Just because the majority of gyms are closed due to Covid-19 concerns, you don’t have to power down into lazy lump mode. So how about some home workouts?
Luckily for you my homebound friend, you have a plethora of options to get your fit on. If you’re like me, transitioning to classes at home may be a bit of a challenge. But just remember— even if you just manage seven minutes of yoga now and again, seven minutes is way more than zero.
Here’s a roundup of FREE (and our fave) fitness classes online:
Note: unless you have a paid Youtube, account, you will have to “pay” by watching occasional ads.
Dance
Pick up hot new moves you can debut when the clubs reopen.
The Fitness Marshall’s 30 Minute Dance Workout doesn’t take itself seriously in the best of ways — filled with cardio, dashes of strength training, good vibes, Lizzo, and Ariana Grande. Check out their channel for more fitness and dance choreography videos.
For dance newbies, we recommend the 10 minute videos from Move With Colour. Nathan breaks down the moves and builds them up step-by-step.
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
Get ripped. No equipment needed.
HIIT or High-intensity interval training generally combines short bursts of intense exercise with low-intensity rest moves. Think one minute of jumping jacks, then two minutes of plank. Rawr!
Heather Robertson’s Intense 30 Minute Full Body HIIT packs a hell-of-a-punch without making me feel like I’m going to keel over from exhaustion. Her 12-week workout playlist consists of 61 different videos so you won’t get bored doing the same routine.
However, if you’re looking for more of a cardio focus with a club vibe, try Les Mills’ 30-minute HIIT workout.
Yoga
Find your zen while stretching and strengthening.
With 6.7 million subscribers, Yoga with Adriene is the grand dame of the online yoga world. Her soothing voice and clear instructions will wake you up in the morning, ease you into bedtime, and alleviate stress. Plus as a bonus, her dog Benji often makes cameos!
If you’re new to yoga or just not sure where to start, Try the 30 Days of Yoga playlist that serves up a different short class a day.
Prefer to take a live class with an instructor? YogaWorks is offering free livestream classes at Japan-friendly times.
Meditation
Calm your mind. Ground your body.
If you’re short on time (or patience), Calm has a selection of soothing 10-minute meditations. If you’re looking to indulge in longer sessions, explore the Mindfulness Meditations playlist from The Mindful Movement.
Bonus tip: Spotify hosts a number of meditation podcasts and tracks. This playlist is a good place to start exploring.
Bonus! ‘80s Style Aerobics + Practice your English?!
After all, laughter is the best medicine….
Zuiikin’ English’s is an oddball tv show which aired in 1992 with a 5 AM time-slot; naturally, it combined language learning with aerobics. Thanks to this show, a generation of Japanese people have mastered useful phrases such as: “The climax scene really got to me” and “Lovely golf weather today!”
Now, You Give It a Try!
Time to get up and have some fun, yo.
Any exercise is better than nothing, so, permit yourself to start small. And, in case you’re wondering, lifting a burger to your mouth does not count as strength training. 🙅♀️
P.S. To further exercise your brain, check out our guide to the best virtual museums!
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