5 Ways to Stay Active in Your Condo

Gym closures, bad weather and stay-at-home-orders has made getting active and staying healthy a real challenge. For many people “home” isn’t even a large detached house. Apartment or condo living can make it even harder to stay active because there isn’t always the space or budget to set up a home gym. Here are 5 ways that you can stay active and fit in your condo or apartment on any budget. 

1. Use the Stairs

Every single apartment building will have stairs. Stair climbing is great for your health no matter your age, too. Not only does it build muscle and glute strength, it can help increase stability and balance for elderly people too. Exercises that promote joint movement and muscle contraction improve the health of our bones and bodies. 30 minutes of climbing stairs can burn around 230 calories and work the muscles in your feet, legs and glutes. 

While going up stairs may get you winded quicker there are benefits to both climbing up and down stairs. Going up is naturally more strenuous as you’re using your muscles to lift and move your body weight. Going down, however, engages in what is called “eccentric exercise”. This means that the muscles in your legs stretch and contract in different ways as your legs reach and carry you down. 

Proper form for climbing stairs includes using your whole foot on the stare. You don’t want to use only your toes as you can strain your calf. Your upper body should be slightly leaned forward to help with weight distribution and to work your hamstrings. When climbing stairs, faster is not necessarily better. Avoid jumping or skipping stairs - unless doing so for a specific workout. Take steps one at a time and focus on form to work all the right muscles in your legs. 

Using the stairs doesn’t need to be a separate workout even. Try replacing your elevator use once a day and get active in a way that is still convenient.

2. Use Body Weight Exercises

People love the gym because of the fancy machines and numerous weights. But being active doesn’t require dumbbells or pull up bars. Bodyweight and plyometric exercises are a great way to build strength, endurance and flexibility. 

Plyometric is a term that refers to jumping exercises or moves that involve fast excursion of the muscles. Jump squats, jumping rope, lunges and clap pushups are a few examples of plyometric exercises. 

The challenge with body weight exercises is that people tend to go to the same moves over and over, targeting specific muscle groups. It’s good to diversify the moves and not just use squats, push ups and crunches. Some body weight exercises that work the entire body include burpees, mountain climbers, planks and jumping jacks. 

3. Take Advantage of Free YouTube and Workout Videos

If you find yourself at a loss or what exercises to do or what moves to try, the internet is an incredible source for free workout guides and programs. YouTube has videos on everything from simple stretches to weight lifting to yoga and HIIT (high intensity interval training) videos. Whether you’re a beginner or have been exercising your entire life there are videos out there for you. 

Many fitness programs also have apps and guides that you can download that help you along your journey. Many of these programs were specifically created for people at home. Some cost money but some don’t. 

The great thing about COVID when it comes to health is that many people who didn’t have resources online have now put them there. There is so much out there to learn from. Be curious and take the time to explore all the different options out there. 

4. Virtual Classes & Community Building

One of the reasons that people love the gym so much is the community. A study by AARP found that having an exercise buddy can increase a person's workout time and intensity by almost 200% compared to those who try to maintain fitness on their own. This is maybe why it’s so much easier to watch netflix on a Saturday morning than to do a strength training video in your living room. It takes motivation, energy, commitment and persistence to find and stick to a workout routine. And COVID has made it extra challenging for all of us to find these things. 

There are many gym groups, Facebook groups, subreddits, discord chats and online forums out there specifically designed to act as a motivator for those who are trying to embrace the challenge of working out alone at home. If motivation and feeling lonely while working out is a challenge for you, then maybe there’s a group out there for you. 

Online groups or virtual exercise classes not your thing? Another idea is to set a set time to go for a walk every day with a friend. Call each other and chat while you both take time to get outside and move your body. Not only is walking a great low-impact exercise, it’s also nice to have that set time to connect with a friend. 

We’re all feeling run down after this year. Having a commitment with a friend - or virtual group - to get moving can be the motivator needed to stay active. 

5. Set Realistic Goals and Start Small

Working out can be a real life changer if it’s not something you’ve ever taken time for in the past. For many people, waking up at 6am and going for a 10K jog just isn’t realistic. Setting unrealistic goals is an easy way to feel unmotivated and disinterested. 

A great way to stay active in a condo is to start small and set realistic goals. A 20 minute walk at lunch 3 times a week is super realistic. Taking the stairs once a day instead of the elevator? Also super realistic. If you don’t want to give up your hour of TV before bed, why not put a yoga mat down and do some stretching while watching TV to start working on your flexibility? There are many great ways to incorporate activity into our daily lives.

Starting small also relates to the online programs and videos. Many of these videos require nothing more than a yoga mat or soft surface to workout on. Being active does not need lots of space or equipment. Be realistic with yourself about what routines you’ll stick to, what types of activity fit into your days and what will make you feel encouraged in your daily life to be active. 

Being at home or in a small condo doesn’t need to limit your ability to stay active. With there 5 tips, you can find ways to incorporate activity and exercise into your daily routine.