COVID19 has affected all of us in one way or another. Whether it is a job uncertainties, health worries, or simply the fear of the unknown, the stress from all of it can be overwhelming. According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress and nearly 55% of Americans stress during the day. While it's impossible to eliminate stress, coping and managing it effectively is possible.

COVID-19 is NOT going to stop us from staying active! Starting tomorrow, I will be posting a brand new Workout of the Day (WOD) at 6:00AM every morning for the next 30 days. If we are not out of the quarantine in those 30 days, we will start another challenge!

COVID-19 is changing the way we think about fitness. Gyms, Health Studios, Crossfit Warehouses, even state parks are all shutting down. Staying home to stop the pandemic is the way to go. Having the ability to still be active while at home is an important step to help you stay strong and healthy.

Originally published 03/20/2019 - Updated 03/20/2020:

The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced most people to stay home and businesses (including gyms and fitness centers) to close doors, all in an effort to help control and reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. This blog was written exactly a year ago (How fast do things change in one year!). The goal of the original post back then was to offer some creative ideas to stay fit and active without the need of gym membership or equipment. I think we need this now more than ever! I did not change anything in the original post as I thought it was all relevant (some places are still allowing people to go to the park or beach), however, please do follow all local laws in place that are intended to help fight the spread of the virus. Don't forget to wash your hands, don't touch your face with hands not washed, and practice safe social distancing.

I put together the following guidelines to help you increase your running speed and cardiovascular endurance during the 12 weeks of the Challenge. Can’t run? No problem. The below guidelines can be applied to other cardiovascular exercises (like walking, rowing, elliptical, cross trainers, biking, etc.) Mileage modification might be needed depending on the activity.

In this guide:

The new year is finally here. It’s a new start, a clean slate and a fresh new page. So in celebration of this, I wanted to share with you a formula for setting fitness goals that would make them easier to reach.

I call it S.M.A.R.T. goal setting: S: specific, M: measurable, A: attainable, R: realistic, T: time-bound.

Let’s take a typical new-year resolution: “I want to lose weight and be healthy” and try to apply the S.M.A.R.T. approach to modify it.