Finding Forms Of Fitness That Work For You

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Like many of us going through lockdown, NCS Grad Maya has been looking for new ways to stay motivated. She’s found that getting up, getting moving and working out has really helped. Here’s her run down of the best online fitness vids to give you a boost of energy...

I’ve always enjoyed going to the gym and taking part in dance classes, so when the lockdown was announced I knew I wanted a way to keep doing them. Naturally, I turned to the internet and found a number of online dance classes, live streams and YouTube workouts that have kept me active and got me off the sofa!

I know how difficult it is to feel motivated during this time, and as a person with a short attention span, online videos ensure that I do the exercises without getting bored or distracted. Finding workout videos that are under an hour, or preferably, under 30mins means that, if I fancy it, I can always do another one! 

Here are some of my go-to channels that all have loads of videos under an hour long:

Joe Wicks aka Body Coach: The Body Coach TV

Every day during lockdown, Joe has been doing daily P.E lessons as live streams. Every Monday to Friday at 9am you can tune in to his Youtube channel live and join in the lessons. They all last around 25 minutes and are really fun-filled and energetic! The live videos are also uploaded to his channel, so if you’ve missed any, you can go back and join in.

I also really enjoy Joe’s other workouts such as his 30 Minute No Equipment HIIT Workout and 5 Minute Abs.   

No equipment workouts like Joe’s make working out and keeping fit easy, as you focus on toning muscle and increasing flexibility instead of lifting heavy weights. They also ensure that these workouts can be done anywhere, such as in your bedroom or the garden. If I feel like I need an extra push, I sometimes use household items like bottles of water or tin cans to increase the difficulty of some moves. 

POPSUGAR Fitness

This YouTube channel is full of all kinds of amazing workouts, for all levels and with lots of different instructors. From Kickboxing to Barre,  Nike HIIT to Yoga, you’ll 100% find something you enjoy on Popsugar!

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts usually consist of a warm-up followed by several repetitions of high-intensity exercises e.g. running as fast as you can on the spot for 30 seconds. It will end with a cool down. Doing HIIT workouts benefit your body and your brain, as they’re good for cognitive control and memory capacity. 

Fit Body By Ashley

If you’re a dance lover, Ashley’s videos are perfect. She incorporates workout moves and dance moves together and pairs them with great music. My faves are Afrobeats inspired HIIT, Beyonce Coachella Inspired Dance Workout, Latin Dance Workout, and Fifth Harmony Worth It Dance Workout. 

Dance workouts are great if you hate the structure of more formal workouts, or if you hate the beeping of timers and shouting of instructors. They give you a little bit of freedom to add your own groove to the dance moves and most importantly you get to listen and exercise to great music. It doesn’t even feel like a workout and will definitely put a smile on your face! 

SELF

Self is a health and wellness channel with lots of interesting sporting challenges and celebrity interviews. They have a series of great HIIT workouts, like 20 Min HIIT Full Bodyweight Workout and Cardio Workout Glutes and Abs, which are good if you want a challenge and like pushing yourself. 

I understand that suddenly starting a new workout routine, or trying to move more often can be tiring, so it’s best to just take it easy and find what’s right for you. For me, I’ve found that doing a workout video every other day and having ‘rest days’ or days when I’ll just go for a walk instead, is an achievable routine. 

I don’t get annoyed if I don’t follow it, as I know that it’s just a template and now more than ever, taking the time to rest if I want to, is something I can do!

I hope you find something that works for you, have fun working out and stay safe.