Argentine Polo Ponies? Fitness Insight: Jason Warren – Lockdown Top Tips

Jason Warren is a wellness coach and Personal Trainer as well as playing polo professionally and running the academy at Ham Polo Club. In this issue Jason will offer his 3 ways to stay fit, sane and ready for the polo season during isolation. Jason is currently offering online personal training and Zoom Camps to help keep his clients in shape and motivated during this unusual time

Lockdown Top Tips Four areas to focus on during isolation

By the time this issue has been released I imagine we will still be in some sort of isolation, but I hope I’m wrong! Here are four areas to focus on while you are quarantining at home:

Routine, training, meditation and TANNING

Some people may be worrying about how to maintain their fitness and health right now, but I see this is a chance to get fitter, healthier and happier than ever before. Now is your time! Isolation actually provides us with a lot of advantages to achieve this: • more time to train and schedule training • being at home to cook, prepare and plan our food • less distraction from social events, boozing and late nights taking us off track • more ‘you’ time • plenty of good rest

Here are my four areas to focus on:

Routine

Keeping a routine is key to progression and progressing is key to sustainability. In order to stay on track, it is important to get into a daily routine with realistic targets. After a while these actions become automatic and instinctive and we associate them with a reward. As soon as we start to recognise the reward and connect this with the habit, we’re off to the races.

Too many people try to start with a bang, set unrealistic targets and make too many changes. Set yourself a simple habit for 10 days and stick to it. Then add more when you have mastered the first.

High intensity workouts

High intensity interval workouts are a great way to shift thought-patterns and low moods. During isolation this could be a key part to keeping us sane. These workouts raise your heart rate, are great for releasing endorphins, improving cardio and promoting muscle growth, strength and stamina. High intensity workouts will best prepare you for when you are charging around the polo field again.

Try to train with others in your household, follow online classes or get a coach to keep the intensity and maintain accountability.

Photography courtesy of Jason Warren HIIT workouts are a great way to shift thought-patterns and low moods

I run an online HIIT session four times a week, get in touch if you need help staying motivated and want to follow my programme.

Meditation

It’s important to make time in the day to clear the mind, reconnect and deal with any overwhelming emotions of isolation and no polo! It doesn’t have to be long and there are some great apps you can use. 10 minutes during the day could make all the difference. Quarantine is in fact a great opportunity to take a step back from a usual fast-paced lifestyle, where meditation as a tool can help you to not get caught up in everyday life and connect with the things that you would not normally have time to.

TOP UP THAT TAN!

As I write this article I sit in 23 degree British sunshine, which inspires me to tell you all to take the pressure off and work on your tan. The UK gets a few hot days during spring and summer – why not utilise this as extra tanning time? Now we’re not playing we have plenty of time to do this. We can now spend hours lying in the sun and absorbing those rays and vitamin D but remember to tan responsibly and grab a cold beer, life’s about balance after all.

See you all in the season with tans and physiques of Greek gods and goddesses.

Find Jason on Instagram: @jason_tola_warren or contact him at fitness@hampoloclub.com and www.tolalifestyle.co.uk