Given the crazy situation of having to resort to washing our hands every two seconds, social distancing and perhaps — what’s worst of all — the boredom faced in self-quarantining, it can be hard to keep yourself preoccupied and productive. Nevertheless, staying at home doesn’t have to be a hindrance to staying in shape. Here are some quarantine-friendly exercise suggestions to enjoyably expend both your time and energy.
First, although yoga may seem like a mature and tedious activity, yoga actually can be quite fruitful for younger students. In fact, an article called “More than just a game: Yoga for school-age children,” posted from the Harvard Health Publishing website, reported how yoga has proven to boost mental health and physical health for children ages 6-12. The article even lists yoga games such as “Mirror, Mirror” where everyone takes turns copying yoga poses, as well as breathing and meditation exercises. So, don’t be afraid to whip out your mom’s yoga mat and start tree posing! Youtube is a great resource for some ideas on how to start.
Another mat-related exercise that can be a pleasurable challenge is pilates. Pilates is a fitness system designed to target physical strength and flexibility. Pilates includes repetition of varying modified moves such as bicycle crunches, planks and leg stretches. Although many of these moves can be daunting to try out, there will always be a lingering sense of accomplishment after each repetition. Again, YouTube has a wide array of pilates videos, from beginner to advanced. One of my personal favorite channels is “PopSugar Fitness”, as their channel produces various series that target full body workouts, as well as beginner tutorials.
One final exciting way to stay in shape is to, well, “Just Dance.” Even if you may not own the official video game, YouTube has a myriad of fresh dance videos to choose from. Letting loose to PSY’s “Gangnam Style” or early 2000’s hits can be a hilarious way to bond with your family. Additionally, if your family is anything like mine, having a competitive spirit is essential to family bonding. Thus, I strongly recommend adding dance battles to your agenda. On the other hand, if you’re into a Zumba-style session of dancing, “PopSugar Fitness” also offers its own dance series. However, my family, including my grandparents, prefer to follow along with the Filipino Zumba channel, “Live Love Party”, as the song selections range from pop songs to various remixes.
Instead of viewing self-quarantine as an uneventful lull of time spent at home, we can utilize this time to get creative and continue maintaining a healthy lifestyle, whether it be an intense set of mat moves, or even grooving to your favorite song.