Exercise will not prevent us from becoming infected if exposed by viruses like COVID-19 (and others), but it is likely that keeping up with our normal activity levels will boost our immune system to help minimize effects as well as help with recovery.
In particular, cardiovascular training helps to flush bacteria out of your lungs, which can decrease your chances of getting a cold, flu or other illness. Strength and conditioning training also reduce levels of the body’s stress hormones and increases production of endorphins.
Below are three things to keep in mind when training during this time:
1. Every week plan at least 3 days for strength training & cardiovascular training. If you do not have weights at home, you can use household items like towels, filled gallon water jugs or a backpack filled with heavy objects. Even countertops, tables and chairs can be beneficial for strength training. Below are some at-home workouts that require no gym equipment. There are plenty of free workouts online if you need help finding ways to train at home.
2. Find creative ways to exercise while maintaining social distancing & proper hygiene. As long as you practice social distancing, long endurance runs or sprint work in neighborhoods or in parks are an easy way to get in some cardiovascular training outside. On strength days or higher intensity cardio days ,an empty parking lot, tennis courts or some space inside will do the trick. Make sure you are wiping down the equipment you use.
3. Rest and relaxation are also important. Listening to your bodies and spending the time to reduce stress and anxiety is very important during these times of uncertainty. Exercise can do wonders for our immune systems, but overtraining can have the opposite effect. Make sure you are taking rest days when needed. If you are feeling under the weather, do not train. Additionally, The National Sleep Foundation advises aiming for seven to eight hours of sleep each night to keep your immune system strong. If you cannot reach these numbers during one night sleep, small naps will help.
Consuming a whole food nutrient dense diet is always important, but it is particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need appropriate amounts of healthy macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats), vitamin and essential minerals for overall health every day.
Here are some foods and vitamins that can help us stay healthy and combat illnesses like COVID-19:
1. Vitamin A helps antibodies respond to toxins. Many foods are good sources of beta carotene, which gets converted to vitamin A. These foods include sweet potatoes, carrots, mangos, apricots, spinach, kale, broccoli, squash and cantaloupe.
2. Vitamin C increases blood levels of antibodies, differentiate white blood cells and helps the body determine what kind of protection it needs. Research shows that higher levels of vitamin C (at least 200 milligrams) can reduce the duration of cold symptoms. Foods like oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, red and green peppers, broccoli, cooked cabbage and cauliflower are very high in vitamin C.
3. Vitamin D may help to protect against acute respiratory tract infections and reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses. Foods high in vitamin D include fatty fish, eggs, fortified milk and plant milk products; cheese, fortified juice, tofu and mushrooms.
4. Zinc helps cells in our immune systems grow. One meta-analysis found that zinc supplements may shorten the duration of symptoms of the common cold. Beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu, fortified cereals, nuts, seeds, oysters, crab, lobster, beef, pork chop, dark meat poultry and yogurt all include high Zinc.
5. Protein is known to be the building block for cells and antibodies. Good sources of protein include fish, poultry, beef, milk, yogurt, eggs and cottage cheese, as well as nuts, seeds, beans and lentils.
6. Probiotics and prebiotics can also help boost and support our immune system. Probiotics include fermented dairy foods such as yogurt and kefir, and aged cheeses, as well as fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh and sourdough bread. Prebiotics include whole grains, bananas, onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, artichokes and beans.
- A1. Squats 4 x 20
- A2. Walking lunges 4 x 15 each leg (step with the same foot down and other foot back)
- B1. Tempo squats + 4 x 5 reps (5 seconds down 5 seconds up)
- B2. Pistol (single leg) squats 4 x 15 each leg *use a kitchen table chair/couch*
- C1. Isometric deadlift 4 x 30 seconds (Put the towel/rope under your foot. Bend over maintaining a straight back. Pull up and hold.)
- C2. Single Leg Glute Bridges 4 x 20 each leg
- C3. Sliding Hamstring Curls 4 x 10 each leg
- D1. Sissy Squats 4 x 10 reps
D2. Wall sit 4 x 1 minute
At Home Back + Biceps + Abs: (You need a bath towel)
- B1. Single arm bent over row 4 x 15 on each arm (Use a backpack full of heavy items)
- B2. Supermans 4 x 30 seconds
- C1. Laying lat pulldown 4×15 (Roll towel into a tube. lift chest off the floor arms straight out in front. Pull apart as you pull the towel down to your chin)
- C2. Single arm bicep curls 4×15 (Use a water jug or a full backpack)
- D1. Full sit ups 4 x 30 seconds
- D2. Bicycle crunches 4 x 30 seconds
- D3. Flutter kicks 4 x 30 seconds
- A1. Inverted row 4×15 (use table or countertop)
- A2. Bicep Curl isometric 4 x 30 second hold (Step on a towel and hold arms at 90 degrees and hold)
- B1. Single arm bent over row 4 x 15 on each arm (Use a backpack full of heavy items)
B2. Supermans 4 x 30 seconds - C1. Laying lat pulldown 4 x 15 (Roll towel into a tube. lift chest off the floor arms straight out in front. Pull apart as you pull the towel down to your chin)
C2. Single arm bicep curls 4 x 15 (Use a water jug or a full backpack) - D1. Full sit ups 4 x 30 seconds
D2. Bicycle crunches 4 x 30 seconds
D3. Flutter kicks 4 x 30seconds
At Home Shoulders, Chest & Triceps:
- A1. Pushups 4 x 15
A2. Chair Body Weight Dips 4 x 15 - B1. Pushup hold 4 x 30 seconds (Hold pushup at 90 degrees)
B2. Pharaoh tricep pushups 4×10 reps - C1. Chest press isometric 4 x 30 seconds (Hold arms out with a slight bend at elbow hands together push and hold)
C2. Tricep extension 4 x 15 (Use a countertop or bench) - D1. Shoulder press 4 x 15
D2. Lateral raise isometric hold 4 x max effort time (Stand on a towel hold both ends out to the side and pull up as hard as you can and hold)
D3. Front raise 4 x 20 (Use a text book, water jug, toolbox, etc.)
- 4 x 1 minute
- High knees
- Jumping jacks
- Mountain climbers
- Wall drives (Put hand on a study wall and push into it while driving knees up. This should feel like you are pushing a heavy sled)
- 4 x 10 reps
- Vertical jumps
- Broad jumps
- Shuffle to Burpee (5 per side)
- 10 minutes
Plank jacks 12
Step up to knee drive (use a stool, step, or bench) 12 each side
Drop squats 12
Split squat jumps (or squat jumps or both) 4×10 each leg - Finisher: 8 sprints
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Melissa Kleinberg is a personal trainer and group fitness coach with more than seven years of experience. A graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree Health and Physical Education., she is also enrolled in the RTS mastery program, a prestigious opportunity for her to understand the body on an entire different level. RTS helps integrate orthopedics and motor learning with the physics of resistance application, along with the skills of client/patient education. Melissa has worked with clients and athletes of all ages, interests and skill levels. For more information, visit her at www.apxchicago.com. You can also contact her at melissakleinberg94@gmail.com.
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