What I Do To Keep Fit During Quarantine

From my favourite free online workout videos, to my tips on running and additional fun ways to exercise during lockdown.

My Favourite Free Online Workouts

I’ve used YouTube for several years now to find great online workout routines. YouTube is an incredible free platform with accounts that upload videos on everything to pre-workout warmups and post-workout warm downs to 5 minute abs workouts to 30 minute cardio workouts.

The workouts you can find on YouTube cater for everyone. By looking up videos for your specific needs you will easily be able to find beginner classes, low-impact classes if you are recovering from injuries, and even classes which cater to people who live in apartments and don’t want to impact their neighbours.

Online exercise videos are a perfect way to fit in your daily exercises during quarantine, especially if you are not able to run or cycle.

Every day during quarantine I’ve used YouTube to do exercise and I’ve personally loved it. I aim to do a 15-30 minute strength/cardio workout followed by a 10 minute abs workout. This has personally worked really well for me and my schedule and I've also noticed a positive change in my fitness and strength level, which I've been very pleased about.

Some of my favourite YouTube exercise accounts and videos are:

Chloe Ting - her account is really well laid out and very easy to follow, yet still challenging. Her video’s helpfully have timers on them so you know how much longer of the exercise you have to go, and 10 seconds before the end of the exercise you can see what next one you need to do so you are prepared. Chloe also provides links to free workout programmes and schedules on her channel so you can really push yourself and follow her exercises daily.

My favourite Chloe Ting video: ‘Get Abs in 2 Weeks | Abs Workout Challenge’ (10 minutes)

MadFit - This account is probably the one I have used most during quarantine. Although the videos are very challenging I’ve found them the most fun to do! This is because Maddie, the creator of MadFit, is amazing at incorporating music into her workouts. I’ve really enjoyed her throwback songs dance workout videos as well as the short abs workout videos that she does in time to the songs.

My favourite MadFit videos: ’15 mins 90s Dance Party Workout’, ’15 mins Beginner Abs Workout’ and ‘Low Impact Full Body HIIT Workout’ (30 mins)

All of these workouts I've linked to require no equipment except for perhaps an exercise mat!

Tips on Running

Going out on runs is something I’ve done for nearly four years now, and I’m lucky enough to have a great local park that I can run around. It’s something I’ve gradually got better at over the years from having to stop and walk multiple times just getting around 2km to being able to run 5km in under 30 minutes now.

Here are some tips i’ve discovered over the years that have helped me with running over the years.

1. Running while listening to music

For me this changed the game with how much I enjoyed running. I was able to play my favourite upbeat music and really get lost in that rather than be thinking about running. There are great playlists pre-made on Spotify specifically for running, which is a good place to start when looking for music to listen to. I have even found that when I run while listening to music that my time has been quicker than when running without music.

2. Running while listening to a podcast

Again this is a great way to distract yourself while on a run, and makes the time pass a lot quicker too. While listening to a podcast while on a run might not motivate you in the same way music might, I still find it really enjoyable to do. Some of my favourite podcasts to listen to when I run include ‘Desert Island Discs’ and ‘Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster’.

3. Remembering that it takes time to build up distance

I went into running with no previous experience, where the idea of running 5km seemed like a mammoth, almost impossible task - and it was for the first few years I started running! Remembering that you’re probably not going to comfortably be able to run long distances at first is key to helping you not give up. It takes perseverance to enjoy running longer distances, which can be helped by training yourself to not be too harsh with yourself and associating things you enjoy with the time you spend running. For instance, the music you listen to, the nature you might be surrounded by, how good you feel about yourself once you’ve finished your run.

4. Remember that it is okay to take a break!

When you go out on a run you make that decision for yourself, not anyone else. That means that if you get tired and need a break you should take one. I wouldn’t advise putting pressure on yourself to push through physical exhaustion just so you don’t have a rest during a run. It is more likely to make you not want to go on another run in the future because of it. Weather that break is actually stopping to catch your breath and have a stretch or if it is speed walking for a bit I encourage you not to be harsh with yourself by making the decision to have one. You will feel infinitely better in yourself when you start running again after having a break too.

5. Warm Up and Warm Down

While this seems like the most obvious things to do when going on a run, I still think they’re understated in terms of how important they are. After having done a thorough warm up you body will be so much more ready to go on a great run, you will be less tired and more energised too. Warm downs are perhaps even more important. Not only will stretching your muscles after a run prevent you from getting injuries but it will make your muscles less stiff the next day, which will make you physically feel more able to go on another run.

Ways to Make Exercise More Fun

I understand that not everyone is going to find going for a run or following traditional workouts videos online as fun as I do, but there are plenty of ways you can make doing exercise work for you. The more fun you find doing exercise the more you will love getting fit.

Here are some alternative types of exercise that I have thought of that are surprisingly good forms of exercise and would be a lot of fun to try out.

1. Hula hooping

This is actually a surprisingly effective way of getting fit! 30 minutes of hula hooping can burn up to 165 calories for women and 200 calories for men. Of course there is a knack to hula hooping that might take time to learn but once you do this can be a really easy and fun way to exercise.

2. Skateboarding and roller blading

Again these activities surprisingly can get you really fit. One hour of skateboarding can burn around 300-400 calories, while roller blading can burn around 600 calories after an hour. These are really fun activities to do to keep fit, especially if you might have used to skateboard or roller blade when you were younger. If you have never done either of these before it could also be a fun hobby to pick up, as well as a great way to exercise.

3. Dancing

Dancing, particularly to your favourite songs, can be an amazing way to lift your mood and exercise while having fun. Dancing continuously for half an hour can burn around 200-400 calories. Not only is it great fun to just freestyle dance however you like for exercise, but there are lots of videos online where you can follow specific dance routines as a workout.

4. Working out with friends

Despite most countries around the world experiencing lockdown at the moment due to the covid-19 pandemic, this doesn’t mean you have to workout alone even if there’s no one in your household who is able to do exercise with you. Most days me and my friends have logged into Zoom together while one of my friends has shared her fitness app video workouts with us on her screen. We then all spend the next twenty five minutes getting a great workout in together.

This is a really motivating thing to do because you can see your friends working out as hard as you are as well which pushes you to try your hardest. It is also a great way to socialise as usually me and my friends talk together before and after working out.

You can also still do exercise with friends, of course as long as you are practicing social distance rules. There’s a plethora of outdoor activities that you can do while still practicing social distancing, such as walking, cycling, running, football, rugby, cricket, and tennis. All of these exercises can be done while still staying two meters apart, as well as lots of others too.