With the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and new state and national restrictions imposed on businesses and residents, your typical workout routine may not be the most pressing matter in your life right now (nor should it). But as we all settle in for what looks like an extended nationwide quarantine, you may end up looking for new methods and regimes to keep an active life while home.

First, the most important thing you can do for your health (and everyone around you) is to listen to local, state, and federal officials who are guiding all of us through this pandemic, and to follow the guidelines and recommendations of health organizations, like the CDC and the WHO. To keep up with the most up-to-date information, we ask you to follow the Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and your state government’s website. For us here at Prostaff, that’s nj.gov/health.

Best practices

The best practice will continue with basic exercise, 30 minutes/day for 5 day per week, or 150 minutes total per week. Additionally, you’ll want to maintain social distancing as the CDC recommends, while making sure everyone is eating healthy during this time. Also, although right now might be the easiest time to put on weight or to get out of their habitual exercise routine, do your best to avoid slipping into that lifestyle.

Using your Body & Household Items

The water gallon trick is about to come in handy! If you don’t know about the water gallon workout, it’s pretty self-explanatory: if you have two one-gallon jugs of water, you can use them for your workout. They’re decent enough replacements for physical weights, so you can use them for lunges, butterfly squats and curls, and generally most other weight-oriented workouts.

Or, use your actual home. Stairs and laundry hampers are a great, creative challenge. Walls can be used for squats while doorways can be used for stretching.

And even then, if you get tired using your walls and laundry baskets, you can go old school and use your own body weight. Push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, planks, jumping jacks – you name it! It’s all on the table these days.

Outdoor workouts

Per CDC guidelines, the coronavirus is not an airborne pathogen, so going outside is still encouraged – if for no other reason than to just get some fresh air. If you have a typical outdoor regime you follow, continue to! But, please be mindful of the CDC’s recommendations on Social Distancing and hygiene. After each outdoor exercise, it’s important to take regular hygiene seriously – wash your hands for 20 seconds (including under finger nails and wrists) and face if necessary.

Takeaway

To reiterate, the most important thing you can do right now is to follow the CDC’s guidelines on cleanliness and hygiene. Finally, don’t forget to wipe down all items and surfaces used during these workouts, to prevent the spread of germs!

And, for when the world returns to normal and we can enjoy each other’s company again, Pro Staff’s Physical Therapists have the knowledge and expertise in reducing pain and ensuring you are safe.

The full blog post can be found here.