Maintaining Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Crisis
The current COVID-19 pandemic presents many challenges to maintaining a physically active and healthy lifestyle. The closing of gyms, recreation centers, and pools eliminates many of our favorite fitness options. The inability to participate in group bike rides, road races, pickleball, tennis, golf outings, recreation sports leagues, and countless other activities has also taken away many of our favorite fitness and social outings.
For all of us, young and old, regular physical activity needs to remain an important part of our lifestyle and is an important strategy for staying healthy.
Physical activity fosters normal growth and development and can make people feel better, function better, sleep better and reduce the risk of a large number of chronic diseases.
– For adults, The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend 150-300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity and 2 sessions per week of muscle strength training.
– For children and adolescents (6-17), The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily.
The Physical Activity Alliance has assembled a list of various free resources for people of all ages (kids too!) to stay active while at home and is a great option for anyone that is looking to try something new. We’ve also included links to the resources, videos, and programs Performance Therapies and Performance Health & Fitness have been working on.
Hopefully, you find something in this list below that you enjoy. Stay healthy, and stay safe!
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Performance Therapies and Performance Health & Fitness
Performance Virtual Membership
This 30-day membership includes a daily email delivered straight to your inbox every morning with quick and actionable tips from the Performance physical therapists, personal trainers, health coaches, and dietitian.
Every virtual membership daily email includes:
- A workout that can be done in the comforts of your own home, written by a certified personal trainer or led by a group fitness instructor
- A tip, recipe, or suggestion from our registered dietitian
- A helpful tip or inspiration from our health coaches
- Helpful stretches, tips, and information to reduce your risk of injury from our physical therapists
BONUS: Every virtual membership includes a weekly call or video chat with a Performance employee during your 30-day virtual membership subscription.
This 30-day virtual membership is $49.00 and can be purchased at performanceforhealth.com/store. Are you struggling financially? Email membership@perfther.com and you will receive the subscription for free through our member sponsorship program.
Group Fitness Classes – Live and Recorded
Performance has been spending the past several weeks recording group fitness videos for our members and local communities that are completely free and accessible 24/7. They can be found on our custom YouTube channel, Performance Health & Fitness Group Fitness Classes.
Performance has also hosted Zoom Group Fitness Classes and Certified Personal Trainer led classes since COVID-19 shut the doors of the health club. Visit the Performance Health & Fitness Facebook page for new Zoom class announcements.
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100 Mile Club – 26 Day Challenge!
Let’s Keep Moving – With schools closed across much of the country, we want to bring a little bit of “summer” fun to students this spring with a spin on our classic Club 262 summer challenge.
Keep your kids and family healthy and active with smart, safe exercise at home, in a park, or in your neighborhood. For 26 days (or until school resumes, whichever comes first), track your progress and aim for 1 mile per day. The 26 Day Challenge is FREE for all to sign up and download our mile tracking sheet. More Info
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Active Schools
Active Schools Partner Videos to Get Kids Moving at Home
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ActiveKids.com
Soccer, basketball, football, tennis, dance, field hockey, swimming, lacrosse, gymnastics–the world of sports is wide open for kids. To help keep your kid in shape for any season, full-body exercises are the way to go. These conditioning moves help build endurance, balance, agility and coordination while strengthening the whole body. Whether your kid is into sports or just being a kid, these full-body conditioning exercises will have them ready for the game or the playground. All these exercises can be done anywhere, anytime with zero equipment.
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Alliance for A Healthier Generation
Healthier Generation provides free, evidence-based resources to support the physical, social, and emotional health of children and their caregivers. Find a selection of these resources designed to support you in reducing stress, eating healthy, moving regularly, getting quality sleep, and more.
Fitness Breaks with Pro Athletes
Fit for a Healthier Generation Physical Activity Videos
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American College of Sports Medicine
ACSM is dedicated to supporting and promoting health through physical activity. Amid concerns around the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, individuals in communities across the country and around the world are being encouraged to stay home. you will find many resources to help you continue to stay physically active while at home. Also, check out this link for more.
- Staying Active During COVID-19 | A blog from Liz Joy, M.D., MPH, FACSM, FAMSSM and Exercise is Medicine
- Staying Active During the Coronavirus Pandemic | Handout
- Ten Sought-After Functions in Workout Apps | Infographic
- Time Saver Fitness: High-Intensity Circuit Training At Home (The Seven-Minute Workout) | Infographic
ACSM is dedicated to the continuing education of certified exercise professionals. A variety of educational resources are available to certified exercise professionals to utilize during this time as well as throughout their careers, with additional premium resources available to those who are ACSM Alliance Members. https://www.acsm.org/learn-develop-professionally/exercise-professional-resources
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American Council on Exercise
Across the world, individuals and families are limiting their time in public and communal places; our daily lives of work, school and socialization look different than they did only a few weeks ago. During this time, ACE encourages all people to keep moving – whether that’s at home, with your family or in a safe place outside. In fact, the CDC recommends adults participate in at least 150 minutes a week of cumulative moderate or vigorous physical activity!
