Hybrid working became common after the pandemic. It’s where you work from the office sometimes and from home the rest of the time.

Did you know there’s also such a thing as hybrid exercise?

We’ve seen a lot of it over the last year or so. You may already be practising this successful method without realising it!

It’s where you combine exercise, which is done outside the home, either outdoors or at an external venue, with training at home. Usually, during the week, people will do a mixture of the two.

Read on to learn more about how people make hybrid exercise work and its many benefits.

What Does Hybrid Exercise Look Like, Then?

Outside the home, exercise can include activities at a gym, a group class, a dance studio or a swimming pool. This can be done independently, with an instructor or in a group.

When people exercise at home, this can be done independently or by following a programme (a book, printed programme, DVDs or online videos). An online exercise studio is a great solution for safe, enjoyable and effective home exercise.

What Are the Benefits of Hybrid Exercise?

Hybrid exercise is both more enjoyable and more effective. It’s an easy way to fit regular exercise into your lifestyle and get more results.

Variety is vital in fitness – we need to do various fitness activities both for optimal health and fitness and to stop us from getting bored.

People always look surprised when I say we need to avoid boredom. I think they assume that exercise has to be somewhat painful and tedious. But I don’t believe in ‘no pain, no gain’, and I know that the more you enjoy something, the more you will do it. So I want to ensure you aren’t bored with your exercise routine!

Hybrid exercise is convenient – it’s easier to fit in the training you want and need to do. So you get more benefits!

You can enjoy the social aspect of a class and the flexibility of home exercise, which you can fit around your other commitments.

Who Can Benefit from Hybrid Exercise?

Everyone!

It’s great if you have a busy schedule. Maybe you’re working, volunteering or looking after grandchildren (or all three!). When you want to fit in commitments, responsibilities and social engagements, hybrid exercise can help you keep your routine up.

It works if you live further away from leisure facilities or don’t like driving or taking transport daily.

Hybrid exercise gives you more options if you get tired quickly, or your energy varies daily. You can go out to a class when you’re full of beans and do a short home workout when you’ve got less in the tank.

How Can You Make Hybrid Exercise Work for You?

Make friends with your calendar.

Fit various activities throughout the week. Only book a class on the days you know you can get there. Put home exercise in your calendar like a scheduled gym session.

Make the most of the social opportunities. When you go to a class, have coffee or lunch with people afterwards, make most of the social interaction and enjoy it!

Don’t try to replicate the exercises from your class when you’re at home. Do something complementary and well-suited to home exercise. If you do strength training and aerobic exercise when you’re out, go for some balance and mobility work on your home days.

Follow a plan or programme. It’s very, very hard to succeed with home exercise without one! You could use a book, DVD, website or a programme from your doctor or physical therapist.

Ensure that the author or online instructor you follow is qualified, experienced and delivers exercises at the right level.

For example, here’s a taster of some of the Move More Easily exercises that members of our online Studio enjoy:

Look at the Vida Wellness Studio and try our 14-day trial if you want help and support to exercise at home. It’s an online exercise studio for people who wish to improve their balance and posture, feel stronger, and move more easily.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How often do you exercise? Do you enjoy it? Do you do hybrid exercise or is there a different plan that works better for you?