A Guide to Group Workouts in the COVID Era

Pre-COVID, maybe you frequented a hot yoga class that involved purposeful heavy breathing in a crowded room filled with heavy, recirculating air. Or maybe you went to a packed bootcamp class and shared sweaty weights, mats, and treadmills with your classmates without a second thought. Wow, that’s clearly in the past.  These days, anything you do that’s even in the vicinity of another person can feel like a gamble. But the urge to get back to a regular workout routine is real, and for many of us, bicep curls, burpees, and barre pulses just aren’t the same when you have to go it alone. Group fitness is uniquely motivating and effective, thanks to group energy and instructor corrections and encouragement.  It’s also uniquely dangerous—compared to home workouts or going to the gym solo—during a global pandemic. So, will it ever be safe to support your favorite studio and go to a workout class again? Here’s what you need to know. Consider the Type of Workout and Class Size In the early days of the pandemic, researchers traced more than 100 coronavirus cases to Zumba classes in South Korea. Part of the problem, they observed, was that Zumba involves lots of heavy breathing in crowded spaces, and COVID-19 primarily spreads through respiratory droplets. “Characteristics that might have led to transmission from the instructors in Cheonan include large class sizes, small spaces, and intensity of the workouts. The moist, warm atmosphere in a sports facility coupled with turbulent air flow generated by intense physical exercise can cause more dense transmission of isolated droplets,” the researchers wrote. Interestingly, the cases were all traced to classes that had between 5 and 22 participants; classes that had fewer than 5 people in them did not result in any new infections. Another important observation was that an instructor who taught Pilates and yoga classes of 7-8 students did not have any new infections in her classes. “We hypothesize that the lower intensity of Pilates and yoga did not cause the same transmission effects as those of the more intense fitness dance classes,” the researchers wrote.  In other words, while there are still risks, the risk of contracting coronavirus may be lower in smaller classes and when the workout is less cardio-intensive. Indoor vs. Outdoor Exercise By now, you’ve probably heard doing almost anything outside is better than doing it inside when it comes to contracting coronavirus. (Hello, outdoor dining.) That rule applies to exercise, too. “We have very little evidence of outdoor transmission. It’s not zero — there are definitely cases reported — but it’s much, much lower than inside,” one infectious-disease physician told The Washington Post.  Many factors like sunlight, wind, and humidity affect how transmissible the virus is. But experts still recommend staying at least six feet away from people when you’re exercising outside and wearing a mask. In New York City, workout studios all over the five boroughs have started to move classes outside, with Mile High Run Club offering outdoor group runs in Manhattan and The Fit In Bed-Stuy offering strength sessions in Brooklyn parks. Which brings us to… What Precautions Are Being Taken? If you do decide there’s a class you feel safe enough to attend or you choose to go back to the treadmill and weight rack at the gym, make sure you evaluate the facilities’ COVID precautions, first. Inside at a gym or a studio, experts say you should see evidence of routine cleaning and disinfecting of machines, physical distancing should be enforced (you may even consider stretching it to twelve feet if cardio is involved), and staff should be wearing masks. And make sure you’re doing extra due diligence cleaning shared equipment before touching it. Air flow is also incredibly important—the bigger the space is, the better, since more space will dilute concentration of the virus in the air. If your gym has open windows, even better! Outdoor air circulating in is a major win (maybe not for your sweat situation during summer, but hey, priorities). The safest bet is to wear a mask, although it can be difficult depending on the type of exercise. Outside, distancing is, again, the most important element. It’s going to feel exciting to be back among fitness friends, but the fact is, you’ve got to stay as far away as possible. And hey, the good news is that while it’s impossible to eliminate all risk from group fitness classes, so many of your favorite studios are now offering online classes, from CorePower Yoga and 305 Fitness to guided audio runs from Mile High. Even studios you wouldn’t think would be able to make their workouts virtual have, like SLT,  Swerve (you can rent a bike!), and CityRow (after you invest in an at-home rower). You can do almost anything you did in person at home, minus giving your sweaty workout neighbor a high five at the end of class. —Written by Lisa Held

