After gyms closed for the third time at the beginning of January, Coronavirus nipped many of our best intentions in the bud, raining down hard on the ‘New Year New Me’ parade. Finding the motivation to workout can be a struggle in itself. And without the pressing guilt of a membership direct debit weighing you down every month, many people have been left in an arduous cycle of self-disappointment, frustration, and little confidence in themselves. 

One reason for this lack of motivation is if people don’t feel sufficiently competent at physical activity, they’re less likely to make it a priority in their life. Not feeling physically fit enough to exercise is such a common thing; a by-product of living in a culture where we’re constantly encouraged to compare ourselves to others. 

But what if working out inside our homes and away from others, could actually be an exciting opportunity to fall in love with exercise in an entirely new way? 

“Alexa, play Physical by Dua Lipa”

Over the last three UK lockdowns, I can confidently say that I’ve become a YouTube workout fangirl (it’s a provisional title). Like most of us, my mental health has had its peaks and troughs over the last year, but one thing I have to always remind myself - regardless of anything - is that exercise is life’s free dose of happiness. 

Any form of physical activity can release endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine neurotransmitters, the chemicals that boost mood and suppress those nasty hormones that cause us stress and anxiety. This proves to be true after every workout sesh, when I’m pink cheeked, sweaty pitted, and feeling like a bad-ass.

But the first hurdle, as with anything, is getting started. At the beginning of Lockdown One, I was recovering from COVID and was starting to feel slightly more human again. Because of the actual illness, and you know, the world ending before my very eyes, I’d got into a bad sleeping routine of going to bed at around 2am and waking up at midday (if I was lucky). I knew I needed to break this torpid regime at some point if I ever hoped to feel an ounce of productivity ever again. So I started doing some ab workout videos by Joe Wicks, with the intention of feeling tired enough to sleep earlier. 

Ab workouts are a great gateway activity to higher impact stuff, especially if you’ve never had a regular exercise routine before. They’re generally 5-10 minutes long, and you can do them lying on the floor! 

The abdominal muscles play a crucial role in posture and support of the spine, and when these muscles are weaker, it can contribute to lower back pain. Just a few minutes of abs a day can really benefit all you Work-From-Home-rs out there (can I get a “woop woop”?!).

I will note here, that it’s important to not feel discouraged for pausing, resting, or giving up on a workout video. I’ll admit that there were times during Lockdown One when tears did fall because I didn’t feel strong or fit enough to complete a video. Joe Wicks has a variety of videos which are suitable for all levels, but I’d started with workouts that were simply too advanced for me. Try and avoid this, but don’t beat yourself up if you’re less than halfway through and you feel like stopping. Finding the right workout for you is a process, not an event. 

One YouTuber whose videos really are for all levels, ages, and music fans, is Emily Thorne, otherwise known as EmkFit. She’s been posting regular dance fitness videos since last March, after a collaborative Disney workout video got over 1 million views. 

Emily now has over 150,000 subscribers and is my go-to for an endorphin boosting pick-me-up after a long day of sitting down. Her videos cover all the genres, eras and franchises that we know and love. From breakup anthems, to songs from the 90s, to Hamilton (a personal favourite), there really is something for everyone.

Emily’s workouts are usually 20-25 minutes long, and are in the style of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This means you’ll be switching from 20 second sets of (simple but challenging) dance moves and 10 seconds of resting. A HIIT workout is great for building stamina, but also makes the concept of cardio less scary… you get to rest twice a minute! She also includes modifications, so these workouts can be low impact, and suitable for those in flats and apartments.

Two common sayings in Emily’s videos are “Wrong and Strong” and “Fake it til you Make it”, which I religiously recite to myself when I’m feeling unmotivated. 

“The point is to do something. Even if it’s not the best or most efficient workout you’ve ever done. Your physical and more importantly your mental health will thank you for it. I love the gym but being able to flail like an idiot in the comfort of my own home without judgement from strangers...there is no better feeling” - Emily Thorne 

You can subscribe to Emily’s YouTube here.

If you’re not feeling up to sweaty hair and finding the right sports bra from the wash basket, you might prefer lower impact stuff. Rachel Gulotta’s workout videos range across all ability levels (including an 8 minute Taylor Swift Evermore workout), but the one’s I particularly love are her Barre videos. 

Barre is a workout style inspired by elements of ballet, yoga and pilates. It’s designed to strengthen your body in ways that few other workouts can. Barre often includes slow, repetitive movements, which quickly burn specific muscles you didn’t even know you had. You do not need dance experience to do Barre; it’s super simple and super fun to let out your inner prima ballerina. Two of my favourite Barre videos from Rachel can be found here and here. 

Rachel’s videos use visuals as instruction, so everything you need to know is on the screen. Her tranquil aesthetics and regular stretch break visuals (some beautiful shots of nature accompanied with calming music), make the whole ordeal very un-workout-like and more a therapeutic journey to inner peace (or something similar).

“My top priority is to help people feel good. In a time where you can relentlessly wake up and feel bad every morning, we all need at least one small outlet where we can hit a play button, release some stress, and let our brains and bodies feel good for a while” - Rachel Gulotta

You can subscribe to Rachel’s YouTube here.

I’ve never thought I would enjoy strength training, before I was sent a Caroline Girvan video. Now, some of Caroline’s videos are not for the faint hearted (I’ve never been able to do one without stopping), but her muscle training workouts opened up a new world for me. I’d have never been able to try weights in a gym.

Women are twice as likely to quit their gym due to the intimidation factor. So why not raise a middle finger to the patriarchy, pick up two bottles of wine (aka DIY weights), and try one of Caroline’s upper body videos?

Now, I’m noticing muscles I’ve hardly ever used before. And I feel… stronger?! Choosing a strength training video instead of a full blast cardio sesh can be the perfect solution for those CBA days, but will still leave you feeling pumped and healthy. 

YouTube workouts have made me try so many new types of exercise, things I’d be too nervous to attend a gym class for. Now, I’m the fittest I’ve ever been, mind and body alike. For the first time in my life, I’ve begun to prioritise the time to workout, because I know how good I’ll feel after. I also know that at any point - I can press pause!

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Written by Annabel Chadwick

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