FITNESS, STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Heartcore Pilates
One of London’s original (and, in my view, best) reformer Pilates studios has gone online. From core‑strengthening mat Pilates to barre classes and “Ritual” – a blend of Pilates, yoga and ballet-style exercises rumoured to be favoured by the Duchess of Sussex – Heartcore’s expert trainers will help you to get long, lean and toned. £5 classes via Zoom, heartcore.co.uk
TRX Suspension Training
The first TRX was created by Navy Seal Randy Hetrick in 1997 from a jiu-jitsu belt and some parachute webbing. Since then the pulley-like equipment has been used by everyone from supermodels to professional athletes. By counteracting gravity with your bodyweight, it’s a fast, effective way to tone muscle, build strength and increase mobility – all in a small space, inside or out. TRX Home 2, including a one-year subscription to the training app, £169.95, trxtraining.co.uk
Auro Personal Training
Dubbed a “personal trainer in your ear”, the Auro app has hundreds of workouts covering everything from walking and running to strengthening, yoga and stretching. While you can listen to its music, there’s also the option to overlay sessions with your own Spotify playlist. Sync it with your Apple Watch to get heart rate-based data and monitor your progress. 14‑day free trial, then £11.99 per month via the Apple App Store and Google Play
Performance Training
If you’re looking for a real challenge, Olympic Triathlon and Iron Man coach James Beckinsale is at hand. His Gold Package includes a personalised programme, delivered via professional athlete-training platform Training Peaks, one-to-one virtual sessions, digital Zwift bike races and meditation exercises – as well as unlimited access to him via Skype, WhatsApp and phone. Gold Package, £235 per month, jamesbeckinsale.co.uk
PAIN THERAPY
Physiotherapy
If you can’t get out to your regular physiotherapy sessions, or worse, if you injure yourself, Technique Physiotherapy has a team of accredited experts on hand to carry out musculoskeletal assessments via Skype or Zoom. They’ll furnish you with self-massage and foam-rolling techniques, along with a bespoke programme of exercises to help you manage aches and pains. £49 for 45 minutes, techniquephysio.com
LYT Yoga
A unique method developed by US-based physical therapist Lara Heimann, who has combined physiotherapy, kinesiology and neurology into a whole new practice. Everything, from beginner to advanced work-outs, is now available via her live-streams and video library. Trust me when I say your glutes will burn, your posture will improve and your mind will rediscover the art of focus. After a month, you may even perfect a handstand. $39.99 per month, movementbylara.vhx.tv
Osteopathy
Those suffering from back issues or sciatica can get expert advice from leading spinal experts at The Mayfair Clinic. Its Back In Shape membership area provides access to tutorials and progressive workout videos to help strengthen your back and core without injury. Seven-day free trial, then £15 per month, themayfairclinic.com
Specialist Pain Management
Aching, tight shoulders, necks, wrists and hips are likely to feel worse when we’re spending much of the day sitting at home. Richmond Stace, specialist in chronic and persistent pain, is offering Skype sessions where he’ll carry out an assessment, then deliver a programme of exercises, relaxation, visualisation and mindfulness to help manage your condition. £140 for one hour, specialistpainphysio.com
MENTAL WELLBEING, RELAXATION AND SLEEP
Better Help Therapy
According to the Global Wellness Summit, demand for “teletherapy” has leapt since the outbreak of Covid-19. Better Help gives you access to licensed psychologists, therapists and counsellors, matching you to the right person after an initial assessment. Contact your expert via message, phone or video conferencing. From $40 per week, betterhelp.com
The Insomnia Clinic
One in three of us suffers from sleep problems at the best of times. With upset routines and increased anxiety keeping us awake at night, a Zoom session with a specialist could help you fall asleep faster, wake less frequently and feel more rested come morning, via a range of CBT techniques developed specifically for insomnia. £90 for a one-hour consultation; £189 for the four-part Sleep Well Live Better course delivered via video, theinsomniaclinic.co.uk
The Breath Guy
Richie Bostock has trained leaders from Deloitte, Harvey Nichols, TedX and the Cabinet Office in optimal breath work. Helping to reduce anxiety, induce greater calm and focus – and improve lung function – his digital group sessions have recently become a daily essential for many of his 31,000 Instagram followers. Free, Instagram Live @TheBreathGuy
The Kaizn Method
