During these times of remote working and studying at home, staff and students from the School of Anthropology and Conservation are presenting tips and advice on methods and resources that will help us with our productivity and wellbeing. Here, Susannah Lynn, studying on the BA in Environmental Social Sciences with A Year in Professional Practice, offers some guidance on keeping fit at home.
“During this unprecedented time, feelings of anxiety and tension are bound to be higher than usual, and many people will feel limited in the activities they can do when staying at home. However, at-home workouts can be just as effective as going to the gym, and the NHS advises that exercise can help relieve stress and soothe anxiety. No matter what your living situation is or your available equipment, there are a range of different exercises and activities you can try to keep you fit and moving.
“YouTube is a great source, chock-full of fitness gurus giving tutorials for people of all levels of fitness and ability. Across the world, people have been tuning in every morning to follow fitness coach Joe Wicks’ high energy workout P.E. with Joe, originally aimed at schoolchildren but now being enjoyed by all ages. This is available to stream on YouTube at The Body Coach TV channel on weekday mornings at 9 am. And personal trainer Dom Thorpe has many fitness video tutorials or those with chronic illness and disabilities, which are also available on his YouTube channel.
“If you prefer a more relaxed approach, you can relieve tension and stay active by doing daily stretches or yoga. This can be done on any soft surface and ideas can be found online with tutorials or step-by-step images right at your fingertips. Playing your favourite, relaxing music can also create a peaceful moment in your day.
“Music is a valuable tool in keeping fit: dancing to a vibrant playlist keeps your body moving and can improve your mood. You can find a number of curated playlists depending on your taste, mood or activity on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
“Many do not have their own gym gear. However, even without fancy equipment, there are other possibilities. Use furniture as a replacement, such as your sofa, to help with squats or dips, even simply repeating a sitting and standing motion to keep moving. You can also use books or water bottles as weights instead of dumbbells. If you have a home that has multiple floors, your staircase is a useful fitness tool – a viral Facebook post by David Sharp calculated the steps equivalent to a variety of famous mountain climbs across the UK and Ireland, a great challenge to work up to.
“Finally, websites such as NHS UK and Sport England have excellent pages where you can find home workout resources for different forms of exercise such as yoga, strength and conditioning, and fitness for those with a long-term health condition, often presented as step-by-step tutorials.
“Find your favourite activities and stay fit at home.”