Hackney-based PTs share their top tips for staying fit during lockdown

Fitness during lockdown is great for mental wellbeing as well as physical wellbeing. Pic: Derek McKinney – Unsplash

Two Hackney personal trainers share their top tips for keeping fit during lockdown and tell EastLondonLines about the importance of fitness for their mental wellbeing.

Whilst the UK is loosening the restrictions of lockdown, there is now a group of British adults who have found enjoyment out of working out from home. A recent poll of 2,000 British adults found that more than one-fifth of respondents were exercising more than ever in the comfort of their own home, with one in 10 said they had taken part in the live online classes that have increased during lockdown.

Hackney-based personal trainer, Iona Layland, is one step ahead and has been doing online home workouts with her clients since September. “There is so much that people can do in a home workout. You don’t need to travel, they are easy to slip into the day and do on your lunch break,” Iona said. She recommends that you find your passion and “walk before you can run. Master the squat, master the press-up and build from there.”

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Rachel Burgess, a personal trainer who has been in the industry for 22 years and works with clients in Hackney and North East London, said to keep home workouts consistent. “Maybe start everyday with doing 5 press-ups and make your way up from there,” she said adding that putting 20 minutes in the diary every day to allocate time to do a work-out was a good way to keep on track.

Burgess has been running her classes online with one-to-one sessions for her clients as well as providing free zoom pilates sessions on Mondays and Fridays to anyone in East London. “I do them because some of my clients have lost their jobs so it’s to keep them on board,” she said. “They have committed to me and so I am giving back to them.”

She also highly recommended regular daily walks now that restrictions are easing – not just for your physical health, but for mental health as well. Burgess said walking is essential for the mind and the physical wellbeing, so she needs to go on two walks a day – “I go in the morning and take the baby quickly around the park for about 20 minutes and then in the evening I go for a 45 minute to an hour walk.”

Layland recommended doing other exercises at home and spoke of the benefits of hula hooping. She said: “hooping is brilliant – it is lots of fun and anyone can do it.” Hooping is challenging at first – you just need to find your personal rhythm. To start, put some music on, swing the hoop and engage your core and abdomen to push against the hoop. You can swing your hips from side to side or forwards and backwards.

Skipping has always been a popular exercise to get calories burning and your heart rate up. It is a full body workout, as it tones your legs and lower body, as well as your arms and core. “Skipping is a great exercise to get the hearts and lungs working, there is a reason why boxers do it,” said Iona. However, the PT, who trains at Muscleworks in Hackney, described the exercise as being like marmite. “You can either do it or you can’t, it is a coordination exercise that not everyone likes,” she said.

Rachel also recommended TRX suspension trainers as a good piece equipment to use for home workouts as they are more supportive and go easy on the joints. They can be hooked up onto the door – “I have mine in the kitchen,” said Rachel – and used “to do a set in between doing other things.”

For inspiration and help on how to restart your fitness journey or simply start it, have a look at Iona’s and Rachel’s Facebook and Instagram pages:

Iona Layland