My Favourite Workouts to Do from Home.

For Someone who Hates Home Workouts.

I do, I am not the person who workout from home. It’s not my go-to. For me, it’s not a capability thing it's a mental block. I know that when I walk into a gym, I’m there to workout. I do the workout then I leave and I’m done. At home, distractions pop up, or my phone buzzes and I find myself in a different headspace.
PS: wearing the Support Local Strength shirt by my friend's brand, Bears & Arrows

The first thing I did was create space. Whether it was putting down a yoga mat, or in a different room in the house, pick a place that is going to be your new workout space. When you step onto the mat or into the space turn your phone on silent, close the door, whatever you need to make that space yours.

1. Yoga
This one was my “I can do this, it won’t be that hard” *insert out of breath, sore muscles, and swearing at the computer screen. My favourite online yoga platform is Pure Online. I have been practising with them for years, they are another locally owned business and they have been so good throughout this pandemic. Their teachers are all phenomenal but if you’re looking to really feel that burn I would recommend @jennstow or @wildroga for some intense workouts.

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A post shared by Jennifer Stow (@jennstow) on Jul 11, 2020 at 8:03am PDT

 

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A post shared by Ro | Teacher & Speaker (@wildroga) on Jun 12, 2020 at 9:47am PDT

Both of these instructors are amazing and if you like their workouts you can send them a donation or support them by signing up for PureLifeTV which is an online platform for yoga classes. 

You can also purchase yoga block from Dollerama (I know, the "D" word doesn't come out often, but if you are looking just to get started and you don't want to make a big investment I highly recommend getting some blocks to bring the floor closer to you.)

2. Running/Cycling
I know it’s getting cooler but I have really fallen in love with these activities. I used to only ride my bike to get from point A. to point B. but Ottawa as an amazing bike path that goes all around the city. From Downtown around the city, around Lincoln Fields and back is about 36k and takes anywhere between 1-1.5hrs. Its an absolutely beautiful ride and if you’re not super comfortable on the bike just yet it’s great because it's almost exclusively on bike paths.

If you're not sure where to go, this site has all the bike paths in Ottawa!

Running I found the main thing was consistency. Like everything else I suppose. You do it, or you lose it. I started with around my neighbourhood, worked my way up to 10k than stopped now I’m starting all over again. What I like about running is that it’s a new challenge and with no one around I don’t have anyone to impress or compare myself to.

I do know that for both of these sports you need equipment, but for the most part when you're just getting started don't worry so much about the tools and focus on if you enjoy the movement enough to invest.

3. Walking
I used to think getting my steps in was no big deal. But when we stopped going out I realized that my step counter has been looking pretty sad lately. Making a point to going outside every day and getting some steps in gives your body that extra burst of energy you don’t see when you’re sitting at home all day. Especially now that it’s getting dark and gloomy. 

 
You can track your walks with fee apps like, RunKeeper or Strava. Again, both free and pay if you decide you truly enjoy the movement. I also really like the AllTrails App for going hiking. It gives you information about the trails in your area, including distance, difficulty, and pet friendly. 

Also hiking just always makes me think of War Paint, a comedy sketch by Iliza Shlesinger. It's on Netflix. Watch it after your workout!