Photo courtesy GymGuyz
As Virginia adjusts restrictions on gatherings and activities as necessary in reaction to COVID-19, older residents of the commonwealth are part of a population that’s been advised to continue to shelter safely at home. But active elders still need to engage in regular exercise, which can be hard to do when you spend most of your hours indoors. So we asked three local personal trainers for tips on how older Richmond residents can maintain their fitness while sheltering in place. Here are their suggestions. As always, go slowly when beginning a new exercise routine and check with your physician.
Keep Moving
Megan Abbott, general manager and certified personal trainer at GymGuyz, a home personal training studio in Richmond, recommends the following.
Move every day. Go for a walk, do yoga or strength-train. Motion is lotion, so make sure you are doing a little something each day.
Focus on balance. Balance can decrease as we get older, so putting an emphasis here can be helpful. Try balancing on one leg and see how long you can go.
Core strength. A strong core can help with balance and be a huge factor in the prevention of falls. Gentle exercises like dead bug and bird dog are great places to start. Lie face up to do a dead bug, with arms up and legs bent at the knees at 90-degree angles. Move your left arm back to the floor as you straighten your right leg and move it down to the floor; repeat the motion with the opposite limbs. Bird dog looks like it sounds: You mimic a hunting dog on point. Kneel on the floor, then point your right leg back and your left arm forward, repeating with the opposite limbs.
Stay Balanced
Xavier Darden Jr, known as Coach Xavier or Coach X, specializes in digital fitness. He believes a balanced life will help seniors stay fit.
Go outside. It’s always a great idea to get fresh air while staying fit. Again, implement the time element to push yourself while you work out. Example: Try to walk 1 mile in 20 minutes.
Nutrition. Eating a proper mix of whole foods and staying hydrated will keep your energy levels high, leading to more productive workouts.
Time. For the most effective workouts, set a 30-minute timer and try to get as many reps/sets done as you can of pushups, situps and squats.
Build Strength With Body Weight
Jennifer Farruggio, owner and trainer at UMatter, a Midlothian personal training studio, recommends using what you have on hand to enhance workouts.
Body-weight seated squats. Stand in front of a kitchen chair, hold your hands out in front of you, push your hips back, sit down fully and then stand back up nice and tall. As you repeat this motion, focus on doing the exercise in a nice, controlled tempo.
Pushups. The good old staple pushup will help you gain strength in your chest, which will assist you in getting up from the ground. Just remember to keep your elbows tucked. You can do this on the floor, on the couch, or you can push up at an incline while using your kitchen table.
Overhead press. Grab a couple of water bottles, stand up tall and hold the bottles close to your shoulders, almost as if you were talking on the phone, then press them over your head.
