Gyms are closed. Studios are closed. Races are cancelled or postponed. Group fitness and running clubs have been cancelled or are enforcing strict guidelines re: social distancing, being sure to keep 6 feet apart (at least while posing for social media pics). How do you maintain fitness when your fitness world (never mind real life) is crashing down around you?! And do you even find the motivation to do so?
The answer? Virtual accountability. Some people have the drive to create and successfully execute a plan without making excuses. Many people, however, need the external motivation and guidance to keep training, keep moving, keep making good choices. In the current state of our world, online training is having a BIG moment.
What does that look like? That depends on your situation.
There are tons of free workouts listed all over the internet: blogs, Facebook groups, Instagram posts and stories, Pinterest, etc. I’ve posted some myself to get you started. You could screen shot/ save/ download a bunch of images and lists and patchwork them together to write yourself a plan. But if that is overwhelming to you or if you don’t have enough experience to know what is safe and/or effective in helping you meet your goals, perhaps you need a bit more.
Enter online trainers and coaches. They have the credentials and experience to help you set goals, program workouts, and more often than not, their online classes/apps/websites- however they choose to do business- keep you accountable to get your tush in gear. This morning, a bunch of “regulars” from my classes at the gym worked out with me live at 6am- from their own homes- via Zoom video conferencing. My runners received their workouts via text and/or email, ran the workouts on their own, and their data was automatically synced to an app I use to analyze it. No gym, no problem. Some paid apps (often with free trials) let you pick and choose workouts based on what you want to do that day or what equipment you have available. The possibilities are endless.
How do you choose what type of “distance workout” is best for you? The short answer is that only YOU can determine that. You know yourself better than anyone and know in your gut what your behavior regarding fitness is really like. If you need someone to hash it out with, talk to some friends and see what they’re doing. Or reach out to me and I will talk you through it to help you arrive at the best option.
If you are interested in a few free live classes (mostly at 6am), shoot me an email. If you’d like to talk virtual personal training, shoot me an email. If you’re looking to be a badass runner and run your first or fastest race, shoot me an email. In the meantime, here’s a workout you can all do at home! Keep moving forward.
