2020 is turning into the year of “being home” for many. With people working from home, kids taking classes virtually and even watch-parties for live events from the comfort of our own living room, people are really reducing their radius of daily travel. That being said, one of the other things that has definitely changed is people’s fitness routines.
With many gyms temporarily closing earlier this year, to the current state where many people are uneasy about going to gyms (let alone any crowded public place), people are becoming creative in order to stay fit and active in this new climate. Whether it’s joining virtual boot camps, following a daily workout routine from a website/program or even turning part of your home into a gym, people are adapting quickly to make sure gains are not lost.
Although working out from home can take on many forms, there are some things that you may want to consider to help keep your motivation alive and your workouts consistent:
Variability
Most people don’t like eating the same meal daily; they like to change it up, add spices or try new dishes. The same concept applies for workouts. For powerlifters, bench press, squats and deadlifts are the steak and potatoes of their world; however, you won’t see great power lifters solely doing those three lifts. A great athlete has to pepper in different variations of primary lifts, train auxiliary muscle groups and even practice completely different genres of fitness like yoga or cardio to help balance and further build their abilities. Even if you aren’t into lifting weights, mixing up your current routines or trying different styles of fitness such as HIIT or functional fitness training can help keep things new and interesting.
Motivation
This is a tricky one since a lot of people commonly rely on outside resources for nudges to stay on track with training. Since people are more physically separated from others this year, they have to be more proactive when finding their motivation. If you need to have someone hold you accountable, ask people you feel comfortable with if any of them would be willing to participate in that part of your life. It could be as simple as a text in the morning that says “go lift” to more actively asking questions about your fitness program in your conversations. Find what motivates you the best and see if anyone can help keep you focused.
Community
For many, one of the hardest parts of not being at the gym is not having other people around that share this similar interest. Simply put, the gym is the watering hole to its community where people have built some strong relationships. Not having that community is a difficult adjustment. However, many gyms have a solid social media presence these days and have become a hub for members to stay connected to each other. From reposting daily stories to hosting virtual competitions, many gym communities are beginning to transform via their online platform rather than just the deadlift platform.
Work
No matter how hard we look, there is still no way around having to do the work. At the end of the day you still need to push your body to grow. You have to monitor your progress and properly increase and adapt as your body will allow to maximize your potential. You need to do the hard work today to make sure you can put the best version of yourself on the field tomorrow.
We cant wait to see you get back in the game!
Whether you’re in the weight room or on the court, Instant Ice is an athlete’s best friend. Learn more here!
