[robbiep]

Well, as we head into lockdown again (I've been in it for a week already), I'm interested in seeing what people are doing as exercise and training.

I'm very fortunate in that I've got a Concept 2 rower at home, which I bought in 2004 or so. I enjoy training on it in the crappy weather when I don't want to go out for a run or on the bike, so it tends to get more winter use.

Anyway, here is today's training session - a half marathon on the rower

Was hoping to break 1:30, but faded just after the hour and couldn't keep the rate going

[TouringPleb]

I don't know how you do an hour on those things!

I hate exercising at home. I'm really worried what this lockdown will do to my mental health again. Just got over some tough times and was feeling good and now I'm worried again.

[Watsey]

Since we made cycling a daily activity as a family a part of the Spring lockdown, I've kept it going.

We used the time to go and find the bridleways and cycle-friendly country footpaths (we're fortunate that we have open countryside just across the road from our house), and I've joined several of these together for when I head out on my own.

My normal ride, which I typically do 3 times a week, is 24 miles (1/3 off-road, 2/3 roads) takes me 1:40-1:55 depending on how mushy the fields and green lanes are. There are some decent hills (on road and off) which give my legs and heart a good workout.

I have no idea how old my bike is (Specialised Rockhopper), and by modern standards it's probably regarded as ancient, but it needs little maintenance and even though it's a bone-shaker I'd rather get out into the fresh air (regardless of the weather) than than use rollers in the (cramped) garage.

I also use my DIY home 'gym' which I posted photos of a few months ago.

Let's hope the new lockdown doesn't last too long.

I'm astounded that we're in this knee-jerk situation for a second time but will leave the comments at that, lest a different kind of lockdown makes its presence felt.

[JustChris]

Running.
Weights.
Running with weights.
HIT sessions.
Family walks.
Cycling.
PT session via video.

Loving Lockdown Fitness!!!

Only thing I'd want is a proper winter bike, new bike is too good for rain and muck, maybe should have reigned that spend in a bit but hey ho.

Since March then:/

Weight -10kg
Bench up to 110kg
This weekend I ran a 52 minute 10k, not impressive I'm not much of a runner ....but that was with a 12kg weight vest on. Absolutely loved it.

Bring on less work travel and I'm carrying on with this.

Mental Heath balance for me is absolutely to exercise.

Wishing you all health and fitness in whatever form you seek it!

[Tengocity]

Walk the dog every day.
A bit of stretching and weights when I can be arsed.

[JustChris]

@robbiep

I decided to sell my C2 about 4 months before lockdown lol whoops!

I've no idea how you manage an hour. A couple of my proudest fitness workouts were on the C2 but I'm nowhere near that level.

6:59 2000m which for my weight meant a VO2 Max of 62, for me completely unchartered territory and my CrossFit benchmark 500 1:26. They were absolutely horrible to perform!

[225]

Glad I have gradually got all my home gym kit now. Getting a bit chilly in the garage these days though!

[flashollie]

This is a great idea. Would there be any traction in reporting on here by those people who want motivational help?
Post your daily activity on here or set up groups of people doing similar activities and schedule days when we're going to do various activities to help inspire others?
In last lock down I got in to 5 k runs and weights. Lock down ended and so did my exercise. I really enjoyed it and I even looked quite good. .

So tomorrow I'm going to try a restart my 5 k runs.

Any virtual running buddies?

[RhysoTDI]

I run 2/3 times a week as my main source of fitness / therapy

Recently started road cycling with the local triathlon club too

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by JustChris

@robbiep

I decided to sell my C2 about 4 months before lockdown lol whoops!

I've no idea how you manage an hour. A couple of my proudest fitness workouts were on the C2 but I'm nowhere near that level.

6:59 2000m which for my weight meant a VO2 Max of 62, for me completely unchartered territory and my CrossFit benchmark 500 1:26. They were absolutely horrible to perform!

Cracking 7 on the rower is something I've never managed - 7:04.9 is my PB from a few years ago. Well done !

I'm far better at the distance work - I'm going to try building up to the full Marathon over winter, must be a masochist !

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

I don't know how you do an hour on those things!

I hate exercising at home. I'm really worried what this lockdown will do to my mental health again. Just got over some tough times and was feeling good and now I'm worried again.

I've got an analytic mind, I can (in a perverse way) lose myself in the pace, stroke rate, distance covered, power curve, etc on the rower. I also watch films while rowing if I need to get my mind off the screen and how far I've got to go.

The first few weeks of lockdown, probably to late May, I really let my fitness go - stress levels in work were through the roof, a few things I had to manage really played on my mind to the extent that I couldn't compartmentalise them and put them 'in their box' when I went home, meaning my sleep wasn't good either.

[Rbrown]

Gym's in Scotland open for now. But sense not for long.

In lockdown I did a lot of cycling. Set up indoor smart trainer and got new bike last week.

Interestingly, very little / no stock left. Glad I'm set up!

Zwift is great for work outs and varied routes. On average doing 1 hour between 14 to 20 miles pending incline!!!

As said above, getting cold in garage, but makes me warm up quicker!!!

[Rbrown]

Thought some humour required....

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by robbiep

I've got an analytic mind, I can (in a perverse way) lose myself in the pace, stroke rate, distance covered, power curve, etc on the rower. I also watch films while rowing if I need to get my mind off the screen and how far I've got to go.

