Being outside in nature helps you psychologically.
The last idea and probably most important are listening to your body. This is very important. Don't over do it! Start slow and work your way up depending on your condition. A little activity is more than zero. Don't set to high expectations of yourself. Just do it consistently and you'll see improvement over time.
Hope you find this blog informative and helpful during these challenging times that we are in. These are only suggestions for a workout that can be done inside or outside. Maybe these suggestions will help pass cabin fever time. We will get through this situation (Covid-19) together. However hopefully sooner than later.
Please follow all of your government officials recommendations, and mandates for your area. I do understand regulations are changing as I write this blog. So just apply what you can and remember, stay safe and healthy.