Check out this link to articles, webinars, and tips to get inspired on ways to stay active and healthy in this uncertain time as well as other tips to boost your mood and reduce stress.
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American Heart Association
Many people continue to have questions around the coronavirus and how it impacts our daily life. As employees and families spend more time at home, the American Heart Association has gathered this collection of resources to help those wishing to continue to life healthy, active lives. For updated information on the coronavirus and what heart disease and stroke patients should do, click here.
- 25 Ways to Get Moving at Home (Infographic)
- Create a Circuit Workout (Infographic)
- How to Move More Anytime Anywhere
- How to Get Energy When You’re Too Tired to Workout (Infographic)
- Balance Exercises
- Physical Activity Around the House
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American Physical Therapy Association
The American Physical Therapy Association has compiled resources at the following website: ChoosePT.com
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The Body Coach (for kids)
The YouTube channel for The Body Coach offers a variety of exercise videos for both adults and kids. Videos for adults are about 20 minutes in length. Many of the videos feature kids working out alongside The Body Coach, which is highly entertaining for kids and can help keep them engaged. Starting Monday 23rd March, The Body Coach will be hosting a free daily PE workout aimed at kids LIVE his YouTube channel.
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BOKS Kids
Please join us and a number of our wonderful Trainers at www.facebook.com/boks today and each weekday for a fun dose of physical activity for you and your kids. If you can’t join our events in real-time, don’t worry, the workouts will live on our Facebook page and can be watched at your convenience.
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CATCH Health at Home
CATCH is trying to keep our kids healthy and active during Coronavirus-related school closures. To help families, we’ve set up a Google Classroom to provide you with free and easy access to several of CATCH’s evidence-based health, nutrition, and physical education materials. These activities require limited space and supervision, and are organized into three sections: Physical Activities, Activity Breaks and Family Health and Nutrition.
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CorePower Yoga
CorePower Yoga is offering free access to a limited collection of online yoga and meditation classes while studios are closed.
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Cosmic Kids Yoga
Cosmic Kids offers yoga lessons working on balance and strength on YouTube. Specifically designed for kids ages 3 and up to engage in mindfulness and yoga practices, Cosmic Kids Yoga offers a variety of videos that your kids can follow along with at home. Videos are sorted by age and activity level, so you can choose from an easy beginner-level video for little kids or high-energy yoga videos for older kids. Your kids can also move along with dance videos and participate in short brain breaks to help shake up your daily routine. Episodes range between 2 minutes and 1 hour.
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Daily Burn
Daily Burn is offering a 30-day free trial. Daily Burn is an online program that creates a personalized fitness program that you can complete remotely. When you sign up, you will create a Daily Burn profile and Daily Burn will pick workouts for you each day to help you improve your fitness. If you don’t like the workouts selected for you, you can opt-out of them for the day and choose your own. Daily Burn workouts include cardio, strength training, Pilates, barre and more.
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Down Dog App Group
Down Dog maintains several fitness and yoga apps that offer yoga practices or at-home workouts. These apps: Down Dog, Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Barre, and 7 Minute Workout are free until May 1st. Students and K-12 teachers have free access until July 1.
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Exercise Is Medicine
The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents some challenges to maintaining a physically active lifestyle. For all of us, young and old, regular physical activity remains an important strategy for staying healthy! Compared to being sedentary, moderate-intensity physical activity is associated with better immune function. Likewise, regular physical activity is associated with lower levels of anxiety and perceived stress.
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Fitness Blender
Fitness Blender is a free online resource created by two personal trainers with hundreds of free workout videos ranging from 10-85 minutes long. These videos include apartment-friendly cardio, strength training, Pilates, stretching and more at levels appropriate for everyone from beginners to elite athletes.
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Fluency and Fitness
Fluency and Fitness® helps students review essential K-2 reading and math topics, while providing a movement break. Over 30,000 classrooms worldwide use Fluency and Fitness® for literacy and math blocks, brain breaks, inside recess, morning meetings, or just those few spare minutes in the day. Teachers love that they don’t have to lose instructional time to fit in a movement break. Students have so much fun, they don’t realize how much they’re learning. Fluency & Fitness® is typically used in classrooms for review purposes, but we are giving families 21 days of FREE unlimited access to our site during school closures due to the Coronavirus. Your access to the content will simply expires after this time period.
