Tips from a Personal Trainer: How to Stay Physically (and Mentally) Healthy While at Home
Quarantine has fostered two different breeds: those who have taken to binging every episode of Friends for the 10th time and those who have religiously followed the Chloe Ting trend. No matter the route you’ve chosen—both being more than acceptable options during this time—remaining healthy both physically and mentally is crucial as we experience this new normal.
But how do we achieve this level of health when we are stuck inside our homes? How long can we really sustain Chloe Ting’s ab workouts in our quest for improved physical health? If you’re just as curious about these questions as we are, Maddie Wilkerson, personal trainer and Elon University student, has some answers.
On the physical side of things, it’s all about engaging in multiple forms of exercise and utilizing the tools you have in your home. Wilkerson has found yoga and core exercises to be extremely beneficial and has also put a significant focus on lower body circuit training. In order to complete these exercises without the usual gym tools, Wilkerson has taken to using everyday items as replacements.
“The best way I like to accomplish a lower body workout is to find a heavy object, such as a jug of water or laundry detergent or even a backpack filled with textbooks,” says Wilkerson. “I hold the object chest level and go through a circuit of squats, walking lunges, stationary curtsy lunges, hip thrusters (on the ground with weighted object placed on hips) and step-ups (on a raised surface of any sort). To build muscle, try doing heavier weight with lower rep count. To slim down, use a lighter weight and increase rep count.”
But while Wilkerson has put a large priority on her physical health over the past few months (she’s a personal trainer so you can’t blame her), Wilkerson has also put extreme effort into sustaining strong mental health as well. According to her, we must work to achieve strong mental health in order to be effective in achieving physical results.
“I think that our mental health is just as, if not more important than our physical. I also believe they go hand in hand. If you want to improve physically, it’s all mental to accomplish those goals. Taking time to improve our health in every aspect is vital—spiritually, environmentally, mentally and physically.”
Personal trainer Maddie Wilkerson has prioritized mental and physical health during quarantine and is helping other students do the same.
Wilkerson has found that one of the many exercises that has benefitted her mental state is meditation, which has provided her with comfort and peace—something we are all striving for right now.
“After a meditation, I feel more present, kinder to myself and others and better-suited to take on the day ahead. My meditation practice is usually 10 minutes long, and I focus on my breathing and on trying to quiet my thoughts and practicing self-kindness with any thoughts that do break my concentration (it happens to everyone).”
Ultimately, with the tumultuous state of our world, Wilkerson believes it is important to take care of yourself. It is her belief that as we navigate ways to better the present world, we must first better ourselves.
“Right now, our energy is being drained as we try to make sense and peace with the current state of our world, with the pandemic as well as the fight for equality,” she says. “In order to help us to better stay strong and sane, we have to prioritize ourselves and try to the best of our abilities to focus on our inner world. We won’t be able to help the world at large if we can’t first help ourselves.”
If you would like to train with Maddie, she acts as a personal trainer at Gold’s Gym in Burlington. Memberships for Elon students are only $25 a month.