Opt for low intensity

You might think that your home training needs to be super hard to make up for the lack of fancy kit or steps that come with a visit to the gym. Actually, opting for lower intensity movement might make it feel more manageable – particularly if you’re already stressed. Many people we spoke to said that switching HIIT and heavy strength training for more slow, stretchy workouts – like pilates or yoga – at home helped them avoid burnout.

Move all day

Now is the time to shake up your routine. Instead, of seeing exercise as a structured hour in your day, see all forms of movement as important. A set of press-ups when you go to the toilet, some star jumps while the kettle boils or a walk around the block while logging into a virtual meeting are ways to keep your movement up without balancing on a yoga mat for 45 minutes.

One friend told me that in the first lockdown they would move during the ad breaks while watching TV – three sets of squats, then 15 minutes rest, then three plank holds, and another rest. It might not yield the best fitness results, but they swore that “exercising all day works. It means if you’re feeling a bit lazy you can do a set, have a break and wait for the motivation to return, then go again.”

7 ways to make your workouts effective without going to the gym