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Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
The Global Employee Health and Fitness Month (GEHFM) website (which can be accessed throughout the year – not just in the month of May). It is an international and national observance of health and wellness and promotes the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to all people (not just workforce) through health promotion activities and environments. This website has translation capability into any language.
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Go Noodle
GoNoodle is a great way to break up our long days inside and get kids moving. This YouTube channel features a plethora of silly videos that kids love to move along with. Whether they’re dancing along to songs from Trolls or doing an actual workout like their Fresh Start Fitness Collection, GoNoodle videos will keep your kids active.
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Hip Hop Public Health
Hip Hop Public Health has put together a collection of free, fun, standards-based dance breaks that encourage physical activity at home. Keep your spirits up, stay healthy and get H.Y.P.E. at Home. The H.Y.P.E. at Home collection is easily accessible to anyone for free in our Resource Center, along with our other 100+ free educational videos, comic books and music. You can also download these resources and save them on your computer.
Keep your spirits up, stay healthy and get H.Y.P.E. at Home.
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Jack Hartman Kids Music Channel on YouTube
The Jack Hartman Kids Music Channel on YouTube is full of videos that incorporate both learning and exercise for kids. These videos are great for elementary ages and younger. One of the most popular videos is Lets Get Fit Count to 100
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KiDZ Bop
Have a KIDZ BOP Dance Party in your living room to get the wiggles out! KIDZ BOP Dance Along videos are the best way to incorporate music + movement into your daily routine. Kids can sing, dance, and burn off extra energy to kid-friendly versions of popular songs following along with the dance moves of the KiDZ Bop kids.
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Les Mills
This workout class creator is offering free classes on their streaming platform, LES MILLS on Demand until the coronavirus outbreak is over. The site has 95 video classes for Body Combat, Body Pump, Barre, cardio training, mindfulness and more. Performance Health & Fitness members have complimentary access to their FULL On Demand product which includes over 800+ workouts. Contact Becky Klutts at bklutts@perfther.com, Performance Health & Fitness Group Fitness Director to learn more.
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Little Sports
As the current situation in the world forces us to stay more at home, Little Sports has a collection of simple and effective exercise videos for kids to be done indoors. The kid’s workout videos by Little Sports are fun, engaging, and easy for kids to follow along with on their own. Each video is approximately 15 minutes long and teaches kids a variety of exercises to do at home including stretches, standing exercises, cardio moves, and more.
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Marathon Kids
Looking for a fun and easy way to get moving with your kids? You can now access all of our tools and support by starting your very own Marathon Kids at Home running club! The goal of Marathon Kids at Home is to help families establish healthy habits by actively working together to reach a total of 104.8 miles, the distance of four marathons. By tracking progress, one mile at a time, you will discover that you can achieve more than you ever thought possible.
We invite you to try Walk and Talk, a free program that gets you active as a family. Walk a mile with your child and talk about a new topic each day. We provide a special mileage log to track the distance you walk, along with 26 conversation starter cards—one for each mile. After a month or so of family walks, you’ll have walked the distance of a marathon (26.2 miles) and have gotten to know your child a little better along the way.
Marathon Kids running club games
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Mommy Poppins
25 Exercise Games and Indoor Activities to Get Kids Moving
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Moovelee
Moovelee videos are perfect for toddlers who need to stretch and move while stuck at home. Friendly animated monkeys guide little ones through video workouts based on yoga and meditation practices, as well as more traditional workout skills like running and stretching. Kids can follow along with videos about superhero yoga or dodge the monsters in order to keep their body moving.
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Move to Live More
Move to Live MoreSM has a mission to help people live healthier, longer, more active lives. Parents and kids need ideas for how to be active during COVID-19 closures, and Move to Live More℠ is providing new, fun programming ideas created by parents and kids. Activities can be done inside, in the yard/driveway, or at a local park, with minimal equipment.
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National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD)
– Given the severity of COVID-19, people with disabilities and chronic health conditions are some of the most at-risk populations. While staying home, practicing social distancing and good hygiene are of upmost importance it is also imperative that we stay active through exercise options at home. Exercise can help boost immunity and keep us in good physical and mental health. The National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) has curated a playlist of the top exercise from home videos on their YouTube channel for kids and adults. The playlist includes 32 options for all abilities to choose an exercise mode that works and is enjoyable to them. Get ready, set and move -> https://bit.ly/2QoIiao
– Looking for an exercise program that is inclusive and can be done at home? Look no further! @NCHPAD’s 14 Week Program to a Healthier You might be just what you need. This program is a FREE, personalized, web-based physical activity and nutrition program for individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions. Remember to stay active at home during #COVID-19! https://www.nchpad.org/14weeks/
– Calling all athletes with a disability! Need some new options to stay active while at home? Check out NCHPAD’s Champion’s Rx program. This is a FREE, high-intensity daily workout program designed to challenge all ability levels.
