Teaching and keeping active in lockdown

The last year has been hard for us all. Teachers have had it particularly hard having to adapt to lessons on zoom and being in and out of school. For Stephanie, exercise has been a great stress reliever during this difficult time.

Being a lively, fit and active teacher, who never stands still in class, life has certainly changed for me with regards to my physical activity during lockdown. Gone are the days of whizzing carefree all over my classroom, zipping round the hall for PE, hovering over desks and getting on my hands and knees to work with the children.

Here are the days of standing still, staring, for what seems to be hours on end at a computer screen. My posture is awkward and uncomfortable and I am unable to find a position that works. Both to see the screen, talk and teach and be comfortable. Evenings at the moment are spent laying on my floor in a yoga pose, trying to stretch out my muscles, so my body doesn’t give up at the end of what seems like forever.

Finding time to be active

I am having to find time to fit in into my day, something which would naturally have been a part of my day. I am having to work harder. Trying to cram in some squats whilst teaching, lunging around the island in my kitchen and jogging on the spot whilst marking work online. Physical exercise is something that I miss and this new life, where I’m less active, is not one that I signed up for.

Online fitness classes

I’m thankful, like many others, that my fitness classes have continued online. Three times a week I am able to thrash it out in my kitchen, giving it my all for an hour with my instructor expertly guiding us through our paces and shouting motivational words. Without this I think my body would have seized up and so would my mind.

It’s cathartic, stress-reducing and allows me to switch off completely for an hour. Don’t get me wrong, before I start all I want to do is sit on the sofa and watch tv, but by the end of it I’m left feeling invigorated, satisfied and positive. It really has helped me get through and it’s something to look forward to in amongst all this bleakness.