How to keep fit during a lockdown

“YOU can’t just sit on the couch in your pyjamas at home all day. You have to have a purpose.”
So says the owner of Durban’s Physical Impact gym, Selwyn Rautenbach, who advises us that a swift 20-minute exercise routine in the morning will not only get the endorphins going, but help give our days in lockdown precisely that purpose.
And for Rautenbach, his purpose is to keep South Africans moving. He is enduring the lockdown in his empty gym, doing regular training sessions with regular clients via Zoom and doing regular 20-minute exercise routines on his Facebook page and YouTube channel.

“My industry has literally shut down. If I don’t think out of the box, I will shut down. It’s also my way of giving back,” he said.
His routines are basic, aimed at helping the average person to keep fit. They are doable without home gym equipment – maybe a gym mat or a patch of grass are required.
We went outside as he started squatting, planking and crunching.

“We are all experiencing chronic stress and in lockdown these stresses will build up, especially for those living at close quarters with family. A good wellness programme in the household can help alleviate that.”
He and long-time friend, colleague and dance partner Clinton Green also do a dance show together. “We introduced our morning Rave School edition, with incredible results.”
They have different programmes, from beginners to advanced.
“Active wellness, be it dance-based or strength-based, needs to be a lifestyle choice,” Rautenbach said.
He also advises not to over-eat during lockdown.

“I am not a dietician, but my experience over the years certainly suggests the more sedentary you are, the greater your need for portion-control when it comes to food.”
Another concern about being sedentary is that it deactivates the body’s core. “It’s where your strength comes from. And if your core deteriorates, so does your posture. It’s one of the things we should all be taught as children, to sit up straight.”

So could one get a result in just three weeks?
“Absolutely,” he said.
“We need to get back to basics. People need to get the endorphins going. I’ve been in this industry for 20 years and wellness has been part of my life.”
Rautenbach started out as a dancer, which brought him to gyms. He started Physical Impact, a personal trainer-based gym, at Kings Park about 20 years ago. “It was an opportunity to create personal fitness programmes for clients and to guide one to do exercises properly.”
So what does he recommend for a lockdown regimen?
A 20-minute intense workout might include any of the following: push ups from various angles, planking, crunches, squats, lunges and kickbacks, hip raises and leg raises, star jumps and crossovers.
“You can even do bilaterals by leaning against the sofa or just squeeze a ball between the knees.”
Anything that works the abdominal muscles is crucial because it helps keep one’s core strong.
And combinations of these will give you good results. “Wherever there’s a push there should be a pull. So do a set of 10 push ups followed by a set of 10 rows. You can either use your body weight or hold a can of Coke in each hand – no, change that – a bottle of Energade.”
He encourages readers not to “drown in boredom” or have too much screen time.
“Spend 20 minutes a day on exercise – it’s a great investment.”.
Catch his videos on the Physical Impact and Realign SA Facebook pages on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7am. On Friday mornings there will be a “surprise” workout. — IOL