The first few weeks of lockdown, probably to late May, I really let my fitness go - stress levels in work were through the roof, a few things I had to manage really played on my mind to the extent that I couldn't compartmentalise them and put them 'in their box' when I went home, meaning my sleep wasn't good either.

I guess I'm the same on a exercise bike. The other day I did an hour on a watt bike. I manage to switch off from the pain. Actually, strangely I like the pain! Weirdo!

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by flashollie

This is a great idea. Would there be any traction in reporting on here by those people who want motivational help?
Post your daily activity on here or set up groups of people doing similar activities and schedule days when we're going to do various activities to help inspire others?
In last lock down I got in to 5 k runs and weights. Lock down ended and so did my exercise. I really enjoyed it and I even looked quite good. .

So tomorrow I'm going to try a restart my 5 k runs.

Any virtual running buddies?

Where I live (middle of nowhere) we've got no street lights, so I'm trying to do one run a week from work at the hospital - got a 5.2 mile loop. This week there were only 3 walking breaks, total time was 49:17.

Tomorrow may be about a 6k run - depends on how well I recover, and the weather too !

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

I guess I'm the same on a exercise bike. The other day I did an hour on a watt bike. I manage to switch off from the pain. Actually, strangely I like the pain! Weirdo!

I'm drawn to a watt bike, probably for the same reasons !

[Rbrown]

Originally Posted by robbiep

I'm drawn to a watt bike, probably for the same reasons !

I have my laptop with Zwift and sometimes add a tablet so that I can watch a film - does dull the pain!!!!

[Bibbles]

Dog walking, mountain biking, body weight and kettlebell program from my PT and a rowing machine. Cancelled the gym membership in July as I'm enjoying home training and getting out and about far more than the gym.

[rich100]

With no gym to go to I ramped up my running at the start of lockdown and have averaged around 150km a month over the last 7 months or so. I'm a bit of a fair weather runner though so feeling less motivated now particularly when it's pissing down although am pushing myself to go out. Was glad to get back to the gym in September and start hitting the weights again but looks like that'll be off the table again now for a while.

Might start doing some swimming during the winter when leisure centres back open.

Unfortunately I think the impact of the second wave on both physical as well as mental health will become more pronounced with people less likely to be getting outdoors.

[Kendo67]

Cardio via dog walking

Strength via weights at the gym

Puppy fat from the local take-a-way.

Dog gets around five 30min walks a day , gym for an hour most days (depending on shift) doing just weights as cardio at the gym bores me senseless.

Weighed myself , in stones, around eight weeks ago when the gyms re-openned and it started with a 2 so it was time to get my heid oot ma arse and prepare for as long a retirement as possible.

Not had a biscuit / sweet / chocolate for two months and my crisp intake now consists of Quavers ,and the like, rather than a full bag of Doritos.

Strength is almost back to pre-lockdown levels but getting harder to retain as the years are creeping up on me at 54.

K

[Ennoch]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

I don't know how you do an hour on those things!

I hate exercising at home. I'm really worried what this lockdown will do to my mental health again. Just got over some tough times and was feeling good and now I'm worried again.

I'll be honest, I was in the same place last week with the talk up here of even limiting travel outwith your council area if you're level 3 or above (level 2ish in England). Instead they've luckily said you can still travel for outdoor exercise which is my big thing. I don't do pubs or clubs etc so that is neither here nor there, but getting into the hills either on foot or on bike is a big thing for me and has helped massively. During the first lockdown my coping strategy was seemingly to take it all super seriously, to the detriment of my own mental health and that of my girlfriend. Now I'll approach it all a lot more pragmatically and not feel guilty for going out into the outdoors.

Getting back to the exercise element, I've come to the realisation that I've used training in the past (for MTB racing and climbing) as an escape mechanism, and it's not necessarily been healthy. That said it has got me some bloody good results! However, I'm now making a conscious effort not to 'train', and instead just do what I want to do without looking for constant improvement. I'm back to loving riding my bike, and am doing so at a decent pace again, I'm loving trail running which I can do from my house, and I can still get into the hills for some scrambling and hillwalking. As for climbing, I've had a few days outside on rock since lockdown but I'm not rushing back to it - it was two climbing accidents which left me with PTSD and a number of other issues so while it's a love, it's also a hate and a confliction and there seems no point to push it right now when life isn't exactly normal. As a result of that I've also cancelled my indoor climbing gym membership as while it was sociable it had also become a compulsion for constant improvement that I rarely actually got to apply outside, where it actually counts. I don't miss breaking that cycle.

Hopefully we'll get a good (wild/cold/snowy) winter this year so I can get out ski touring too. But for now, it's mountain biking, running and the occasional mountain day, and I'm actually okay with that. That said, if lockdown kicks in up here too then I may have something different to say.

[JR1664]

Turbo trainer in the garage. Although I'd much rather ride on the roads the weather has been so massively shit for the last two weeks it has been virtually impossible...

Today Storm 'Aidan ' rocked by ...I did 60 minutes sweating my bollox off in the garage but more importantly turning the legs over and getting the heart rate up.

We have two Jack Russells who will do massive miles but even they've been hunkered down.