While this certainly is not ideal for our physical or emotional health, it does provide an opportunity to challenge our current perceptions of training and some room to ingrain new habits. Lets go over a list of what we CAN do.

 (People are suffering emotionally, physically and financially and this article is not intended to make light of that. There is nothing “Good” about the challenges we face and, more than anything, I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. This is about giving you an idea of what you can do for your health and fitness, not about making light of what we are all going through)

 1) Challenge your perceptions of a “great workout”. If you need to feel destroyed immediately after or brutally sore the following day, now is the perfect time to find another marker. Do you feel motivated to do it again? Do you feel energized after? Did you enjoy some of it? Challenge what you consider to be a good workout, your long-term health and motivation will benefit.  

 2) Get some sleep. In my 15 years of working with people, I can think of maybe 5 clients who respected sleep enough to get the hours they needed. I wasn’t one of those people. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Get 8 hours of sleep. Most of us no longer have any excuses for why 8 hours is out of the question.

 3) Take walks. It is April, not February, get out of the house and take a walk around the neighborhood. Start your day with a long walk if you can. Burn some extra calories and clear your head, just stay 6 feet apart!

 4) If you couldn’t outwork a crap diet before, you sure as hell cannot do it now! This is not a time to go on some crazy, crash diet but it is a great time put a little consideration into your daily nutrition. Learn how to cook a few healthy, on-the-go meals for when life gets hectic again. Food prep, even if you do not have to right now, just to develop the habit. Think about what you just didn’t have time to deal with 60 days ago and get busy.

 5) Heal. If you are a multisport athlete, I know you weren’t rolling into your spring sport feeling 100 percent. Of course you would rather competing but taking some time to let those nagging injuries heal isn’t the worst thing for you, especially if you end up getting to play some games after this ends.

 If you train there is a good chance you have some knee, hip or shoulder pain that limits you. You have a government built excuse for avoiding the exercises that bring on that irritation, take advantage of it and let yourself heal. Just make sure you figure out what was causing those issues in the first place.