2020 Review: Fitness Lessons Learned
The year 2020 was challenging to say the least. My entire way of living was turned upside down and I had to reinvent my hobbies, work and lifestyle. Part of me wants to erase it from my memory altogether, but as the year draws to an end there are so many valuable lessons that I have learned as a fitness professional and enthusiast. Here are a few takeaways from 2020:
Walking
Walking quickly became a staple in my day-to-day activities. Before 2020, walking would be something that I did pretty leisurely. Don't get me wrong, I've always enjoyed a nice walk, but this activity was firmly filed in the recreational folder in the filing cabinet that is my brain. This year, I quickly learned that so many other parts of my well-being are intertwined with me getting a certain amount of activity that is sustainable.
For instance, if I don't go for my walk I typically don't sleep as well or have a clear focus when I’m working. For me, walking isn't laborious but that's part of the draw to the activity; it's something that I can do for longer durations that helps me expend some energy, both caloric and neurotic.
Getting lots of steps is cool but the real benefit has been getting my heart rate up and clearing my mind. Going for a walk got me out of the garage gym and gave me the opportunity to explore some of the trails and parks in my neighborhood. Walking elevated my heart rate but also elevated my mood. I'm grateful to have developed this habit during this time and happy to know that walking has a place on my schedule going forward.
Home Workouts
I love the gym! It's literally a second home for me. It is where I work, exercise, and socialize.
When things shut down in March, I was panicked because working out is not only a recreation of mine but also a therapeutic release. I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to strength train and maintain my sanity. Would home workouts be as satisfying?
I, like many people, considered buying some dumbbells and other equipment, however, when I went to the sporting goods store everything that I was interested in had already been sold. As discouraged as I was, I was still lucky. I had a few key pieces at home and began the process of optimizing my workouts with the equipment I had in my possession. Going into this adjustment, my mindset was, “How can I maximize my movement in the present so that I train well now, and also prepare myself for the lifting that will happen in the future?”
I would also utilize this mindset for each client that I worked with virtually. Many of them would log on with varying sets of equipment ranging from bands, yoga mats, and light dumbbells. We began to develop a new routine with the available equipment in order for us to continue working towards their fitness goals. Some of my proudest moments as a coach came during this time as clients were able to achieve their first push-ups, strengthen shoulders and refine their squats. We placed an emphasis on consistency and practice of our fundamentals.
As much as I enjoy having a gym full of equipment at my fingertips, having less has taught me to improvise and maximize what I do have. Don't have a lat-pulldown? Time to get really good at pull-ups and inverted rows. Missing the shoulder press machine? Let's do a kneeling single arm press with the dumbbell. Craving some tricep extensions? Let me introduce you to narrow grip push-ups using your sofa.
Maintaining a consistent training routine has been one of the habits that has kept me physically and mentally strong during the challenges faced this year. Exercising and supporting others to stay healthy gave me a daily injection of positivity that helped me tackle the darkest moments of this year.
Perspective
This year was far from perfect. For many of us, it holds some of our lowest points but it'd be foolish to neglect the lessons it taught us. I love the gym and I'll be really excited when I can return. With the drastic reduction of what's available for self-care during this time, many of us had to get innovative to find what we needed to keep the gears of our bodies running smoothly. Ottomans became benches and water jugs were filled as weights. While we were not able to set a personal record on bench press or have all the tools for our ideal back-day workout, we were still able to move. A lot. We focused on our health goals as a matter of consistency. For many, the goal was to stay moving and limber during this time so that we could be ready for our traditional exercise and recreation once the world gets better. However, we found new strengths and ways to manage our mental health during this pandemic that will serve us well into the future.
Thank you for reading. As a fitness professional and small business owner during this pandemic, it has been one hell of a ride. Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year!
