With more orders to stay at home, we’re once again having to get creative in our houses. Brits across the country are figuring out how to keep active when the gyms are shut. So, how have people changed their exercise routines, and what are some of the most popular workouts?
Flexible Timings
Before Covid-19, people worked exercise in around their working day. They would hit the gym before or after heading into the office or perhaps make the commute itself a form of exercise. Now, people can be much more flexible with their workout regimes. The online printers, instantprint, who specialise in posters, conducted a survey with 1,000 Brits. They wanted to know how people were spending the extra time they would have spent commuting, revealing that 18% of people were using it to exercise at home.
Popular Exercises
The survey showed that cycling and running were popular activities. Cycling saw a huge increase in popularity during the lockdown. This makes sense as people wanted to avoid public transport as much as possible. It’s likely that when commuting starts again more people will cycle to work. This has huge health benefits for them, but it’s also positive for cutting down on the country’s carbon emissions. It is hoped that work will be put into making the UK a more bike-friendly country – encouraging more people to get on their bikes.
Online Workouts
Of course, with so much of our world going digital the past year, it makes sense that online workouts also saw a surge of new users across the UK. Even though they don’t have the same atmosphere of the gym, they allow people to try classes they may have felt uncomfortable doing in front of others. There is an abundance of activities out there – from PE classes with Joe Wicks to retro dance aerobics. It allows fitness newbies and gym pros to stay active, even from the confines of their house. You will always be one decision away from taking home everything you need to start exercising and following routines online. Today it is easier than ever before. Do you want to improve the size of your glutes? Easy peasy. Take the best glute ham developer you can get and subscribe to the routine that suits you best.
Walking
Alongside cycling, walking is one of the most popular forms of exercise across the UK. Exercise doesn’t have to be a rigorous workout routine. People do it because it makes them feel better. During the initial lockdown, 63% of people said exercise was important for their mental health. So even something seemingly as simple as going outside for a walk every day can make a huge difference in your daily mood. There’s likely to be lots of walks in your local area and you could ask on social media to find new recommendations.
It’s a challenging time for everyone, but exercise can help boost your mood. Whether it’s a stroll outside or an intense fitness class at home – moving your body can help your mind. How have you been keeping active during lockdown?