(Not sponsored, I promise)
1. Literally any exercise whatsoever
If you can get moving in any way, it’s great exercise. Don’t worry about if your exercise isn’t ‘in-season’. Gyms opening up again. You can go for a run or jog if you’d like. Grab a mate and kick a ball around. Go to the batting cages. Go for a bushwalk – take a beacon. Tune in to Arc Sports Fitness Streams on Facebook. Any exercise is good exercise.
2. Walking
It’s pretty simple. Put one foot in front of the other and keep going till you find a café. Us hospo people probably won’t be doing this particular exercise because right now we are getting paid to do it for 8 hour shifts. We’ve already got thighs of steel. But that doesn’t mean it’s not the most cost-effective sport in the world.
3. Snowsports
This might be the time for you to start an extreme sport. (laughs maniacally) No, but seriously. Although the slopes will be very different this year with all the social distancing measures put into effect, this might be the time to secure your spot at one of Australia’s resorts. Get a beginner class in the morning and try out your skills in the arvo. You can even make a short holiday of it. Classes are online anyway so you can do it from the mountains if you have that dedication. Don’t forget a helmet. You may think you don’t need one because of your hotshot skill, but its not about you. It’s about the person who crashes into you. Your head is worth the hire or purchase of a helmet.
Major Ski Resorts in Australia include: Perisher, Falls Creek, Hotham, Buller, Thredbo, Ben Lomond.
4. Skiing
Is there anything more elegant than riding down a slope on a pair of skis? Of the control you develop and attain and the swoosh swoosh of the snow as you go? No. It’s like downhill figure skating when you get it right. There’s also the Fashun on display. Peacocks are less stylish and colourful. This is your chance to pull out that scarf you knitted in lockdown and show the world what an amazing human being you are. You may feel a bit awkward at first but so is everyone else. This is a chance to learn a new skill or build on one.
5. Snowboarding
If skiing isn’t your cup of tea and you want a more chill way to get those muscles moving, snowboarding is the thing for you. That feeling when your turns link and you leave a clean snake trail down the slope is one of the best in the world. Not gonna lie, T-Bars aren’t fun but there’s plenty of FRESH terrain accessible from the top of a chairlift. The dress code is also relaxed. Take a loose jumper and you’re fine. Pick up some waterproof pants at Cooma Aldi on the way down and the rest will be history. Don’t be disheartened if you spend the first few days on your butt. It’s happened to all of us.
Side note: doing snowsports in the alpine regions are probably one of the best things you can do for regional Australia. The Snowy Mountains Region (either side of the NSW/VIC border) got literally zero tourism over the summer. The bushfires killed the industry which the regions are largely dependent on. Now with Covid-19, the regions are trying their best to just stay open. That’s it. Not thrive, just stay open enough so they don’t have to close permanently. Doing our bit here in Australia will go further than flying over to NZ for the slopes. Supporting the bakeries, the ski hire places, the snowboard shops, the local bars (shoutout to Jindabyne Brewery and the Banjo Patterson Inn) and the local restaurants will help the region recover from a series of devastating losses.
First the fires, then the travel bans, and now the Covid-19 restrictions. If we all play by the rules and support each other, we can all benefit.
While a significant portion of this article was a heavy handed hint to go to the mountains, don’t forget all the things you can do now that sport is operating again. If you really aren’t up for it, sometimes the best thing you can do is have a weekend away. We’ve been stuck inside for a while now and while exercising is a THING, take care of yourself first. (L’Oreal voice) Because you’re worth it.
