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I caught up with our Ellies (Noble and Leek), Rhian Cleverly, Jess King, Annie Timoney and Dani Lane in search of good ways to stay in shape.
Ellie Noble, midfield boss, said she was enjoying improvised home workouts with her sister: “We’re using gardening equipment as weights. Our favourite is actually an old hosepipe as a free-weight….perfect!”
Ellie also recommends online yoga, saying: “There are lots of videos on YouTube and it’s been really beneficial, both mentally and physically. Especially good to do outside if this sunny weather continues… I’ve also been talking to my Grandmother who’s 86. She lives on her own so this current situation is challenging. I phone her every day and we chat about anything – it’s the next best thing to sitting and having a cup of tea with her. This really helps improve my mood and attitude to all that’s going on – thinking of others is important. Lots of elderly people who live by themselves may not talk to someone for several days, so giving them a ring not only helps them, but gives you a sense of fulfilment too!”
Midfielder Annie T sent me some excellent advice from Ireland where she’s locked down with the fam: “Get creative with your exercise! I find I can do a lot in a small space so body weight exercises are the key. Use the likes of steps to add an incline or help with a tricep dip.”
And here’s what Ellie Leek had to say: “I’ve been doing body weight circuits in my flat to keep myself fit. An example of one I did last week was…
45 seconds on, 15 seconds off; 4 rounds of each with 2 minutes of rest between rounds
…Press ups
…Body weigh squats
…Burpees
…Mini band lateral walks
…Mini band pull apart
…Single leg squat
…Plank up/downs
…Dead bugs
…Mountain climbers
…Wall sit
I’ve also done some runs outside including
…a basic 5k run
…a sprint interval workout with 6 second sprints (90% effort), 20 second rests; x6 with 3min rest between sets …and 3 sets total.
I’ve also been setting goals to stay motivated, and using apps on my phone, like Head Space and 30 Days of Fitness.”
Phew Ellie! Nice one!
And what about our defensive mastermind Rhian? As ever, she had a lot of good things to say…
“I’ve actually made this video on sport psychology – including mental health tips to help take back control over coronavirus! No pressure, but here it is if you’d like to check it out…”
“In brief, my tips are:
1) Put things into perspective – e.g. doctors and nurses are risking their lives to save ours. Yes, social isolating isn’t ideal but we can get through it.
2) Set a Coronavirus Challenge! Unexpected free time is a great opportunity to try something new – read a book, learn a new skill, catch up with friends you haven’t seen in a while. Only boring people get bored!
3) Get support and motivation from others – get team-mates! Challenge and push each other with daily home workouts.”
As well as this great advice, our Dani Lane swears by…DIY. The midfielder says, ‘I’ve just purchased my first property and it has needed wall-stripping, sanding and painting – all great upper body exercises! Other than that I’d say… take a break from technology! Although it’s good to keep up with the latest news thinking too much about the current situation can also impact your anxiety. Have a detox from it. Read a book, and if you have a garden, go relax in the garden!”
And finally, Jess King says get some fresh air every day 😉
Thanks guys! That’s given me and all our fans plenty of great stuff to be getting on with. Right, now where are my running shoes!?