Mirror Trainer, Rachel Nicks’ Genius Tips Will Motivate You to Sweat

Movement has been a part of Rachel Nicks’ life since she can remember. One of the lead instructors on the Mirror, Nicks is a certified Hatha yoga, barre, T.R.X., kettlebell, Pilates, prenatal and postpartum fitness instructor.  When she is not pushing you to your fitness limits, she is a certified DONA doula, and a working actress on hit shows like “Grey’s Anatomy.” Her fitness philosophy is all about getting up and moving. She wants you to set goals, but celebrate your strengths instead of obsessing over your weaknesses. “Health is wealth,” Nicks shares. “My goal is to empower people to achieve health from the inside out by equipping them with education, tools, and encouragement.” Nicks sits down with us to talk about staying focused while working from home (without childcare!), her go-to healthy meals, fitness motivation, and top tips for managing stress.  How have things changed for you since COVID-19 hit? Well, I have not been back home to New York City, where I live, since March 14th. When COVID hit, my family made the decision to stay with my parents in California — and are here until January. I’m pregnant and we will have our baby here and spend our maternity and paternity leave here. Living with my parents has been a beautiful and challenging experience. Not knowing when I would return home or where I would give birth was overwhelming. After three months, I needed to make a decision to ease my anxiety. Once we decided to stay and get our own place I was able to feel more settled. I have learned to embrace chaos. Trying to balance work while being pregnant and mothering a 2-year-old is not easy. Then, with the added stress of COVID-19, it can truly be all consuming. Having my son is truly helpful because he forces me to live in the moment.  What are some of your tips to stay focused, especially now? Focus with a 2-year-old and pregnancy brain is interesting! I usually try to get work done when my son is napping and when I feel I have the energy or clarity. I have given myself permission to ask for extensions to deadlines and I have embraced that my phone calls may include a toddler meltdown. I accept my circumstances which helps me focus and not be so stressed about how unique and challenging my circumstances are. It also helps to know that we are all dealing with the same thing so I feel a sense of camaraderie and support.   Do you prefer to workout in the morning or evening?  Mornings are my favorite, but I don’t have that luxury anymore because my husband works the first half of the day. So my workouts these days have consisted of baseball, golf, and chasing my son on a scooter.  How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I exercise at least 5 times a week. I try to walk daily to get fresh air. I love variety. I find that different disciplines not only challenge me differently physically, but they impact my mind and spirit differently as well. I love HIIT, kickboxing, pilates, barre, and yoga. Only thing that is not my jam is running. I find other ways to get my cardio in. How do you motivate yourself (and your clients!) to workout?  Just get started. The times you don’t feel motivated is when you really need to move. Movement is medicine. It shifts your energy. I am amazed every time I move how quickly I feel my energy shift and it is always a positive shift.  Don’t wait for the perfect time or the perfect mood. Just move. Try different types of workouts. Vary your workouts. Try to find something you enjoy. Don’t just do something because it’s trendy. There are too many options to dread your workout. If you have children, work out with them. It will teach them to move and it’s fun. It won’t necessarily be a “perfect” workout but who cares. For myself, I get moving when I have some energy or to help boost my mood. I usually try to do some yoga to just connect to my body and breath and release tension and stress.  If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it?  I believe in wellness. It’s a lifestyle. I believe in eating fresh, local, and real food. I avoid processed foods and cook as much as I can because I can control what I am putting into my body. I pretty much eat everything. I do not believe in cheat days or punishing myself for eating certain things. Food brings me immense joy. I try to not wait to eat until I am starving. I eat 3 meals a day and have little snacks throughout. I control my portions. I don’t fill my plate. I listen to my body. Your body will tell you what it needs if you listen. Pregnant women aren’t the only ones with cravings. Has it been hard to stay on track with your nutrition while in quarantine?  My father is a Cookie Monster so when I was staying with him, staying out of the pantry was tough. In my home, I avoid stocking my fridge or pantry with a lot of tempting snacks. Now that I am in my own space, I have been doing much better with my nutrition. I also just feel so much better when I avoid a bunch of sugar.  Your go-to breakfast?  Yogurt, fruit and granola. Colder seasons I love oatmeal and berries with honey.  What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? I only get to pick one? I always have eggs, apples, yogurt and almond milk. What do you eat before and after a workout? Before a workout, I’ll have a boiled egg and toast or a piece of fruit. I try to have protein after a workout —and hydrate well. Your favorite food indulgence? I love a good

