Looking back to January at the goals I set this year, both personally and professionally, it’s all a little blurred. If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s how to let go of my plans, to expect the unexpected, and how to adapt in a rapidly changing world.
Here’s what I know for sure: No matter what life throws our way, the importance of taking care of our health and wellbeing remains the same. So, whilst we may not be able to make big plans and chase our dreams just yet, we can reflect on what we’ve learned from what we’ve been through, and create a vision of how we want to look after ourselves for the rest of this extraordinary year and beyond.
For some of us, lockdown presented a chance to train in different ways and explore new avenues, and for others it was an incredibly difficult period that affected their mental health in ways which they may not yet be aware. This is a unique time that we’re experiencing together and it seems like every day there is a new challenge or restriction put in place for us to navigate, but by making time for your body and your mind you’ll feel more strength, balance and calm that can shift your whole mood.
When it comes to your training, don’t beat yourself up or feel guilty if you’ve fallen off track with prioritising self-care. Many of us have been home working, home schooling, taking care of loved ones or working on the front line, and that’s what’s been important in the last few months. But now we’re out of full lockdown and able to go about our daily business – albeit in a masked and socially distanced way – there’s a semblance of normality returning to our lives, and that means reviving your pre- COVID routine of training your body and your mind.
We adapt. We improvise. We connect.
There’s no doubt that the way we train has changed over the past few months with
much of it being done virtually, but is this set to replace the physical gym or should we look towards a blended way of continuing our growth and smashing our goals?
A physical gym offers easy access to equipment and workout space – two things that are expensive and not readily available at home. They also offer face-to-face personal training and direct access to the expert knowledge of trainers and class instructors. Furthermore, being able to tap into community knowledge and have the support of other people working out – a shared suffering – is really important too.
Online and virtual training is easily accessible, and there’s so much available there’s something to suit everyone at every level of fitness. It’s flexible and fits your schedule, any time and any place. But does it offer everything you’ve identified as important to your training regime and is it as motivating as physically being at the gym?
Judging by these five new trends that have emerged as we’ve come out of lockdown, there’s room in your life for both the physical and the virtual.
Personalisation – one size does not fit all.
No two people are the same, no two people face the exact same challenges, and no two people have the same goals, and this is why a personalised training plan is so important.
Training Apps – challenge, achieve, celebrate.
It’s hard to train alone. We need encouragement, a challenge, instruction and guidance, and some good old-fashioned camaraderie. We need to be pushed to our limits to get the best from ourselves. When we were locked out of our gyms, more people than ever turned to technology to fill the void left by lockdown. It’s a way to connect with other likeminded athletes and a means of mapping your training, and it’s really quite nice when you get a badge to reward your efforts!
On demand.
When there’s a disconnect in life, people feel the need to reconnect via any means available. During lockdown, that meant virtual training or pounding the pavements. Moving into the virtual space is now a necessity for every gym and training facility, and these online or virtual classes might not have otherwise happened if not for COVID. From live streaming classes, PT sessions and posting videos for on-demand consumption, to motivational coaching online and even renting out equipment, it’s accessible, flexible, and it’s here to stay.
Home gym.
Purchase of home gym equipment spiked in the lockdown period – from big ticket items like treadmills to the more basic and affordable dumbbells - as people tried to keep up with their pre-COVID fitness routines. It’s incredible what you can do with a set of dumbbells, just ask your PT.
Learn and live.
Possibly the most important message to come out of the pandemic is the need to look after our mental and physical health and to address any pre-existing issues we have to give us the best outcome should we become ill. The education we have received since the pandemic struck has been nothing short of an information dump and is often hard to comprehend the science. The really good news – yes there is some – is that hundreds of thousands of people across the globe are now training for the first time and seeing great results. Long may it continue.
The next step.
Look back to January at the goals you set and work out what you’ve learned over the past six months. What would you change about the way you navigated lockdown? How have you coped without a physical gym and how would you best prepare yourself for future lockdowns? Now’s the time to futureproof your training and work out how you can keep on track throughout the duration of this pandemic, and if we go into lockdown again you’ll be ready.