Here in NJ, we have been on quarantine lockdown since mid-March. To be honest, I was relieved to hear that non-essential businesses were closing. I was very nervous about going into work and being in contact with so many different people throughout the day. I know we know a little more about Covid-19, but I don't want this post to be about the virus itself. Please visit government sites to obtain that type of information.
Today I want to talk about working out in isolation. You may or may not know that I am a very introverted person. It's true. Most of the people I meet in my group fitness classes are quite surprised when they hear me say that. I guess because I am rather animated when I am teaching. It's not that I am lying, it's just that I am doing what is necessary to teach the proper exercise as well as motivate. Different instructors will motivate differently, you just have to find what works for you. Some people would take my class once and never return...and that's ok because my style isn't for everyone. But I will save that for another post.
I admit, those first few weeks I was perfectly content working out on my own and just doing things on my own while my husband worked and my daughter was doing schoolwork. I was knitting more (which I LOVE!) and learning other things like sewing! I knew I was keeping myself and my family safe. I would do some online workouts or some on my own. I would also go running or walking with my family. Eventually, I stopped even doing that because I was THAT paranoid of getting too close to anyone. If you have stepped outside AT ALL during this quarantine you will see EVERYONE IS OUTSIDE. And I would just panic. As you can see, in addition to being an introvert, I also need to mange anxiety. But that is a a post for another day.
I have since calmed down a bit and learned to just be more aware of people around me. I am also grateful that my local park opened up so if someone else is running toward me I just have to run into the field instead of the middle of the street when I am running in my neighborhood.
When I took a break from running and walking outside, I really relied on my indoor workouts. I immediately started teaching PiYo on Facebook Live but that doesn't give me option to really interact. My early morning workout buddy would occasionally do facetime type workouts but it was nothing consistent. I guess it was sometime in mid-April where I felt I needed almost craved the consistency. I also started teaching Virtual classes at Club Pilates which was an enormous boost for my mood. It took some time to figure out, but I have fallen into somewhat of a rhythm with workouts. My early morning workout buddy even got a friend to join us! They both keep me honest to have something planned but I admit, I completely wing it at times. Shhhh, don't tell them. Oh, and the workouts are not early morning anymore but we managed to adapt around our schedules to fit them in. They aren't long workouts but they are enough for this introvert to still stay connected to the world and keeps my brain working to create new workouts on a regular basis. So what is the moral of the story?
You have to do what works for you. Yep, shocking I know. Some people will need to be on Facetime or Zoom everyday to stay sane. Me, not so much. But I have found that I really need some interaction to keep my mental wellness. I do "hangout" workouts about three times per week, and then I teach three virtual classes. That has been keeping me active and keep my brain working. Could you imagine if I completely stopped teaching for three months and then had to jump back in? That class would not go well to say the least.
Please comment and let me know what has been working for you during this quarantine. Have you joined virtual classes where you have already had a membership or have you found something new? I would love to hear all about it!