Pandemic Workouts

 There has been an air of melancholy ever since the uncanny  pandemic has set in.

Staying cooped up at home without much human interaction can be physically and mentally stressful. 

Gyms are shut and outdoor exercise is off the table with all of your socializing happening on Zoom and Google meet .Doing easy home exercises during lockdown can be highly rewarding once you get the hang of it. It can become one of your lockdown solutions that makes you feel productive while making you fitter.

Exercise has a couple of positive impacts on the immune system. According to a study , frequent physical activity can limit and delay ageing of the immune system. Other than the long-term effects, even a small amount of exercise can increase the production of natural killer cells in the body - these cells make up the immune system’s second line of defence. Exercising can also improve lymphatic drainage that can remove toxins and boost the body’s ability to fight off infections.

Regular physical activity stimulates the production of hormones such as serotonin, dopamine which are essential for stabilising our moods. Increased levels of serotonin and dopamine can create a sense of happiness and wellbeing,. Stretching exercises can also be relaxing as they can turn off our fight or flight response by reducing adrenaline production temporarily.

Having a fit body is crucial for your emotional and mental well-being. During these tough times, you might feel that being lazy is the ‘new normal,’ but you shouldn’t compromise on self-care. Hence, exercising regularly while being stuck at home is exceptionally crucial.

In older times,obesity was unheard of as people used to keep moving and were on the go even at home as many didn’t have domestic help. Our grandmothers kept in shape without ever entering the gym, because their household work was their workout

 Mopping the floor and washing clothes burns approximately 50 calories in 15/20 minutes and also helps to tone up the arms, work on abs like crunches and also on thighs & butt as it also acts as a low squat. Washing the dishes and ironing again works on the arm muscles and helps to burn  about 40 calories in 15 mts. Cooking for 20 minutes would burn around 60 calories and gardening, about 50. Doing a medley of these would easily help one to burn 120-150 calories a day.

Just taking a short break from sitting, by doing five  minutes of light intensity physical movement, such as walking or stretching, will help ease your muscles and improve blood circulation and muscle activity.

Various home workouts/exercises can be performed :

A) Using your bodyweight alone

B) Using  equipments such as Dumbbells, Resistance Bands/Tubes

C) Using household items such as backpacks, water bottles, buckets and even brooms.

Jumping jacks,squats and planks can be performed under the able guidance of a certified trainer.Lots of online classes are happening though nothing can beat offline training.

Jumping jacks are a form of cardiovascular exercise that works the entire body

Plank build core strength and stabilize the back.They build strength in arms Planks also target the transverse abdominal muscles which builds core strength 

Squats help in building lower body strength( glutes and quadriceps). They also aid in strengthening the lower back .

Yoga is also known to increase mucosal immunity by increasing Salivary Beta Defensin-2 levels especially in elderly populationYoga practices such as Kriya, Yogasana and Pranayama have been shown to reduce airway reactivity in elderly subjects with asthma and COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)  . Thus, Yoga /Meditation can reduce susceptibility to Acute Respiratory Illness. Neti kriya is useful in acute coryza and symptoms of cold.Yoga based life style modules which can be used for  to improve general immunity, Prehabilitation of vulnerable populations (children, elderly and those with comorbid conditions such as diabetes and hypertension) and to those patients in isolation/quarantine with or without mild symptoms.

So all of you involve yourself in household chores 

Clean eating habits and moderate exercises especially  when done early in the morning will keep you healthy.

Note: Patients  with chronic diseases kindly inform your your physicians.Patients recovery from acute illness do not indulge  in strenuous exercises

Exercises should be preferably  done early in the morning, preferably  under the guidance of a trainer. 

I have written this article  after discussions  with physicians ,certified trainers and my personal experiences

Any queries mail me at amulyathotambailu@gmail.com