Exercise has many proven benefits: improved physical and mental health, reduced stress and better immune function. As Seattleites settle into staying home during the Covid-19 pandemic, a good workout can also be a welcome distraction from the tedium of lounging on your couch. This crash course in home fitness, from the region’s fitness experts and personal trainers, will help get you on your feet—and stay tuned on Mondays in April for a new weekly workout plan from a local fitness pro. 

MIND OVER MATTER
Staying motivated to work out at home starts with your state of mind.

On Mondays, local yoga phenom and Life Time Bellevue instructor Kevin Ng goes live on his Instagram account to share mindfulness tips with his followers. One silent enemy of working out is stress, he says, so instead of focusing on things outside of our control, he suggests people “shift their perspective by recognizing what is within their control and what is not.”

Karisa Nelson, a member of elite long-distance running group Brooks Beast Track Club, says lack of fitness equipment shouldn’t discourage you. “You can get a lot of work done with just your body weight,” she says. “If I’m ever trying to do a specific strength routine and don’t have the right equipment (which is the case for most of us now), I just google a bodyweight exercise that targets the same muscles and that covers it pretty well! Sometimes you’ll have to do more reps since you don’t have the extra weight.”

Dancer-turned-personal trainer Devon Fitol developed her love of yoga and strength training after multiple hip surgeries, which catalyzed a passion to help people feel strong and confident in their bodies. Fitol will soon start livestreaming workouts via ClassPass—her first session takes place April 6—and has five tips to keep in mind as you map out your fitness plan.

• Schedule it: add a workout to your calendar even if it’s just a run outside.
• Just 10 minutes: a workout doesn’t have to be long to be effective.
• Make an investment: you’re more likely to show up for something you’ve invested in financially, and you’ll also be supporting studios, instructors, or a good cause.
• Change the scenery: consider going outside, switching rooms, or simply facing your workout set up in a new direction.
• Tune in live with friends: Zoom workouts where the instructor can see you and hold you accountable can give you that fitness studio feeling you’ve been missing. Invite friends to workout at the same time for extra motivation. 

VIRTUAL FITNESS
These instructor-led workouts will motivate you to get off the couch.

Move to the music with Upbeats Fitness
Music, a time-tested workout motivator, guides the concept at Upbeats Fitness (pictured above). While the studio itself is closed, customers can livestream the beat-based classes—including Vinyasa yoga, cardio kickboxing and barre—for $5 per class. Use the code “COMMUNITY” to try your first one for free.

Cinematic yoga from Sanctuary
This tech-enabled micro-retreat, covered in our March issue, currently streams its visually stunning yoga videos for free. Treat yourself to a feel good “Yoga Flow” sequence with Mexico or Morocco as a backdrop.

Blend yoga and fitness with Alo Moves
Capitol Hill-based Alo Moves offers thousands of classes that focus on yoga, fitness and meditation for a range of experience levels. Their 14-day free trial (unlimited access is $20 per month after) means that your body, and not your wallet, will break a sweat.

Virtual group training with Ekstasis Strength and Conditioning
Mike Seilo opened Ekstasis Strength and Conditioning for groups and individuals to fine-tune their fitness goals free of the usual macho fanfare. Now he’s taking the concept virtual. For $50 a week, his team will customize a workout program complete with a weekly check-in via FaceTime, or you can partake in small group training at $55/class per person. 

Bust a move with Dance Church Go
Seattle-based choreographer Kate Wallich started Dance Church ten years ago as an inclusive space for attendees to move their bodies in guided dance-inspired classes accompanied by a playlist of multi-genre pop, and now Dance Church Go brings that wildly popular experience online. All classes on Dance Church® Go are donation-based on a sliding scale.  

Gameday Conditioning with TruFusion
In an effort to keep the community active, TruFusion Washington, co-owned by Russell Wilson and Alex Rodriguez, is offering two free weeks of online classes including Pilates, circuit training, Hatha yoga, and high-intensity training until its Bellevue (and soon Ballard) location can re-open for business.