# Tips for Staying Active During Quarantine
Being stuck at home for extended periods of time during quarantine can lead to boredom, lethargy, and out of shape habits. With the proper knowledge and motivation, there are plenty of ways to stay active during quarantines.
## Understanding the Benefits of Exercise
Before getting into how to exercise during this difficult time, it is important to remain mindful that activity is essential to maintain physical and mental health. Exercise helps reduce stress and anxiety while improving focus, flexibility, balance, coordination, and well being.
### Aerobic Activity:
Aerobic activity is any exercise that increases your heart rate. Common activities that can help you stay active during quarantine include running, cycling, elliptical, dancing and aerobics classes, rowing, and swimming.
– Running: Running or jogging is an excellent form of aerobic exercise that can be done virtually anywhere, even inside a small area. The primary benefit of running is that it burns calories and strengthens the heart. To stay motivated during quarantine, it can help to set goals such as running a certain distance or number of laps around the house.
– Cycling: Cycling can often be carried out in large outdoor areas, or even in small spaces. Cyling is an excellent way to increase heart rate and strengthen muscles. To prevent boredom during long rides, it might be a good idea to mix up the routes or challenge yourself.
– Elliptical: Ellipticals are available in many stores and most gyms and fitness centers. Ellipticals are an ideal machine for home use and offer a low-impact workout with plenty of ways to adjust the machine to target certain areas of the body.
### Resistance Training:
Resistance training is another type of exercise that helps strengthen bones and muscles. Resistance training is particularly helpful for anyone who wants to lose weight, gain muscle, or improve balance and coordination. Here are a few examples of resistance exercises you can do during quarantine:
– Squats: Squats are a versatile and functional exercise. This exercise is one of the fundamental exercises that help train the lower body muscles, including the hips, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Squats can be done almost anywhere with or without weights.
– Pushups: Pushups are also a highly effective form of exercise and can be done in the comfort of your home or outdoors. Pushups help strengthen arms and chest muscles, but can also be used to increase flexibility and stability.
– Plank: Planks are an ideal way to strengthen the core muscles. Holding the plank position activates multiple muscles around the body, increasing stability and coordination.
### Stretching:
Stretching is an underrated activity, and by adding it to your daily routine, you can improve flexibility and reduce tightness. Stretching is especially important for those who spend too much time sitting as it helps to realign and lengthen shortened muscles. Here are a few stretches you can do during quarantine:
– Calf Stretch: The calf stretch helps to build flexibility in the Achilles tendon, calf, and shin. This can be done by standing on a staircase or other elevated platform, facing the wall. Begin by placing your weight on one leg, and slowly lowering the other.
– Shoulder and Neck Stretch: This stretch helps alleviate pain by releasing tension in the shoulder and neck area. To perform this, sit on a comfortable surface and slowly raise and lower your head, stretching the neck and shoulder area.
– Hamstring Stretch: The hamstring stretch is an important type of stretch that helps reduce tension in the muscle, as well as increase flexibility. To perform this stretch, simply lie on your back and lift one leg until it is at a 90-degree angle with the other leg, and then gently pull on the thigh and lower back area.
## Establishing a Routine
Once you understand the different types of exercises you can do, an effective way to stay motivated is to set goals and a routine. Write down a few simple but specific goals such as running for 30 minutes or doing three sets of squats and stick to it. You should also create a schedule for yourself and focus on a different exercise each day. Sticking to a routine will help make exercise during quarantine a habit and also help break up monotony.
## Getting Creative
Finally, it is important to get creative when staying active during quarantine. Incorporating a variety of enjoyable activities such as family activities or online classes can help make exercising fun and engaging. Here are some ideas to get creative while staying active:
– Solo Activities: Exercises like yoga, pilates and calisthenics are great options if you’re looking for an activity you can do alone. There are many online classes, tutorials and guides that can help you stay active while learning something new.
– Partner Exercises: Many activities can also be done with a partner. Examples include playing tag, having a dance-off, or backyard games such as hula hoop competition.
– Online Classes: With the rise of virtual classes, many fitness centers now offer online classes for a variety of activities. Examples include boxing, HIIT, and spinning among many others.
## FAQs
1. How do I stay motivated to exercise during quarantine?
A: To stay motivated during quarantine, remind yourself of why exercise is important, set specific and achievable goals, create a routine, and find creative ways to stay active.
2. Can I exercise indoors during quarantine?
A: Yes, there are plenty of exercises that can be done indoors such as running, cycling, elliptical, dance and aerobics classes, rowing, and swimming.
3. How does exercise benefit my mental health?
A: Exercise helps reduce stress and anxiety while improving focus and overall well being.
4. What are some beginner exercises I can do at home?
A: Yoga, pilates, and calisthenics are great beginner exercises that can be done at home. Online classes can help make it even more engaging and fun.
5. Can I do resistance training during quarantine?
A: Yes, resistance training such as squats, pushups, and planks are great for strengthening muscles and can be done at home. You can also use objects such as cans or water bottles as weights to give your workout an extra challenge.
What are some activities people can do while stuck at home during quarantine?
1. Watch movies or TV series
2. Try learning a new language
3. Read books or listen to audiobooks
4. Do at-home workouts
5. Learn new recipes or a cooking technique
6. Play board games or card games
7. Do arts and crafts
8. Take virtual classes or tutorials in something new
9. Have a movie night
10. Play video games with friends online
What kind of activities can people do while stuck indoors during quarantine?
1. Exercise – Go for a walk, run, or bike ride in your neighborhood while adhering to social distancing guidelines, or find an online exercise class to take.
2. Read a book – Catch up on some of your favorite books and escape into another world for a little while.
3. Watch a movie – Movies can be very cathartic, especially when you are stuck indoors.
4. Video chat with friends and family – Maintaining social relationships is important and can help you stay positive during these times.
5. Get creative – Learn a new skill or craft such as painting, drawing, sculpting, or music.
6. Organize your space – Deep cleaning and reorganizing your home can help with the sense of control during stressful times.
7. Play online games – Enjoy some competitive play with your friends, or challenge yourself with a new game.
8. Learn a new language – Take some time to challenge yourself and learn a language. There are many online language learning resources available.
9. Cook and bake – Master your culinary skills or try something new with recipes and food resources online.
10. Take up gardening – Spend your time outdoors in a therapeutic way, tending to your garden with plants, vegetables and herbs.
