Trainer answers: how to keep daytime activity on self-isolation in an apartment

Experts of the World Health Organization have long been sounding the alarm that the world’s population, especially in more or less prosperous countries, leads a sedentary lifestyle. This has a negative impact on health in many aspects. There was even a term – “three K’s syndrome” (chair at home, chair in the car, chair at work).

Today, as it happens, many people have been knocked out of two of these chairs at once by the coronavirus. That is, the need to make even such minor movements has disappeared. And a sedentary lifestyle, for a minute, is anything less than 5000 steps per day. If you deliberately neglect to pay attention to this issue, it will turn out to be 1000-3000 steps, depending on the size of the living space in which you find yourself in self-isolation.

What do you do to keep in shape in isolation?

There are two options. The first is to walk! Literally from corner to corner. Find such trajectories, on which you can make the maximum number of steps and wind up the norm. Be sure to use a pedometer, at least in a smart watch, or in your smartphone. This will give the process measurability and an important element of competition. Because you will have to “walk” not for a day or two, but for the next month. Having reached the norm for several days in a row, there will inevitably come a morning when it becomes lazy. But looking at the progress bar, the chances of you overpowering yourself will be greater. It’s also a great option to publicize the process by posting a screenshot of the steps on social media. Once you’ve announced the challenge to your entire audience, you won’t be able to slack off and miss a day. Put thematic hashtags, watch other similar “home walkers”.

Of course, aimlessly hanging around from corner to corner – so a great activity, so it can and should be combined with other things. For example, watching a TV series, listening to audiobooks. WHO, in turn, insists that all telephone conversations (and their number during the period of self-isolation increases) to spend exclusively in motion. Yes, many people’s apartments will allow them to take literally 15-20 steps, but this, I will upset you, is a common excuse. Professional runners manage to run marathons on balconies eight meters long. And you only have to run 10,000 to 12,000 steps.

And if your apartment doesn’t allow you to walk a lot?

But there is a plan B. Replace walking with light physical activity. Squats, burpees, push-ups, pull-ups. Or even cleaning and dancing with a mop. Anything will do. The WHO insists that people between the ages of 18 and 64 should only devote 150 minutes a week to such exercises to stay in satisfactory shape. That works out to 21.5 minutes a day. That’s all it takes! Break it up into two sets. For example, squats and abs in the morning and push-ups and burpees in the evening, for example. If you suddenly want to get out of self-isolation in better shape than you came in, and “only those who walk through the door will get out of quarantine,” health experts suggest doubling the load time.

Lifehack: kids are great helpers in increasing activity. Offer them a game of catch-up, for example. This way and walk aimlessly will not have to, and pleasant and useful can be combined.

Of course, these tips apply primarily to those who before the epidemic of coronavirus about physical education and steps did not bother. But those who were cut off from their favorite gym or treadmill, it is more difficult. However, it is possible to adapt even here, although, of course, 10 minutes of squats and push-ups will not do the trick.