Lockdown Remedies Part 3

Hello and welcome to Part 3 in my series of Lockdown Remedies. Or should I say welcome to Part 2 of my Sport and Leisure Lockdown Remedies? Anywho, if you’ve taken the time to read my previous blog post may I, first of all, say thank you and second of all say that in today’s post I shall be continuing detailing how Sport and Leisure have helped me throughout Lockdown.

Of course, as what I have ultimately decided is par for the course, I shall reiterate that my Lockdown experience doesn’t compare to others and I am definitely covering 1st World Problems. Everyone has had different trials and tribulations during the past year. Whatever your lockdown experience may be, I hope that the words that follow could help.

So without further ado, let’s dive back into the world of Sport and Leisure. Last time I covered in somewhat rambling detail the pleasures and benefits of playing Basketball. Now I shall be a bit broader in scope and cover the necessity of exercise and activity. Being active is good for you. There are no two ways about it. It is good for the mind, body and soul. That is why I count myself to be extremely lucky where I live, which is basically on the Hampshire/Dorset border. This is, in my humble opinion, a beautiful part of the world. The New Forest, Ringwood Forest, Cranbourne Chase are all a stone's throw away for me and that has been a blessing. If like me you can explore nature where you live, you mustn’t hesitate to do so and it shouldn’t be taken for granted.

I’ve done so mainly in the form of Cycling and Walking. At various times with only a family member or a single friend due to the restrictions at play, at other times with a group of friends when allowed. I feel that this has been vital to my well-being during the lockdown, from just being able to get outside, to keeping fit and as a social outlet. Regardless of where you are, I implore you to put on your cycling shoes, your walking boots or whatever footwear you have to hand and get out there and explore.

When out and about Cycling or Walking I’ve been blown away by how many people have been doing the same. There’s more people doing this than there were before I am sure of it. I hope the trend continues after Lockdown. If there is anything it has taught me, it is not to take the area in which you live for granted. In 2019 I don’t recall using my Bicycle, since last March barely a week has gone by without me on it. I wonder post-Covid whether I’ll go back to letting the bike collect dust? I hope not. The same goes for walking with friends, which I must say is an amazing way to socialise. The majority of walks during the past year have been with my aforementioned Motorsport fanatic friends James, Josh and Will. We waffle on for hours and cover quite a distance on our walks, as soon as we are allowed to again I’m sure we will.

Another thing that I’ve found to be helpful during the past year has been the Gym. The Gym has been an inconsistent ally of mine in the pursuit of exercise and Lockdown Britain hasn’t changed that because depending on what Lockdown you pick from or what Tier you lived through, the Gym may or may not have been open. When it has been open I made sure to go even if it was just once a week, with so many other places closed (Cinemas, Shops and Pubs etc) it was something to do, a reason to pop out of the house for something other than work. When it has been closed Cycling and Walking has stepped up and really helped fill that void. Home workouts as well have been of great benefit and I was definitely a part of the trend during the first Lockdown that saw a surge in online shopping for exercise equipment. Home Gymming is hard work, the motivation is half the battle as whoever you choose to work out, the sofa is not too far away. However, I’ve found it to be rewarding to figure out new and varied ways to Home Gym and be it a small or large commitment, I’ve felt the better for it.

So, in summary, I guess what I’m trying to say is Sport is good, being active is good. It has helped me tenfold and I hope it has for you too. If you haven’t committed to being active in Lockdown just yet I urge you to change that. Be it for five minutes or fifty, once a week or 24/7, a leisure stroll or an intense workout, exercise is a suitable tonic to cure the Lockdown doldrums.

That puts an end to me covering Sport and Leisure during Lockdown, next up will be Entertainment.

Until then thanks for reading.

Dan