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Fitness Tips for Home

By SCMAF, 04/17/20, 12:15PM PDT

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Missing the gym and park? Do you feel like you're not getting enough exercise at home? Here are some tips to help yourself and family stay in shape when you can't go outside.

Aerobic exercise helps your heart and lungs and offers proven stress-reduction benefits during this difficult time. Try to do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for at least 150 minutes every week; 30 minutes a day, five times a week is easy to remember. Here are some ways to do aerobic activity inside:

  • Dust off those old exercise DVDs or find some exercise videos/channels online. There are plenty that the whole family can participate in.
  • Host a family dance party. Pick a different family member each time to play the DJ.
  • Go up and down the stairs.
  • Speed up your vacuuming, bathroom cleaning and kitchen cleaning. Keep moving while you clean!


Strength training helps your bones and muscles. Do strength-training exercises at least two days a week. 

  • Begin with light dumbbells, lifting eight to 12 times in a row. If you don't have dumbbells at home, use soup cans so even your kids can participate. When you can do more than 12 reps, move up to a slightly heavier weight/can.
  • Do push-ups or pull-ups.
     

Stretching keeps your muscles flexible and helps prevent injuries. Stretch after you do your regularly scheduled strength and aerobic activities. Here’s how:

  • Learn yoga or tai chi from a video, book or online class.
  • Lift your arms toward the ceiling and stretch. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, and repeat every stretch three to five times.
  • Never miss a chance to move. For example, march in place while watching TV. 


Good Luck and remember to keep moving!