lifestyle
W
ant to stay sane during
social distancing?
Need a break from
homeschooling? Had
enough of boredom baking and
cooking with kids? Try one of these
exercise suggestions to keep your
sanity (and fitness) intact.
Research shows exercise has
benefits beyond keeping your body fit.
Exercise can clear your mind, give you
a sense of calm, improve your mood,
boost your energy levels and improve
your sleep quality, to name but a few of
the positive effects of moving your body.
If you have been inactive for a while
(we hear you!), please choose a brief and
easy programme to start. Build your way
up to one of the tougher programmes
when you’re ready. You can do these
on your own or involve the whole family.
Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy it
and you’ll reap the benefits.
If you don’t feel like you have the
capacity or resources to do one of
the online programs, read to the end
and you’ll find a few exercises you
can do at home with no equipment or
programme at all.
52
www.playtimes.com.hk
GO FOR IT!
1. Fitness Blender
This is a great resource with
hundreds of free workout videos
you can view on your computer.
Choose your difficulty level (1-
5), whether you want a male or
female trainer, which part of the
body you want to work on (or
total body), what type of training
you want (nine categories to
choose from) and what equipment
you have on hand (including no
equipment, yoga mat, etc).
The variety in Fitness Blender is
astounding. From baby and mum
classes, yoga and pilates, to full on
HIIT workouts, there is truly something
for every body. If you’re short on time,
there’s a 7-minute, no equipment total
body programme that will have you
feeling good in a short period of time.
You’ll thank yourself for those brief
minutes. They even have meal plans
and recipes.
Exercise can clear
your mind, give you
a sense of calm,
improve your mood,
boost your energy
levels and improve
your sleep quality
Choose total body workouts, arms,
abs, core, back (or back stretches),
beginner workouts, boxing, butt
& thigh workouts, chair exercises,
warm ups, nighttime stretches,
morning routines, office programs,
Tabata exercises and even HIIT
workouts for 10, 15 or 20 minutes.
There are individual workouts as
well as a host of programmes and
a calendar to track your progress.
Why not try one today?
2. PE with Joe
The Body Coach Joe Wickes -
Catch the craze! Coach Joe has
become the UK's “PE Teacher”
via free classes through his
YouTube channel. The fun, live
30-minute workouts have proven
incredibly popular in the UK (all
advertising revenue is being
donated to the NHS) but word
has now spread further around
the globe. The workouts are
suitable for the whole family and
he talks you through modifications
if needed. There are also
workouts for the older generation,
perfect for grandparents. If you
don’t catch the workouts live,
they are still available on YouTube.
Have fun and stay healthy!
youtube.com/thebodycoachtv 4. Resistance Band
This app is ideal for those of you
with some resistance bands on
hand. The free workouts on this
app include full body, shoulders
and back and lower body.
Choose one of these then select
the amount of time you have to
do your exercise, from 5 to 60
minutes. These workouts provide a
way to focus and get it done! Even
five minutes will have you feeling
better and maybe you’ll opt for 10
minutes next time. As your fitness
improves you can add time and
find yourself in a better mood too.
3. Workouts for Women
If apps work for you, this is a good
one to have on your phone or iPad.
There are so many choices and
each workout is brief so you have
no excuse not to try one each day. 5. Do Yoga With Me
If yoga is more your thing, you’re
in luck as there are quite a few free
classes online. This website offers
a large variety from total beginner
to advanced levels with varying