VISIT THEIR WEBSITE
– Discover Inclusive Active Aging: This Guide builds on the information presented in Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging. Also, check out this playlist full of videos for at home workouts
YOUTUBE
– NCHPAD Educators Quarterly Digest
READ THE EMAIL
– Inclusive PE resources for distance learning
VIEW THE PDF
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National Council on Aging (NCOA)
Your organization may not be able to offer group exercise classes during the COVID-19 outbreak, but it is important to encourage older adults to stay active and maintain gains in strength, balance, and flexibility that reduce fall risk, strengthen the immune system, and improve quality of life. Check out these tips from NCOA on encouraging older adults to stay active during this time.
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NFL PLAY 60 Virtual Field Trip
To join in the fun visit heart-nflplay60.com
The NFL PLAY 60 Virtual Field Trip is an all-access pass to behind the scenes of Super Bowl LIV in Miami. Huddle Up and Get Moving with NFL players, cheerleaders, American Heart Association volunteers and students. Watch the Virtual Field Trip to learn more about physical activity and wellness! The fun doesn’t end there! Additional physical activity videos and stories on heart health and nutrition are also available.
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NFL PLAY 60 App
Available in the App Store or on Google Play
With the NFL PLAY 60 App take real steps to move in the game, explore your surroundings and collect characters to build your ultimate team for competition. See your rank on the leaderboard as you run, jump, dance, catch and see your players do the same. By leveraging the American Heart Association’s health expertise and the NFL’s commitment to physical fitness, you can help us achieve our goal of getting kids physically active for 60 minutes every day all year long.
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NIH National Institute on Aging
Physical activity is an important part of healthy aging. Check out these links and videos to learn what exercises can help you stay healthy as you get older. Learn how to fit exercise into your daily life safely and get motivated to get moving!
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Nike Training Club
The Nike Training Club app lets you download free 15-, 30-, and 45-minute workouts designed by Nike trainers. Most of the workouts are equipment-free and use GIFs to demonstrate how to do each exercise — from squats to walkouts, to lunges.
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Online Physical Education Network
The Online Physical Education Network has added over 100 pages of new content over the weekend to help with your emergency planning. Visit the Active Home module to download, share links, print, or edit.
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Peloton
Peloton, the fitness company, is offering a 90-day free trial to its digital membership, up from its usual 30-day trial. With the trial, you can access streaming and on-demand workouts for spin, tread, yoga, strength training and more. To begin your trial, head to Peloton’s website or download the app.
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Pickup Sports
Pickup Sports aims to provide healthy and fun early sports experiences for kids to prepare them for long-term sports participation. Every day we will be releasing videos of sports games you can play with your kids at home! (For kids age 3-6) Think of it like Homeschool PE! Here is this week’s schedule. Look for the videos on social media at 1pm EST every day! #homeschool https://twitter.com/askpickupsports?s=20
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Playworks
Playworks is highlighting games on their social media channels in the coming weeks. These will be games that can be played at home with a small number of children or larger groups in schools that are open. Follow along using #PlayworksAtHome and #PlayAtHome. Please follow Playworks on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn so you receive these notifications. Learn how to play Crack the Code
Playworks also has their Game Library: Explore hundreds of games by group size, available space and equipment, appropriate ages, and developmental skills. Our games are designed to keep all kids playing. You will see lots of games where everyone is “it”, ground-rules that keep games manageable for recess supervisors, skill-building variations on students’ favorite sports, and other adaptations that make games fun and inclusive for everyone.
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SANFORD Health
The team at Sanford Sports, including Sanford POWER, Sanford POWER academies and the Sanford Sports Science Institute, are offering advice and support for athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.sanfordpower.com/sanford-sports-experts-offering-advice-and-support-for-athletes-during-covid-19-pandemic/
Athletes have an opportunity during COVID19 to adjust their nutrition and start new habits that will help them in the long run. Sanford Sports registered dietitian Liz Kasparek, RD offers examples and advice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHiWP8OYAWM&feature=youtu.be
5 Fun Ways to Incorporate Physical Activity: Learn about 5 ways you can get your family moving every day! https://fit.sanfordhealth.org/blog/5-fun-ways-to-incorporate-physical-activity-article
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SHAPE America
SHAPE America is dedicated to helping physical education and health education teachers across the country as many schools and school districts are moving to distance learning due to COVID-19. In response, we have created a collection of resources from SHAPE America and other K-12 health and physical educators to help you continue to provide high-quality, standards-based lessons despite the circumstances. Adapt, repurpose or use the resources provided as you see fit to best meet the unique needs of your students. Be sure to bookmark this page and come back as we will be adding content regularly.
