Home workouts back in the picture

With a lockdown in place and Covid-19 cases on the rise, people are once again turning to home workout routines

While nutrition and diet form a huge chunk of our health, the significance of exercise and fitness cannot be ruled out.

The need to stay more active and engage in physical activities has only increased along with the difficulty in stepping out of the house due to lockdowns. This has turned the spotlight on how to find ways to work out at home.

The pandemic has brought together people from all strata of life, from gym-goers to people who go for an evening walk and, not to forget those who plan to do the yoga routine but cannot seem to bring themselves to do it.

The good news is, you don’t need a gym to start working out. “If you’re just starting to work out, yoga or HIIT is good way to begin with as it does not require any gym equipment,” says Keertana Ramu, nutritionist.

By including daily workouts or yoga in a mundane lifestyle, you can help boost dopamine and serotonin and improve your sleeping pattern.

Challenges like the two-week shred and abs workout challenge by Chloe Ting and Lilly Sabri, strength training by Caroline Girvan gained popularity during the last lockdown, with many finding them effective.

Workout apps have also gained popularity over time.

There are several apps where people can track their workout routine depending on their fitness levels.

The online concept of gym is not a new thing, but it gained momentum as people started opting for it during the lockdown.

“It is a great alternative to visiting health club space because you have access to expert advice here as well,” says Swetha Subbiah, fitness coach.

However, she believes the lack of a physical gym can sometimes be demotivating.

“One thing that the gym did was to motivate people. The gym environment had people working out beside you which was motivating. Now that is no longer an option,” she adds.

Today, many have engaged themselves in fitness programs as it has become a very crucial factor in the current situation.

“There is definitely an improvement in people’s health. With respect to nutrition, there has been a lot of control because people are definitely eating more of home-cooked food and are being regular with their training because there are no more reasons to give,” says Keertana.

Shwetha is in agreement. “One of the silver linings of this pandemic is that wellness and healthy living have become incredibly important to a lot of people,” she says.