Stuck in a Bit of a Rut? Get Yourself a Challenge!

Guest blog written for Pear Collections

You have no doubt been experiencing some degree of lock down of late. Has meant you have been less active? It certainly means you haven’t been hitting the gym. Whatever the case is, having access to limited equipment and limited space means you may have to do things differently.

What’s the best way to exercise in isolation? 

Whatever gets you moving, better to move than not!

If you enjoy walking and running more, pardon the pun, run with it. If you enjoy online dance classes, yoga, pilates, HIIT, boxing, whatever gets you exercising and keeps you coming back is a good thing.

Now is a great time to focus on strengthening weaknesses. And no I don’t mean specifically strength training, in fact if this is the main training you do, then maybe ISO is a great time to up your cardio game, work on your mobility, stability or simply your recovery methods.

Anything you are not good at is ideal, as this will provide a challenge. With all of this time at home, we need variety, and to be stimulated. It helps you physically and also mentally, a big part of many peoples struggle at the moment. Overcoming a physical/mental challenge is rewarding.

What if you are not sure what you are good at?

There are many different ways to establish where you need to do the work. Have a think about how you feel when you do try different types of exercises, and what may be the cause. For example:

• Find you get puffed or heart rate rocketing walking upstairs or carrying groceries? You could work on your cardiovascular health.
• Can you do a body-weight squat to depth without lifting up heels or caving in knees? Are you unable to touch your toes or fold at the hips keeping your back straight? No? Maybe your mobility could use some work?
• Do you struggle balancing with movements like lunges, side to side or rotation? Maybe you are lacking adequate stability?
• When you go for a run or do jump around, do you get knee, back or hip pain afterwards? Can you do a push-up or plank with good form? If not maybe you could use some strength work?
• Are you able to do all of these things but get run down or sick easily? Maybe your recovery via food, sleep, or stress levels need addressing?

Focus on Mastery

There is always something we can be better at, and now is perfect to focus on mastery, away from the screens and seated postures that so many of us are spending an increasing amount of time in.

Mastery takes time, so little improvements each week are ideal. A few more metres, half a kilo of weight, an extra centimetre on a stretch, an extra 20 mins of sleep, baby steps lead to big changes over time.

So where to start? 

There are countless free and paid services available online, from streaming to live sessions.  If you want to get really good and really master something in a shorter time frame whilst remaining injury free, your best bet is to hire a coach.

Next steps, work out what you want to achieve and do your homework. Find the perfect fit for your specific goals and get at it, your body and mind are well worth the investment of a little time, money and effort.

Guest Blog written by: Katie Masters from KM Health.

If you’d like to get more tips on how to stay healthy during ISO, head on over to kmhealth.com.au or follow me on ‘the gram’ at instagram.com/km.health.