Gyms and health clubs are shut down across the state as a precaution of COVID-19. Yet, now more than ever it is extremely critical to move your body. Physical activity actually boosts your immune system, reduces stress, reduces inflammation in your body and helps prevent or reverse many of chronic conditions.
The Healthy County team has put together a mini-fitness program that can be done at home.
Aerobic fitness and strength-based fitness are equally important, two sides of the same coin, with different but equally important benefits. We strongly recommend that you alternate aerobic exercise on one day with strength training the next day. If you have a treadmill or exercise bike sitting in the garage as a coat rack, now would be a great time to use it for its intended purpose.
Strength Training Routines
Remember, either routine can be broken up into small, bite-size chunks to save time. For example, you can do two exercises while breaking during work and another two an hour later.
Aerobic Fitness Routines
- Aerobic Routine 1
- Every other day, do 45-60 minutes of steady aerobic exercise, getting your heart rate up to 65-80% of your maximum heart rate.
- You can choose any form of continuous activity: power walking, jogging, bicycling or swimming. Follow along with any sort of online aerobics class or any stationary machine if you have access to one.
- If you do not do any strength training (although we recommend you do), then do aerobic fitness most days of the week, with at least one day off during the week.
- Aerobic Routine 2
- Do a high-intensity interval training session (HIIT) consisting of short intense bursts alternating with periods of slower recovery movement two to three times a week. This can even be done power walking.
- A good session might look like eight to ten sets of 30 seconds of fast activity (power walking) with 30 seconds of easy activity (walking at regular pace) in between.
- Start with 30 seconds the first week and then add 10 seconds each week to your fast time. The goal is to reach 10 sets of 60 seconds of fast activity with 30 seconds of easy activity in between. After achieving this goal, you can go back to 30 second intervals at a faster pace.
- You can choose any form of activity: power walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming or a stationary machine if you have access to one.
Don't forget to "start" and "stop" your fitness sessions on your wearable fitness device. You will want to receive credit for your workout time and steps for the County vs. County fitness contest, which started March 23.
Below are Additional Sources of Free Home Workouts.