We can now scroll through the OneFit app and book spots at our favourite locations again and cycling through the cities sees people working out on every corner: the strange period of country-wide quarantine is behind us. However, the target of an actual pre-COVID-19 sports situation is not yet within our grasp.

Working from home ‘as much as possible’ has been officially advised by Mark Rutte. The problem is, research shows that working from home makes us sedentary. Movement lights up the brain, filling your body with endorphins; it kick-starts your metabolism and keeps your lymphatic system healthy.

Whilst working from home is safer, it reduces the regularity of our day-to-day movement. So the question is: How do you keep moving and stay in shape in these uncertain times? Malou, a well-known OneFit Presents Teacher, gives tips to achieve and maintain results.

Back to the gym

Simply put, working out makes you feel good! If you’ve been sedentary for an extended period of time, you’ll be feeling sluggish both physically and mentally. Make use of your OneFit membership to ease yourself back into your workout schedule and alternate with a variety of different sports, but go slowly! Going in hard can result in not only injury but a loss of enthusiasm when you become exhausted. Responsible sports is key. Malou recommends:

  • Build up slowly with a maximum of 3 workouts per week. Listen to your bodily cues; are you tired? Pumped? Achy? Stretch before and after your workout and take advantage of rest days; they’re where the magic happens. Yin Yoga is a fantastic option for your rest days as it is focused on strengthening connective tissue and injury prevention. Not only is it beneficial for your body, it has fantastic benefits for your nervous system too; you’ll feel deeply rested after class.

    Fun fact: stretching a muscle takes twice as much force as contracting it. The strength in your muscle mass also lies in your mobility and flexibility, according to Malou.
  • To avoid injuries, choose a healthy balance of high-energy activity and conscious relaxation. For example, alternate every power HIIT workout with a stretch session. Tip from Malou: with your membership, you can book your sports classes 2 weeks in advance. Plan those workouts in advance to make alternating easy. As a teacher, Malou alternates with her LouZen Yoga and LouZen Peachy Bum classes.
  • Are you a keen runner? Keep your eye on your posture and technique; We offer running training, where you can run directly with others. Score!
  • Finally: Listen to your intuition. Your body always knows the score; skip that workout if you don’t have the energy. Compensate for it at another time, so that you stick to your schedule. Taking a digital lesson for variety and accessibility is also possible through the extensive range of OneFit; in that way, all you have to do is roll out your mat!

Hold on!

If you have trouble sticking to your sporty intentions, you’re not the only one. Read Malou’s top tips below:

  • Discover which classes work for you and get you in the mood to workout.
  • Go for trainers who appeal to you. At the OneFit Presents classes, you will see popular instructors who have been labeled as favorites by many other athletes.
  • Choose your favorite place (s) to work out. If you’re a fan of epic and unique locations, check out OneFit Presents. With OneFit you can exercise at memorable places, such as a large number of clubs, the Euromast, rooftops, and other special areas, such as the lockers at Indigo Hotel.
  • Find a sports buddy; not only is it more fun, but you also hold yourself more accountable! With OneFit you can go to a variety of different locations; invite all of your friends to get on board!
  • Keep your goal in mind: you feel more energized when you move.

Should there be a new lockdown…

  • Think about what caused you to slow down last time, analyse it and come up with a plan of action. Make it accessible: purchase materials to practice your workouts at home such as a yoga mat, resistance bands, weights and / or dumbbells.
  • Stick to your normal sports rhythm as much as possible with online lessons. The online offer of OneFit has been extremely successful since the lockdown; so much so that all OneFit memberships include unlimited online lessons.
  • Finally, choose yoga! Yoga is super easy to do at home and has many health benefits. It strengthens your body, massages your organs and boosts your immune system.

Sports at great heights

Curious about Malou’s workouts? On September 4th, she will teach an Elevated Power Yoga and Heavenly Booty class on top of the Euromast in Rotterdam between 18:00 and 21:00. Can’t be there on September 4th? No worries: this is the start of a series of weekly OneFit Presents classes at the highest sports location in the Netherlands.

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