Staying fit while staying far enough apart Arms-Length Activities

by Sam Crawford

Weight gain and stiff joints are sure signs of excessive binge-watching these days. Let’s face it: even if you’ve remained virus-free, there’s a good chance that keeping up your physical and mental health has been a challenge in recent months unless you’ve been able to get out of the house and enjoy the fabulous spring and summer weather. So, turn off the TV, get off the couch, and venture out to burn some calories and renew your spirit. Here are some fresh-air activities (and a few for the indoors) that can be enjoyed alone or safely with family members and friends:

Walking, jogging, and bicycling along neighborhood streets or in public spaces are the easiest ways to get some outdoor exercise, either alone or in tandem. Most planned communities offer miles of maintained paths that make it easy to social distance.

Golf is a sport that can be played alone or with companions in single-person carts. Keep a healthy distance on the tees and greens, concede all of the short putts to minimize gatherings around the pin, and spread out at the 19th hole.

Tennis and pickleball players can work up a competitive sweat while serving only their own marked balls and otherwise letting the racquet or paddle make contact. Pickleball has been the fastest growing sport among those aged 50+ for many years, and it’s a great way to remain social.

Fishing for many is a solitary activity or can be enjoyed with other anglers at a safe distance on a dock or along a shoreline. Greater care should be taken when sharing a boat with non-family members.

Kayak or canoe in a one-person craft, enjoying the local wildlife, passing greenery, and viewing sunny skies with fellow travelers on the water. Rivers, lakes, and waterways provide the perfect opportunity to get away from it all.

Surfing and paddleboarding are also sports that feature a single rider on board and have the added benefit that one of the skills is not running into each other under any circumstance.

Swimming isn’t recommended as a solo activity, but the “buddy system” doesn’t mean that everyone has to be in the water at the same time. Make sure to apply your own sunscreen.

Try something new! Croquet, bocce ball, and Frisbee golf are just a few of the low-impact outdoor sports that can be fun to learn and are played with some space between competitors.

Yoga and similar exercise routines that involve stretching and deep breathing can be done on a porch or deck for a completely natural experience or on a mat in front of a window if you prefer privacy and air-conditioning.