Keeping fit at home

Sports enthusiasts and especially those involved in team sports may be struggling during this time.

Postdoc Matthew Dunstan, who captains the Department's cricket team (such as it is) writes: "As for the cricket team, the season hadn't really started before the lockdown, so we haven't really been keeping in contact.  I suspect the whole season may be called off in any case."

Matthew, who is working remotely from Prague, is trying to do exercise at home each day. "I actually already did this a bit before, but I am trying to become a lot more disciplined. I try to do one 20 to 30 minute session each day in the morning."

Matthew personally prefers HIIT (high intensity interval training) because "you don't need any special equipment, and there are a lot of good videos you can follow on YouTube. His own favourite is Joe Wicks, who has a YouTube channel called The Body Coach. This is very popular with other department members, and Joe Wicks also provides coaching sessions suitable for children.

Yoga and pilates

Meanwhile, Dijana Matak-Vinkovic, who is the Senior Technical Adviser of the Mass Spectrometry analytical facility, proudly says that she has been doing yoga every morning before work, and further exercises in the evening to make the transition after work. And the weather has been so good, she has been able to move the yoga mats outside.

Dijana practicing her Warrior asana.

And the regular pilates group continues to meet - during the lockdown Frances is taping videos so they can be viewed at any time, but she still organises a Zoom on Wednesdays at the time Pilates would normally be scheduled, so participants can ask questions, get tips and advice, or just encourage each other to keep going.

Running anyone?

Thanks to Beth Wilson (left), for showing us how to combine running and weightlifting in one session (and also keep the children entertained!). For more traditional runners, the University Sports Service have created a virtual running club for all University staff aimed at all levels of runners, from beginners to advanced.

Other sports links

Stay in, Work out - join Sport England for ways to keep or get active.