Many of us have been forced to change the way we live our lives, with gyms closing and lockdowns imposed trying to slow the spread of coronavirus in many countries.

While some regions will let you go for a run, a walk or cycle, some people can't get out of the house - or don't want to.

There is, however, a lot of tech that can help you stay in shape, from free online videos to apps to actual equipment - and we're not just talking about buying a treadmill. 

YouTube is full of videos

YouTube loves a workout video and everyone will have their favourite star. If it's bodyweight workouts that you're after - i.e., that don't involve weights or other equipment, then Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, is a great place to start.

 

Wicks has been running morning PE sessions since the UK schools closed. It's really aimed at kids in the UK and it starts at 9am Monday to Friday and takes about 30 minutes - and so far over 800k people have been tuning in for these daily HIIT workouts.

If you can't make the live sessions, there's a lot of other home workouts on the Wicks' channel that will get you sweating - as well as workouts for beginners or seniors. All you need is to be able to get access to YouTube. There are loads of other workouts on YouTube and Instagram to get you moving, but Joe Wicks has an easy-going approach.

There are apps too

There are loads, literally loads, of apps that focus on fitness.

If you don't feel like you have a lot of time on your hands then Seven might be of interest (Android, iOS) focusing on quick workouts to get you sweating and completed in seven minutes. 

Or there's Nike Training Club that will sync with Apple Health and supports Apple Watch and give you a range of exercises, including bodyweight exercises - and it's free (Android, iOS) - with Nike letting all users access NTC Premium.

You can also get your hands on 6 weeks of Chris Hemsworth training platform Centr (Android, iOS), so you can workout like Thor. As lots of people are in lockdown, Hemsworth is basically giving free access for 6 weeks free (for new members signing up on the website), after which you can decide if you want to continue.

Give Fitbit Premium a go

If you've got a Fitbit, then you might want to try Fitbit Premium. Fitbit has announced that it's extending its free trial from 7 days to 90 days. Yes, that's 3 months of Fitbit Premium before you'll have to pay.

Fitbit Premium increases the metrics from your Fitbit device, giving you access to more data, more insights and more feedback. That includes what was previously known as Fitbit Coach, with a range of different workout types available. The more you do, the more data Fitbit has to crunch to tailor the workouts to your goals.

Your steps might be down drastically, but Fitbit Premium might help you get your active minutes back up again.

Fire up Garmin Connect 

If your Garmin normally tracks your runs or rides and you can't make it outdoors, then delve a little deeper and you'll find a wealth of workouts within Garmin Connect. Yes, it's not just about outdoors cardiovascular training. 

Head into workouts > find a workout and you'll get a load of routines so needing equipment but many focused on bodyweight, which you can send to your Garmin device. Look out for the Tabata workouts, most of which need no equipment at all. 

Dive deeper into the workout and there's instruction videos and diagrams too. 

If you've got a bike, get an indoor trainer

The indoor bike trainer is a firm favourite with cycle enthusiasts and triathletes - and could be your best friend when you're on lockdown. There are loads of brands like Tacx, Wahoo, Elite, Kinetic and they go from the simple rear wheel clamp, up to smart trainers that replace the back wheel and give you lots of power readouts too.

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The Tacx Satori Smart makes a great choice if you don't want to spend a fortune and it also works with Zwift, and we've got a full selection of turbo trainers here for you to consider.

Zwift basically gamifies indoor cycling, using your PC or tablet to let you see where you're riding, who you're riding against, and your stats. Indoor bike training will make you sweat, however, so it's worth getting a fan too.

Got a Switch? Then get a Ring Fit

Nintendo loves finding a way to get its console gamers active. The latest is the Ring Fit, which is essentially a Switch game that requires you to exercise.

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You basically connect the Joy-Cons to the ring and the leg strap and then you can choose a range of different game types, from an adventure game through to straight exercise sets. It's likely to be the games that will get the kids exercising at home - and by the time you've done 30 minutes, you'll have earned a rest in front of the TV.