STAY ACTIVE

A work-from-home lifestyle often means sluggish routines. RASHIMA NAGPAL speaks to fitness gurus to find out the keys to physical fitness and the many forms of workout that can be personalised.

- RASHIMA NAGPAL

PHYSICAL FITNESS grabbed a lot of attention in the wake of COVID-19. If the disease itself didn’t wreak havoc on your body, staying inside the house 24x7 did. The fear of going out of shape kept some motivated to work out, while some others found that exercise kept pandemic induced anxiety at bay. From live shuffling sessions to yoga videos and weight training at home, many trends emerged on social media and led to the realisation that there’s a lot you can do without a gym membership.

BUILD A HABIT

Finding the time and will to work out during a pandemic is a tough ask. Yoga expert Varuna Shunglu believes you cannot rely solely on motivation to push you. “Motivation is great but a limited resource,” she says. Instead, she recommends building a habit. “Take up a task and do it consistently for 40 days till it becomes a part of you.” According to celebrity fitness trainer Vinod Channa, if you are working 14-15 hours a day, you should take out at least one hour, three days a week, for fitness. Also, it helps if you have a dedicated workout area with no distractions. “It doesn’t have to be a huge area. As long as you can roll out a yoga mat, or have just enough space to move your body, it’s good,” says Pilates expert Namrata Purohit.

KNOW YOUR BODY