To say that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives is an understatement. The novel coronavirus has elbowed its way to the forefront of our thoughts. We consider its impact on all our daily routines, from grocery shopping to greeting one another. Our personal fitness routines are not immune to this life-altering interference. If your habit was visiting the local gym, playing a pickup game with friends, or participating in a yoga class, consider your plans changed.

Regardless of the circumstances, physical fitness is still an important part of life. The key to staying fit in the COVID-19 era is stretching your creativity along with your muscles. That means improvising ways to keep your fitness routine intact with less equipment, space, and social support. Household objects can become free weights. A corner of your garage can become an aerobics area. Your yoga instructor may teach from a computer screen instead of in person.

The Mayo Clinic offers some suggestions on how to stay fit in the COVID-19 era. “There are a lot of ways you can get exercise in,” says Irvin Haak, DPT at the Mayo Clinic, “You just have to create the environment in your home, where you can do it inside and have a program where you do a series of exercises.”

Daniel Montero MD at the Mayo Clinic emphasizes the mental health benefits of staying fit during the pandemic. “Obviously, there is a lot of stress right now with what’s going on in the world and we don’t want people to forget all the wonderful benefits of exercise. Exercise is medicine. It’s a wonderful way to destress and maintain our sanity in these difficult times.”

Although COVID-19 is challenging us in unprecedented ways, there is a silver lining for those who meet the obstacles to fitness head on. On the other side of this health crisis, we can look back at the resilience it has created in our exercise routines, when a cancelled pickup game or an unexpected gym closure doesn’t hinder our ability to stay in motion.