Who doesn’t need to build resilience right now? Performance coaches Alex Potter and Jono Remington-Hobbs help you to rise to the challenge by mastering your home-based day, and unlock new opportunities for personal and professional growth. £1,250 for a course of two three-hour private sessions, £99 for a four-week Art Of Challenge group programme, kaiznmethod.com
Strala Yoga & Tai Chi
Created by former classical ballet dancer Tara Stiles and her husband Mike Taylor, a mind-body medicine Harvard alumnus, this method (backed by Dr Deepak Chopra) fuses different forms of yoga with tai chi, qigong and traditional Chinese medicine to activate the body’s chemical relaxation response – even in times of challenge. I can personally vouch that you’ll feel amazing after just one session. Series start from $45, stralayoga.com
SKIN, HAIR AND NUTRITION
Adonia Medical clinic Virtual Facial
Stress, sleeplessness and being stuck inside spell all kinds of trouble for the skin – especially for anyone who’s already prone to flare-ups of acne, rosacea or eczema. Which is why dermatologist Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme has created a virtual facial consultation. After an aesthetician assesses your skin online, you’ll be sent a “prescription” of products suited to your skin before your expert walks you through a facial via video tutorial. £150 for a consultation with Dr Ejikeme, redeemable against treatments or products. Facial treatments from £80, adoniamedicalclinic.co.uk
Hershesons Hair Appointments
Professional blowdries, cuts and colour might be beyond reach. But Hershesons is offering private online consultations to help you deal with visible roots, grow out your fringe and fix disastrous kitchen-scissor haircuts until you can get to a salon. £10 for 20 minutes, redeemable against your next in-salon appointment, hershesons.com
Nutritional Therapy
Nutritional therapist Eve Kalinik is taking her one-on-one sessions online. She assesses individual needs, then offers tailored meal plans, recipes and supplement suggestions to help alleviate a range of heath complaints. As she believes that 70 to 80 per cent of our immunity stems from the gut, there seems no better time to start. An electronic version of her book, Be Good to Your Gut: The Ultimate Guide to Gut Health, is included. £295 for initial one-hour consultation, £150 for 45-minute follow-ups, evekalinik.com
Facetoned Facial Workout
When that regular facial or fillers appointment is impossible, try Pilates – but for your face. Pilates teacher Carme Farré teaches facial fitness to lift the neck and jawline and smooth wrinkles. All you’ll need is clean skin and a good facial oil. From personal experience, nightly workouts helped to ease anxiety and stress headaches. From £11.99 per month via the FaceToned app, FaceToned®
CREATIVE STIMULATION
Curtis Brown Creative Writing Workouts
Research consistently shows that creative activities can increase the level of the feelgood hormone dopamine in the brain. This Weekly Writing Workout, led by one of the world’s major literary agencies, gives you access to tasks, professional tips and pointers on everything from starting your novel to pitching it. Free, curtisbrowncreative.co.uk
Playground Sessions
Co-created by songwriter, composer and producer Quincy Jones, these sessions are an opportunity to learn from Emmy- and Grammy-award-winning artists how to play everything from Coldplay to Beethoven via Miles Davis on a keyboard or digital piano at home. From $17.99 per month, playgroundsessions.com
Opera and Ballet
The Royal Opera House has created a programme of full‑length productions – from Peter and the Wolf to Così Fan Tutte – to be broadcast via its Facebook and YouTube channels (free, but donations welcomed). Likewise, Sadler’s Wells’ Digital Stage platform provides access to a free programme including Deluxe by the BalletBoyz and Rumpelstiltskin. roh.org.uk, sadlerswells.com
Oxford University Tutor Takeover
As part of a new “Curious Minds” campaign, the Department for Continuing Education has unlocked the Bodleian Library’s Digital Collections, a Mathematics Institute Public Lectures programme of YouTube lectures – and every other day will feature a Tutor Takeover, whereby a leading academic recommends podcasts, articles and other knowledge sources to keep your mind occupied for months. Free, conted.ox.ac.uk
THERAPEUTIC GADGETS TO GET YOU THROUGH
FaceGym Pro by Xtreem Pulse
This face tool uses electro-stimulation to strengthen underlying facial muscles and lift the skin when used for just 10 minutes, three times per week. £495, facegym.com
TheraGun Liv
Applies “percussive therapy” via a vibrational stimulation that increases blood flow and treats deep muscle tension – reaching 60 per cent deeper than standard massage tools. From £229, theragun.com
Flow Neuroscience Headset
Combines electro-stimulation with app-based behavioural therapy to manage the symptoms of depression. On subscription for £65 per month, flowneuroscience.com
