Staying Active During Quarantine

I see the memes every day. The memes that joke about getting the Quarantine Body by summer time, because we are supposed to be staying home, staying safe. 
In a world where liquor stores are essential, we are bounded by the decision to whether or not we do something productive today, or nothing at all. 

Yes, we should be going outside (safely), and take a walk. Get some fresh air and sunlight. However, this new routine has gotten us all out of whack, and we can't seem to figure out a new routine for ourselves.

Being a Fitness Professional, this is about being active by keeping busy. I want to give you some ideas on what you can do to stay active, whether that be dedicating time to work out, or not.

So, here we go...

For those who prefer to not to commit to fitness, you're about to get Mr. Miyagi'ed.  
Being active simply means to be moving around. A great way to move around, other than a walk outside, is to move around the house. The best way we move around the house is either doing household chores, or home projects.

I'm going to break it down a bit. Not everything, because you will be reading this all day, and I know that you're excited to start getting active.

Let's start with a household chore: Laundry.

When you start laundry, the process goes something like this: 

1. You walk over to the pile of dirty laundry, and grab an arms full from the top of the basket, transfer the dirty laundry to the washing machine. 

2. You grab the bottle of laundry detergent, pour, close up the washer, and push the start button. 

3. The first wash is done. Now, you transfer the clean laundry to the dryer, push start, and move on to the next pile of dirty laundry. You repeat.

4. Dried clothes are done, then you bring the clean laundry to their designated homes. 

Now, let's think about what you're doing, exactly.

Physical fitness is based on 5 movements; bend & lift, push, pull, rotation, and single leg movement. All of which you do every single day.

So, let's break down the laundry process.

1. Walking over to the pile of dirty laundry is a single leg movement. Then, you have to lower your body to grab the arms full from the top of the basket. That requires you to bend & lift, and rotate. 

2. When you're grabbing the bottle of detergent, you are pulling it towards you, then pushing it away from you to pour into the washing machine.

3. Transfering the clean laundry from wash to dry requires the bend & lift movement. 

4. Finished laundry gets folded, which requires repetitive push and pull movements. When you take them to their designated homes, there is a lot, I mean A LOT of bend & lift, push, pull, rotational, and single leg movements. 

Do you see where I'm getting at here?

Every movement you make is an exercise. I'm not saying to do squats every time you bend over to transfer the laundry, but focusing on the movements, and giving them a little of emphasis can keep you healthy, and make you more aware of your form and posture. 

For those who want to workout. 

Some, if not all, are creative, and will find a way to stay active. I just want to give you some of my favorite alternatives to equipment that you were using at the gym. 

1. Resistance Bands: classic, lightweight large rubber bands that will assist in strength training. $20 for a decent quality.

2. TRX: The actual brand is pretty damn expensive, but there are other alternatives that are pretty decent and durable. 

3. Body Weight: the best form of alternative to... well anything. If you can successfully perform body weight exercises easily, and effortlessly, you're good! You're doing it right. 

So, it pretty simple, no? Everything that you do is physical activity, but if you turn it into a workout by increasing the intensity (walking faster, lifting heavier), you can burn more calories. 
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There, now get moving because binge watching NetFlix isn't doing much for you.