Work out your Corona blues!

Dr Mangala Borkar

Exercise releases good hormones called endorphins, that boost your self esteem, allay anxiety and depression and make you feel good. While we stay home longer, make the most of this free time to enhance your mental fitness through simple workouts, say fitness trainer Prasad Ganu and Ironman Dr Jatale.

Prasad Ganu, Fitness expert.

You can work out at home, without equipment

Exercise will give you lots of oxygen, improve your mood, decrease your BP and sugar and make your bones strong. All you need is a little space and a mat. Come, move aside the furniture and get started!

Start with a warm-up ALWAYS - (30 seconds each.)

1.Turn your neck clock-wise and anti-clockwise slowly,

2.Circle your straight arms from the shoulder, back to front, then front to back.

3.Forearms - from elbows, clockwise, anticlockwise.

4.Body circles - hands straight overhead by the ears, bend at waist, circle body from waist, right to left, left to right.

5. Jumping jacks - Skip this if you have a knee problem.

6. Squats

7. Cross toe touch

8. Plank push-ups.

Then do the following (2 sets of 15 each, is the best - build up slowly over a week or 2).

1.Standing calf raises.

2.Squats/Lunges.

3.Pelvic lifts.

4. Push-ups.

5. Good mornings - (standing crunches) - hands locked behind head, bend forwards to waist level.

6. Crunches.

Follow up with surya namaskar or simple stretches.

Dr Prafulla Jatale

PET CT scan and Nuclear Medicine Specialist

Regularity is the key!

·Exercise improves the body’s resistance to infection and lowers our stress, hence improves well-being. In the current gloomy atmosphere, working out is the best way to keep mentally fit too.

·I cycle/walk fast or jog for half an hour in the morning. Sometimes do pranayama too.

·You may be walking in the house? or terrace or in your compound or road in front of your house? Fine.

·Since my gym is closed, I have put together my own home gym on my covered terrace.

·I got all my basic gym equipment at great deals, for about Rs 15,000, online.

·Weight plates, straight and curl rods (with rod locks), bars, dumbbell set, gym (training) bench, pull-ups bar, mat, gloves, wrist band hand gripper.

·You can choose what you want and can use.

·I threw in a mirror too, for the final effect.

·Motivate yourself - then the equipment will not rust or carry dust!