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SPARKhome
Covid-19: Unprecedented times for sure and SPARK – the World’s Most Researched Physical Education and Physical Activity Programs is here to help.
Teachers and Parents: Check out the FREE SPARKhome activities we have added to SparkAcademy.org
Login or create a FREE account – Go to “Course Catalog” and select SPARKhome (Free). We have materials to provide 3 weeks of content for K-2, 3-6, Middle School, and High School to keep students active and healthy when they are out of school. To see all the K-12 courses click on “See More”.
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Special Olympics
We have seen a TON of our local Programs activating around these resources in the past few days.
- The Fit 5 Guide challenges our athletes to live by the 3 simple goals of staying active 5 days per week, eating 5 fruits and vegetables each day and drinking 5 water bottles full of water each day.
- The Fitness Cards and Videos are simple leveled exercises in endurance, strength and flexibility.
These were made with the idea that many of our Special Olympics athletes are using. These resources don’t just benefit our athletes, they have also helped coaches and family members.
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Stretch and Grow of the Rockies
Stretch and Grow of the Rockies is a kid’s health and wellness enrichment company that teaches children age-appropriate fitness and yoga routines. Jillian Sterner is the CEO and has started uploading daily “Brain Breaks” on YouTube that include a 10-minute video of yoga poses, breathing techniques, and exercises.
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STRONG by Zumba
Using combinations synced to music to give you an all-around workout, this will give you a workout without needing much or any equipment. You can access plenty of free HIIT workouts on YouTube, choosing from 7-, 20-, and 30-minute on-demand classes. The videos also come in languages other than English.
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Sweat & Social Distance
www.sweatandsocialdistance.com & online community: www.facebook.com/sweatandsocialdistance
Our mission is to keep the world active and connected during the CoronaVirus Pandemic.
- Free live stream workouts from body weight classes to yoga at home.
- Interviews with fitness and wellness experts.
- Online facebook community to keep us all engaged and active during this unprecedented time
All are welcome!
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UNICEF Kid Power
If you are a teacher whose school has already been affected by the shutdowns or anticipate that it will soon be, we want you to know that we are working on a UNICEF Kid Power from home option for your students to make sure that kids are staying active. Additionally, we are already developing COVID19 specific psycho-social Kid Power-Ups to help students get through this difficult time. https://www.unicefkidpower.org/
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Walk With A Doc
The Walk With A Doc team has been brainstorming a lot over the last few days and we’ve decided to launch the Physical Distancing Challenge.
How are you maintaining 6 feet and SAVING LIVES!?
The more creative, the better. The more movement, even better.
Is it going for a walk with your loved one (and a pet!)?
Is it getting outside to see a beautiful sunset or sunrise?
Is it a solo dance party or home workout?
Share your ideas, pictures, and videos on social media using the hashtags #PDChallenge and #PhysicalDistancing.
We’ve also launched a brand new WWAD Facebook Group – please join and share your ideas to help encourage others. We can remain socially connected even during a period of physical distancing.
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Walkabouts
Free Temporary Walkabouts Access for Teachers and Students During COVID-19 Closures COVID 19. We want kids to be able to stay active at home, so we are providing free access to the end of the summer. Feel free to share this link with your network. We are really concerned about those under-resourced kids who get their opportunities at school.
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YMCA 360
YMCA wants to make sure people stuck at home due to the COVID-19 outbreak can still get the exercise they need. YMCA 360 is your Virtual YMCA. It’s your favorite classes, our top instructors, and the Y community, now available at home, on the road, 24/7 and 360 degrees. Welcome to healthy living for all. Welcome to YMCA 360.
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Yoga Ed
Since 1999, Yoga Ed. has empowered millions of children and teens to thrive through evidence-based yoga and mindfulness training and curriculum.
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For more information on the importance and benefits of physical activity please check out these resources.
- NCHPAD Fitness Resources
- 10 Reasons to Get Moving from the CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity
- Move Your Way
- Physical Activity Facts for Healthy Schools
- National Physical Activity Plan
- Physical Activity Facts from USDA
- Special Olympics
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