Exercising The Mind and The Body During COVID

"Spend this time when you need to be socially distanced to build that part of your competitive package that separates you from other athletes -- which is your brain."
"[Use apps like Stop, Breathe & Think to practice mindfulness and medication; begin with one-minute] body scans [gradually progress and visualize success]."
"[The sense of calm] will help you with every other aspect of the pandemic."
"It's a beautiful time to unite kids and caregivers around a physical activity."
James Hudziak, chief, child psychiatry, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine

"The six-foot rule seemed reasonable when we were side-by-side, but I was less comfortable when one person was ahead of the other [on a running track]."
"And in practice, it was hard to avoid getting closer when other people [runners] were on the path."
Alex Hutchinson, former miler, Canadian national running team

Federal, state and local governments in the United States have instructed their populations to avoid gatherings of small groups of people, neatly encompassing many outdoor amateur sports, in the interests of containing the coronavirus. The goal is vital for there is so much at stake. But the accompanying sacrifice to the human condition is severe. Yet there are ways that people can compensate, even with the use of virtual workouts, much preferred to doing nothing at all.

While the coronavirus is a dreadful threat, safeguarding oneself does not necessarily have to come at the expense of becoming sedentary and in the process lowering the efficacy of one's immune system.

Cycling Self-Care    Bicycling

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends limiting gatherings to ten or fewer, and so team sports are certainly out of the question. Adults and children, however, can look to other means to ensure their physical condition remains intact, the better to fight off an infection, should one occur. As director of the University of Vermont's Wellness Environment, James Hudziak has advised head coaches to gather teams online for 30-minute virtual sessions, three to five times weekly, as much for mental health as physical.

David Nieman at the Appalachian State University where he studies exercise immunology, recognizes a "risk-benefit continuum" that can channel people to particular sports; or make the selection between exercise and competition. The advantages of outdoor exercise against the risk of exposure to the coronvirus informs Mr. Nieman's view of the 'continuum'. And it is his contention that a stronger immune system will result from 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.

USTA

"We've done large studies that consistently show people get sick less often if active", he stresses. Following government guidelines during the pandemic with respect to recreation should not of necessity preclude cycling and running in the outdoors in discrete groups, all the more in those areas of the country where the virus has not yet accelerated. Continuing training with a partner or two has value as long as everyone follows social distancing guidelines.

Everyone should practice personal responsibility. Remain at minimum six feet away, cough into the elbow, avoid spitting, and exercise with people you trust only, who will inform you of symptoms or risk exposures. And needless to say, older adults and those with underlying medical conditions should commit themselves to taking additional precautions as required.



"Being cooped up inside is not great for anyone's mental health", observed Julie Fischer, professor of microbiology and immunology at Georgetown University, who agrees with the importance of ongoing outdoor exercise. Ideally, those activities can be enjoyed with members of the same household, who share similar risk exposures.

Executive director of the Road Runners Club of America, Jean Knaack, noted that over 1,500 events have been cancelled as a result of the novel coronavirus. "Most clubs are still encouraging members to run, but alone or in small groups of two or three", she said. Julie Fischer of Georgetown University, speaks of mitigating risk playing tennis by using common sense; avoid touching faces or coughing into hands then handling the tennis ball; use hand sanitizer before and after playing.

"If you're taking these precautions, and you are both outside on opposite ends of the tennis court, you are really posing very minimal risk of transmission in that setting, especially if everyone maintains that social distancing discipline", she advised.

Social distancing rules mean people should stay at least 2m (6.5ft) away from each other    EPA