11 Fun Ways to Exercise During the Quarantine
by Tiffany Walking Eagle | 6-minute read
There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking it easy during the quarantine.
It’s a stressful, uncertain time right now, and please stop guilting yourself over feeling less motivated to be productive or exercise. Your guilt is just adding to your stress!
Still, getting some exercise can be a good way to pass the time and relieve some anxiety. If you’re looking for a way to get some fun movement in while social distancing, there are plenty of free and easy ways to do so.
Instead of guilting yourself for not suddenly having all this extra motivation to workout, maybe try removing the guilt and trying some fun, new ways to move your bod. Sounds way better, right?!
Try that new skill you’ve been wanting to learn!
Are there any new skills you’ve always admired or wanted to learn, but haven’t had the time, or thought “psh, I could never do that”? Quarantine is the perfect time to have some fun with the things you’ve always wanted to try.
I’ve always loved watching videos of shuffle dancers. The way they move their feet effortlessly to the beat is just, so cool!
Before I’ve always told myself that there is NO way I’d ever be able to learn that. I have no idea where the heck my feet are, and I’m super clumsy and uncoordinated as a person.
But then I told myself that even those super graceful and swaggy shuffle dancers started somewhere, and those complex-looking moves can be broken down into simpler movements that can be learned, practiced, and perfected over time.
And guess what? I’ve started watching little shuffle dance tutorials and practicing in my basement, and I’ve gotten a few of the very basic moves down with some practice!
Do I look like an absolute fool dancing around in my basement? Yes. Am I having a freaking blast even still? Also, yes!
Just remember that you might have moments of frustration. You’re not going to get it right away, most likely. You’re going to wonder how everyone makes it look so easy and you’re probably going to want to quit. But once you something finally clicks and you get it, it’s the most exciting feeling. It can be a definite mood booster during this strange time in history.
So what new thing are you going to try? Let me know in the comments below!
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Feeling antsy? Do a dance workout!
Hop on over to Youtube and type in “dance workout” and plenty of options will pop up. The Fitness Marshall has a ton of dance workouts on his channel. They’re a great way to get in some cardio, but the moves are a little challenging (at least for someone with two left feet like myself). Just have fun with it and keep moving!
POPSUGAR Fitness also has a lot of dance workouts. Or, if there’s a particular type of dance you’ve always wanted to learn such as hip hop or salsa, just look up beginner dance lessons. That totally counts as exercise, and what better time to learn?
Feeling sore and tight from sitting? Do yoga or literally just stretch.
It’s totally fine to chill on the couch all day right now, but it can make you sore after a while and cause some back pain or tightness in your hip flexors. To combat that, look up “hip flexor stretches” or “rehab exercises for low back” and give ‘em a try. Your hips and back will thank you.
Need to burn off some steam? Youtube a kickboxing workout to relieve some stress.
There’s a variety of types of no-equipment kickboxing workouts on YouTube for all levels. Whether you’re looking for a quick burner for 20 minutes, a 30-minute cardio sesh, or a good hour of burning off some stress, there’s something for everyone!
Want to work on your balance? Give barre a try.
Barre is a form of exercise that blends elements of ballet, yoga, and strength training. So essentially you’ll be working on your flexibility, strength, and balance all at once. It’s definitely a challenge, but start with the beginner workouts if you’re new and keep at it. It’s not too tough to learn.
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Pace around while you walk on the phone.
Call your extrovert friends or your mom or whoever you need to catch up with during the quarantine and pace around while you chat. Your steps will go up in no time.
Work on your mobility while you watch TV.
No reason why you can’t stretch and do yoga while you’re binging your favorite shows, amirite? If it will make you feel better and get you moving, might as well try!
Have modeling aspirations? Practice your model walk around the house in your heels.
I really hope my neighbors have never seen me through my windows and if they have, they likely think I’m bonkers because aside from practicing shuffle dancing, I’ve also been practicing walking in heels a couple of times a week. I’ve always sucked at it, so why not practice? Plus, it’s a great way to get some steps in.
I just look up videos of bikini competitors and watch their walk/posing routines, bust out my tallest pair of heels, and pace around for 20 or so minutes. I actually feel more graceful in heels now after practicing.
I realize this is kind of a weird one, but hey, it’s an idea! :)
Add some books to a backpack and use that as weight.
No weights? No problem. If you’ve got a backpack, fill it up with books and use it as a counterweight for deadlifts, squats, lunges, walking around the house, etc.
Google “no jump cardio” or "no jump workout” for low-impact exercise options.
I know a lot of fitspo folks on Instagram do all these crazy plyometric workouts that include jumping lunges and levitating pushups and flying squirrels (okay okay, just kidding on those last two) but seriously, YOU DO NOT have to jump around to get an effective workout, and please don’t feel bad about yourself if those moves are difficult for you!
In fact, I’ve heard fitness professionals (actual legitimate ones, not just “Instagram-certified” lol) talk about how the general population is at a higher risk of injuring something with these wild jumping around plyo workouts….but I’m NOT a professional so I’m not going to spend much time talking about that.
Just look up “no jump workout” or “low impact cardio at home” to find plenty of perfectly wonderful workouts minus all the acrobatics.
Look up videos for tai chi or martial arts lessons.
Tai chi is a gentle, slow type of movement that sort of like yoga, focuses on breathing and meditation while also used as a type of defense training. If you’ve ever had aspirations in the martial arts, look up lessons online and be ready for the zombie apocalypse, just in case. ;)
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