By Barrett White
Author’s note: As of the afternoon of April 8, 2020, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has ordered that all Harris County parks be closed through the Easter and Passover weekend. Houston parks will remain open. We, like County leadership, hope that you all enjoy a pleasant weekend indoors. If the park closure is extended beyond the weekend, we will update this notice accordingly.
These are unprecedented times. A pandemic to the scale of warranting quarantines and social isolation hasn’t been seen (at least not in the US) since the 1910s.
No, I will not compare the current pandemic to the AIDS crisis. They are not the same. I will not suggest that our current plague is worse to warrant the distancing, but I will say that they are different, both in terms of the virus itself and government response.
I digress. While we are, for the most part, isolated in our homes, the urge to go stir-crazy can feel overwhelming. I, for one, am a tried and true urbanite. I’m not an extrovert by any means, but I do find that my easiest and most surefire way to recharge is not by snuggling up in my bedroom, but by writing or reading at a coffee shop. I thrive on the noise and bustle of the city, whether I’m here in Houston, or on a personal retreat to New York.
That’s the environment in which I find my groove.
I’m also a little bit of a gym nut. Sure, I could stand to be in better shape—it’s not like Adonis is writing to you today—but I do thoroughly enjoy the endorphins my body so graciously supplies while I’m climbing the stairs or lifting weights.
So, while I must disclaim that I am in no way a health and fitness professional, I am a city boy who likes to be out in the city and a gym bunny who enjoys the rush of a good workout. What ever am I doing during the lockdown, then? Let me lay out some workarounds that have been good to me, physically and mentally. Perhaps, if you’re looking to get your own endorphins flowing (whether you’re a gym regular or not), this information could assist you in your own chase for those ever-elusive feel-good chemicals.
Hit up the park, carefully. As I mentioned above, I live in Houston. I don’t know where you are, or what orders are in place where you’re living. Above all else, adhere to those orders. Here in Space City, however, we are (currently) allowed to leave our homes and go for walks, jogs, bike rides, etc. The order is that we keep our distance from other people, and do not touch playground equipment, benches, or other structures while out and about. In essence, please feel free to get some sunshine; it’s good for you! But jog through the park and back home. Do not jog to the park, play on the gym equipment, sit on the bench, and then head back. Big no-no.
For our Houston-based readers, some of my favorite spots to jog through, in no particular order:
- Buffalo Bayou
- White Oak Bayou
- Memorial Park
- Hermann Park
- The Rice University Loop
- And of course, a jog around Montrose, Midtown, or Downtown is plenty picturesque without requiring that you touch anything or come close to anyone.
Treat yourself, and get some sun! Nothing can replace the feeling of walking up the block to one of my favorite shops like Blacksmith, Boomtown, A 2nd Cup, Mercantile Montrose…the list goes on. The smell of the coffee beans, the murmur of the shop, the comfort of the atmosphere…it’s irreplaceable. Be that as it may, I still do my best. Brew yourself some coffee, steep some tea, whatever brings you a little joy right now. If your apartment has a balcony, use it. I’ve found that sitting on my balcony in the sunlight, looking out into my little nook of Montrose has really been peaceful. It’s not the same, but it’s something.
No balcony? No problem. Do yourself the favor of opening your blinds and pulling back the curtains. When you need to get away from working from home (or not working at all), bring the sunlight in to you. Flood your living room with it and take a few moments for yourself.
Relax—you have earned a reprieve.
And finally, sweat at home. If you are looking for some physical activity but don’t plan on going for a run, there’s no reason that you have to leave the house for a good sweat. There are plenty of challenging bodyweight workouts that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home; even better if you own dumbbells or a pull-up bar, but if not, no sweat! (Figuratively, not literally; there will be lots of sweat).
When it comes to at-home workouts, I find myself lacking motivation. There’s no better way to say it: I just have no motivation to workout at home. I’m alone and I don’t even like bodyweight workouts. If you’re in the same boat as me, perhaps it would help to enlist a workout buddy. Find a friend who is also looking to keep up with their physical activity and plan a workout together via FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype. And don’t take it too seriously, either. Laugh through the workout.
For some workout inspiration, check out Instagram! A few trainers who come to mind are Alex Crockford, Krista McGlynn, and Fitt by Sum. Each of these athletes have uploaded numerous free at-home workouts to their pages, featuring both minimal equipment and bodyweight-only exercises. Marie Pontini, a bodybuilder who uses a wheelchair, and James Sutliff, a trainer from the UK, have been featuring workouts that can be completed in a wheelchair.
Take care of yourself, inside and out. These are strange times for all of us, and while we always see a spike in kindness toward others during times like these, it would do us all good to remember to be kind to ourselves, too. Stay healthy, stay safe, and we’ll see you on the other side of this.
