Stef Fit Shares 5 Alternative Lockdown Wellness Hacks

As we approach nearly a year (a year!) in lockdown - with our beloved gyms being closed for most of that - we've taken our workouts in-house.

As our favourite spin and Hiit studios closed their doors, searches for online fitness soared, with people wondering just what they should do to keep their muscles strong. The perfect solution? An at-home workout plan.

We quickly discovered that there was a plethora of at-home exercise options, from slick, shiny machines like Peloton to yoga apps, online yoga classes and space-saving workout equipment that boost your overall experience.

But it's been a year of rolling out our yoga mat on our bedroom floor and I don't know about you but I'm bored.

Thankfully, Stef Fit, an inspirational fitness influencer and founder of the We Glow app, has heard my cries and curated a guide to the best alternative lockdown fitness trends to try when you're sick to death of pounding the pavement or yoga Zooming.

"I’ve always been open to trying new things when it comes to fitness," she tells us. "Variety and challenge in your fitness routine makes it all so much more interesting and sustainable! With gyms closed again, I’d love to share some ‘alternative’ trends that I’ve been trying and enjoying at home in lockdown alongside my home workouts to really help you glow."

Here are Stef's ultimate alternative lockdown fitness hacks to shake up your at-home workouts and get you healthy (and hopefully happy!) during this bleak old time....

Write down three words on how you're feeling pre-workout and 3 words post-workout

I’m a big advocate for the power of writing things down - it helps me process and digest long term. Whether that’s my goals, achievements or things I’ve learnt - they stick in my head longer if they’re on paper. I like to write down three words to describe how I’m feeling before a workout and three words after because it makes it glaringly obvious how much better I feel after I’ve worked out. So, even when I’m feeling sluggish or having to search a little harder for the motivation to move, I can look back on my previous entries and know it’ll be worth it - who doesn’t want to feel good?

Barefoot workouts

I always workout at home in bare feet - if you’ve watched any of my Instagram Live workouts, you might have noticed! Working out in bare feet stabilises both feet and ankles and makes them stronger. Connecting your feet to the floor also gives you better awareness of your whole body and improves your stability. You’d be amazed how many trainers people wear to workout that aren’t appropriate for their individual bio-mechanics - they’re more suitable for fashion purposes.

Cold water showers

The benefits of cold water showers are having a bit of a ‘moment’ in the spotlight at the moment and something I do enjoy adding into my health routine. Although it sounds like a bit of a punishing ritual, a cold water shower after a workout really does make you feel amazing after. Not only do they cool you down (no surprises there!), but cold showers also reduce muscle soreness, improve your circulation and - give your hair and skin a lovely glow. Give it a go if you’re feeling brave - you won’t regret it.

Freestyle fitness

This one sounds a little silly, but hear me out! Some days, I want to move my body but I just don’t feel like following a structured workout plan, or running. So I’ll make a playlist of my favourite songs that lasts for between 5-10 minutes, and I’ll turn up my speakers and just dance and go crazy until the playlist is over. It helps me to identify where my body feels tight and I’ll just shake it all out and release any tension from my week both physically and mentally. You work up a real sweat and it really lifts up my mood.

20-minute workouts

A really common mistake I see people make in their fitness journeys is mistaking length of workout for efficiency. You don’t have to do a 90-minute workout every day to feel stronger or fitter or meet your goals. It’s so important to get away from that ‘all or nothing’ mindset. If you’re pushed for time or a longer workout feels daunting, a few 20 minute workouts a week is better than no movement at all. If you enjoy those short bursts, it’s likely that you’ll stick at it for longer and be more consistent. I’m loving the 20 minute ‘energiser’ workouts in my app - they’re fun, digestible workouts that make me feel good after and I can fit them easily into my day.

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