The Best Workouts To Begin Your Week

There’s something about starting the week strong that can set you up for success. ClassPass, the fitness collective that streams thousands of live or on-demand workouts from top studios around the world, released new data revealing the most popular days, times and workouts for their millions of active users. Monday morning strength training and Sunday yoga were among the most popular.  With thousands of people partaking in each, we did some digging of our own to find some healthy body benefits that will help motivate you to get up and move. Monday Morning Strength Workout According to the ClassPass research, strength training early Monday morning is the most popular among users. Mondays are also my busiest days with clients. They view the beginning of the week as a clean slate or as a need-to-makeup-for-their-behavior-over-the-weekend day. So, a challenging, strength training workout can make sense to kick start your morning. If you need some motivation to set that alarm to lift those weights, there are many benefits to strength training. You’ll  increase lean muscle, decrease body fat, and burn calories more efficiently.  Plus, it can help more than just your muscles. Strength training first thing in the morning has been found to  jump start the brain. Recent studies have shown that exercise has the potential to increase levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor) — improving cognitive health.  Sunday Evening Yoga Benefits Yoga is such a beautiful form of exercise. The challenging poses of yoga improve posture and flexibility over time making it a great workout to go along with strength training, running, HIIT, etc.  Also, it can help your gut. Yoga’s twisting the body poses help your digestive system.  I like to visualize my body as a sponge being wrung out. “Twists help massage abdominal organs and stimulate Agni,” according the the Chopra Center. “Your body’s Agni allows you to digest food efficiently and absorb essential nutrients from your food. By gently twisting your body after a large meal, you encourage fresh blood to flow to your digestive organs.” Another big part of yoga is using and being mindful of your breath. How many times have you been told to stop and take a deep breath when feeling stressed or anxious? Breath can be calming. In my yoga studies, I have been taught that by steadying the breath, we relax our body and tell our brains that we are not in fight or flight mode.  Whether you want to improve flexibility or to just have a relaxing, stress-free moment before the week starts — Sunday yoga is a great way to do something nice for your body.    — By Jane Hanisch, NLC, personal trainer  

Why This Health Coach and Fitness Pro Is All About Personalization

Alyson Poling does not take a one-thing-fits-all approach to food or fitness.

Fitness Pro Brian Gallagher Says Exercise (and Nutrition) Should Be Fun and Simple

That involves exercising outside, eating single-ingredient foods, and also ice cream.

The 2017 Nutritious Life Gift Guide: Sweat Often

From the latest gadgets to workout wear, the active people in your life will break out into celebratory burpees when they unwrap one these.

5 Expert Tips to Transform Your Treadmill Routine

Let’s face it, treadmill running can be pretty monotonous and boring. But it’s still a go-to workout for many gym goers—whether you’re a runner or just want to get in some simple cardio—especially during colder months. Here’s the good news: If you’ve ever tried a class at RIPPED, you know that treading can also be intense, exciting, and really effective. (Although you may still curse the treadmill as you hit another hill and your quads are burning!) RELATED: Running Tips to Prevent Injury and Get Faster RIPPED is a boutique fitness studio in New York created by Brian Ripka, and classes there deliver high-intensity intervals that alternate between the treadmill and strength training. It’s fast, sweaty, and yes, fun. “Whether you’re a newbie or a pro, our expert instructors motivate you to push harder, inspire you to go faster, and guarantee results you’ve never seen before … all while fostering a customized experience and personal growth,” Ripka says. How can you recreate that feeling on your own, if you don’t live near the studio or, um, can’t get out of bed to make it to that 7:00 a.m. class? We asked Ripka to share his advice on how to turn things up, to take your gym treadmill time from boring to body-changing. Get his five expert tips, below. 5 Tips for Treadmill Running 1. Recreate a RIPPED class. The RIPPED class alternates two 12-minute treadmill runs with two 12-minute boot camp floor sessions in a HIIT format so your heart rate is constantly elevated,” he explains. Try following that format at your gym by hopping off the machine to do some push-ups, weight lifting, kettlebell swings, or plank variations. 2. Run in intervals. Even if you prefer to stay on the machine the whole time, change up your pace rather than moving at the same rhythm the entire time. “Set a base pace (something you can maintain for 20 minutes) and then challenge yourself to raise your base pace for 30, 60 and 90 second sprints,” he says. RELATED: The Truth About How to Choose Running Shoes 3. Add hills! Mix up the incline just like you mix up the pace. (It’ll be good for your glutes, too!) 4. Don’t underestimate the motivating power of music. “Customize a playlist that gets you pumped,” Ripka says. 5. Use a mantra. Just like repeating one can help you stay focused while meditating, it can also help propel your feet forward. Choose one that motivates you, personally. Ready to lace up? You can also take inspiration from the fact that whether you’re having a great time or feeling bored, you’re doing something great for your body. “Running is a total-body workout that burns more fat than almost any other form of cardio,” he says.

