Mt Airy Exercise

Feeling a little distracted these days? You’re not the only one! There is a lot going on around us:

Increased time with some family and less time with others

Uncertainties at your workplace

Concerns with personal and global health

Lack of or change in routine 

When we find ourselves distracted, what we think about next is incredibly important.

In these moments, when your head is spinning, we suggest that you focus on fitness.

Sometimes this appears challenging to do, because we can’t quite see how it relates or affects the previously mentioned distractions – your family, workplace, health, and routine. However, fitness has the power to transform each of these areas, which is why it deserves your attention.

Let’s discuss how focusing on fitness can enhance the time spent with your family. Have you ever tried to talk while working out? It’s incredibly challenging! We can reduce the time spent discussing unknowns in our environment, by getting to work on a variety of bodyweight workouts. This is a great way to spend time with our family, however, working out on your own will also allow you to approach family time with a clear, present mind.

To this point, focusing on fitness has profound mental benefits. The hormones released, while working out, provide a much needed boost in mood and allow us to come focused to work related tasks. When our head is clear, we have the ability to problem-solve and arrive at solutions confidently.

When we focus on fitness, we are also preparing our bodies for potential stressors, or in this case viruses. During a time when we are taking extra cleanliness precautions, be sure to also check-in with the system of muscles and bones that serve as your body’s armor. We want that to be as strong as possible.

Lastly, focusing on fitness can change or even create a daily routine. Commit to a scheduled workout time, and all of a sudden you have to plan the time before and after. What time will you wake-up and eat breakfast? What time will you answer emails and spend time with your kids?

Focusing on fitness can turn a spinning mind into a calm one.

~Jennifer

Let me begin by saying that it is challenging to not write a blog post that doesn’t pertain to this current time! We have all had unique experiences with COVID-19, and I certainly cannot begin to speak to yours.  However, I am an expert (I like to think) on my current situation, so I’d like to highlight something that I have learned.

I think it is tempting to wish for COVID-19 to leave so that we may return to our lives.

However, we are currently faced with a unique opportunity to work within a situation.

Here are a few examples of how I work within COVID-19, rather than wish for its removal entirely!

Pick something that you love to do, and do it at the same time each day. Each morning, I have fallen into this habit of sitting at my desk that looks out the window into our yard, with a cup of coffee. Sometimes I read, sometimes I think. It sounds cheesy, but I love it! (Mostly the coffee…) What do you love to do? Hang on to that.

Choose health. Urban Athlete is special. I could have written this blog post about so many different topics, because UA takes a wholistic approach to health. Health to me has always meant listening to my body. My body tells me when I need to eat differently, sleep differently, work out differently, or think differently. When I tell this to people, they normally respond with, “Well, my body is telling me to eat ice cream!”. To which I say, “Well yes, my body tells me that too.”

Still focus on people. My favorite part about  being a coach at Urban Athlete is that the people are the priority. We have the privilege of offering our workouts over Zoom, but we also delight in reaching out to our clients via phone call or text message throughout the week. As a coach who lives an hour from the gym, I now feel more a part of the Urban Athlete community than I ever have. What are some ways that you have been able to keep people the priority?

Here is a question to consider ~ Have you Hope?

Hope, not only for after COVID-19, but also for during or within it?

Cheers to good health.

~ Jennifer B.

There was something about our Bodyweight Bliss workouts this week that made me feel like I was preparing for battle. Maybe this is an exaggeration, maybe it’s not. But as my heart rate increased and I began to sweat doing Lateral Bounding (in the 4 feet of empty space in my bedroom…), I couldn’t help but feel like I was reminding my body just how strong it was. 

Exercise protects our bodies, but it also shields our brains. As soon as I was finished working out, I had the energy and the motivation to cook a healthy dinner for my family. 

We wanted to write a blog post this week that empowered you to work out from home. We wanted to give you the freedom to start moving anywhere you find yourself – your living room, kitchen, front porch, or the four feet of empty space in your bedroom. 

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but your body (and your brain) are counting on you to move. 

I’ll organize the different movements and household items that you can use by where you find yourself in the house! 

Living room: Do you allow feet on the furniture in your house? You can do elevated hip bridges with your heels on a recliner or the couch! 

Kitchen: Use a mop or broom for shoulder dislocates! Take a wide grip on the broom, keeping your arms straight and gently travel up and behind your head.

Bedroom: Get those feet up on your bed for an elevated push-up or plank! 

Bathroom: Right now, there is currently a bucket of bleach in our bathroom, because we are about to mop the floors! In between cleaning the tub and floor, throw some RDL’s in there with the bucket – but maybe first make sure that it’s just full of water… 

Hallway: This is a great space to do anything that we would do while traveling in the gym – think dynamic warm-up. Walking to the bathroom? Throw some lunges in there! Ever done crossovers (think right over left) to your toothbrush? Well, now’s the time! 

Front/Back Porch: Throw down a towel or yoga mat and get busy! This can be your favorite core workout or reset! 

We are here to support you, as you take this time to focus on your physical and mental well-being. Our hope is that the healthy habits you form now, during these trying weeks, would last your lifetime.

Happy moving! 

Whether you decided to try RDL’s with a bucket or caught yourself lunging down the hallway, we want to see you exercising at home! Post yourself using one of the suggested home items, and tag @urbanathletephilly on either Instagram or Facebook to win 1 week of Bodyweight Bliss workouts! Don’t forget to use the hashtag #uastrong !