Gentle exercises

You don’t need to spend lots of money or go somewhere to keep active – there are lots of options you can do at home.

Many carers find at home activities are great if they’re unable to be apart from the person they care for but they still want to keep fit.

Equipment needed 

You’ll need to clear some space at home or in a garden / outdoor space you’re using and it’s a good idea to wear something you’re comfortable moving in. Other equipment needed will depend on the type of activity you’re interested in.

Getting started

The coronavirus outbreak left many more people unable to leave their homes meaning that keeping fit from home is more popular than ever. The Join The Movement campaign from Sport England was formed in early 2020 to support the nation to keep active at home! The website has lots of idea suggestions that can be done from home.

DVDs and videos from trainers are an option but there are also lots of free videos available online that you can try.

Active Essex has a range of online videos including everything from football and tai-chi. Kelly from Active Essex has written a blog with some suggestions for her favourite videos and how you can get started in the Expert Advice section of the Hub.

Joe Wicks (The Body Coach) has a variety of aerobic workouts available on his YouTube channel. During the earlier months of lockdown Joe ran daily workout sessions for children (also enjoyed by adults!), all of which can be found on his channel along with hundreds of others he filmed previously.

If you have a disability or a long-term condition, the We Are Undefeatable website has activity suggestions for how to you can get moving around the home, or check out their Make Your Move series of YouTube videos.

Alternatively, you might have other inventive ideas about adapting your favourite activities you would normally do outdoors so you can do them from home or you might enjoy simply putting some music on and dancing!

Top tips

Try to fit in 10 minutes when you can

Carers often tell us that finding the time to be active is difficult, but every minute counts and even 10 minutes of activity at home is beneficial for your health. The NHS have a series of 10 minute at home workouts to do when you can fit it in.

Involve other people at home!

An online video is an activity that you and the person you care for or others in your household can do together. Getting fit can be fun, especially if you find something that you all enjoy. The Active Essex selection includes activity suggestions that families can do together, including a family football session.

Share your experiences in our Facebook group

We’ve created a Facebook group for you to share ideas on what you’ve been able to do to keep active. If you’ve tried something new or would like some inspiration from others, request to join the group to get chatting or see what others are posting.

These warm up and cool down suggestions from the NHS can also help reduce the risk of injury.