Maintaining an active lifestyle has never been more challenging, thanks to the global pandemic. As gyms, recreational centers, and parks closed down due to lockdown restrictions. Indeed a significant shift was prompted in keeping yourself physically fit.
Many sought to transform various vacant rooms in their own homes into indoor gyms. Others bought bikes, both stationary and for the outdoors. Everybody was forced to find ways to adapt to keep up with their daily exercises, especially when skipping workouts seemed so much easier.
Keeping Fit in the Wake of a Pandemic
The unexpected arrival of COVID-19 brought with it some significant changes regarding physical activities. It presented many challenges as to how individuals could continue their fitness regimens with the necessary restrictions put in place.
Moreover, the pandemic’s effects on day-to-day operations also forced many people to become more flexible in their scheduling. With work-from-home arrangements being more common, finding the perfect work-life balance proved to be a daunting task.
Fitness doesn’t only help you physically; it can also boost your mental state. This has become a crucial aspect of training, now more than ever. Here’s how a majority of the people were able to manage despite the previous year’s unfortunate circumstances.
Form and Function
The purchasing of fitness equipment skyrocketed during the pandemic. A recent report saw the sales of dumbbells during the lockdown increase by 1,980 percent compared to March and April of 2019. Over the same period, weight plates also saw a 1,355 percent rise in sales.
Home gyms were the best way to keep people in shape. However, it’s also essential to invest in instruments and control services for your workout equipment. Whether it’s your treadmill or your power rack, attaching instrumentation to your gear will quantify your performance during workouts. Relying on data is an excellent way to optimize your training.
Walk the Talk
Walking, running, and hiking also saw a rise in popularity alongside the creation of home gyms. Taking a quick break to the outdoors is a great, low-impact fitness routine that lets you escape from the confines of your own home.
Being out in the open also provides an avenue for social interactions with friends or strangers. It helps that the risk of transmission is significantly reduced whenever you’re outside. Of course, social distancing and wearing masks are still highly encouraged. Whether it’s a quick jog around the park or a camping hike in the countryside, you can never go wrong with your feet on the ground.
Explosive Workouts
High-intensity interval training or HIIT is an excellent alternative for professionals who can’t seem to find the time to fit a workout in their day. This workout also saw an increase in demand precisely because it can only take somewhere between 3 minutes and 20 minutes.
These short workouts can target specific areas like cardio, strength, and flexibility, among other things. It also helps that there countless mobile fitness apps to help you with this kind of training. If your time constraints with work or other priorities are too strict, taking a little time out of your lunch break to do a HIIT exercise can go a long way in keeping yourself fit.
Pedal Like There’s No Tomorrow
For cycling enthusiasts, one way they adapted to the circumstances of the global pandemic was through the activity known as “Everesting.” This particular exercise saw cyclists climb and conquer the 8,848m elevation of Mt. Everest, albeit virtually.
Cycling saw a drastic increase in participation, whether indoor or outdoor. Aside from its multiple benefits for physical fitness and a sense of freedom, it also became a prevalent alternative mode of transportation in many cities during the lockdowns. This equipment — and even the sport itself — was primarily overlooked before COVID-19, but now it isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
If There’s a Will, There’s a Way
These are just some of the most prominent trends that are expected to prevail in the coming year. Despite the slow recovery of the world thanks to the development of a vaccine, there are many more avenues for you to stay fit. Consider joining virtual challenges or online gym workouts.
Keeping yourself active shouldn’t be hindered just because of the global pandemic. As a matter of fact, physical fitness has only become more critical because of your increased chances of preventing virus transmission. Maintaining a healthy mind, body, and lifestyle can manifest itself in different ways. You have to know how to cope with your health to be successful.