These Celebrities Have Healthy Workout Habits Worth Copying

Celebrity workout habits are not always the best place to look when it comes to figuring out the kind of exercise that’s right for you. (Stars! They’re not really that much like us…) Models, for instance, are already #blessed with a certain physique (that’s why they’re models, guys), and it’s generally not healthy to compare your beautiful, unique body to theirs. Meanwhile, actors often get caught up in trendy workout fads or have personal trainers on call working out with them for hours a day to get in shape for a role. (We’re guessing you don’t have time for that between meetings.) But some superstar celebs actually do show off down-to-earth fitness routines that can inspire you to incorporate more (and more effective) exercise into your life. And now that you can follow their lifting and lunging on Instagram, you can even imagine one as your new workout buddy. Because…why not? Check out the healthy workout habits of these five inspiring celebs, below, and then use that inspiration to recommit to a solid schedule next week (or to try something new!). Healthy Celebrity Workout Habits That Inspire Lea Michele Michele is truly passionate about healthy eating, fitness, and self-care, starting with an egg-avocado healthy breakfast every morning. And her workouts are all about cross training: She’s a regular at SoulCycle but also loves super fun dance-and-strength training workout Body By Simone and CorePower Yoga, which incorporates strength and core work into a yoga flow. Jennifer Aniston I mean, of course Jen knows how to get fit while also staying totally grounded. Aniston has been practicing an athletic form of yoga with teacher Mandy Ingber for years. Yes, she presumably gets VIP sessions we wouldn’t have access to, but she also attends public classes like it’s NBD and also mixes it up with running, spinning, and dance cardio DVDs on her own. RELATED: A 30-Minute Yoga Routine to Fight Stress and Build Strength Alison Brie Brie is a poster girl for the benefits of heavy lifting for women. She deadlifts well over her own weight and can do multiple sets of ten pull-ups. Um…seriously…that’s an insane number of pull-ups. She got there by lifting lots of heavy weight with trainer Jason Walsh. While you may not be able to afford Walsh, anyone can pick up a barbell and get to work, and Brie also and takes classes at Walsh’s Los Angeles studio, Rise Nation, where you could easily drop in for inspiration (and to even sweat alongside her). RELATED: How to Get Abs Without Doing a Million Crunches Kate Hudson Hudson’s fitness prowess is no secret; she’s got her own activewear line, Fabletics. When it comes to workouts, she loves switching things up regularly. But her go-to is Pilates, which she says challenges and changes her body like no other method. Gisele Bundchen The world’s most famous supermodel is no lightweight when it comes to fitness. She throws punches and kicks during Muay Thai sessions and balances out that intensity with Pilates and yoga. She also hits the gym regularly with her husband. Finally, she trains with Jill Payne, the creator of Spiritual Athlete, a method that incorporates mindfulness techniques like deep breathing and visualization into workouts. Payne’s program is available for us mortals online. (Photos: Instagram/@gisele, @leamichele, @katehudson)

10 Free 10-Minute YouTube Workouts For Full-Body Fitness

What do these totally free 10-minute YouTube workouts prove? When it comes to fitness, there’s a lot you can do with very little time, space, money, and equipment. (Uh oh, there go all of the best excuses …) That includes strengthening your arms, getting in some heart-healthy cardio, getting bendy with yoga, and much more. RELATED: Will Exercising on an Empty Stomach Help You Lose Weight? We found the best short-and-sweet workout routines out there from top, trusted fitness professionals (not internet randos). Consult the list to find your workout of choice, or cycle through them all for full-body fitness that’s quick and easy. You can use the time you saved to actually fit in meal prep, for once. The Best Free 10-Minute YouTube Workouts Sarah Fit’s Arm Workout With Weights Natalie Jill’s Ab Challenge Barre3 Founder Sadie Lincoln’s Kitchen Cardio Super Sister Fitness’ Shoulder Workout AKT Founder Anna Kaiser’s Booty Workout Yoga with Adriene’s Yoga for Focus & Productivity Blogilates’ Legs and Thighs Pilates Workout BodyFit By Amy’s Cardio Kickbox Betty Rocker’s Sexy Arms and Core Keaira LaShae Full-Body Dance Workout