It would have been very easy for Robby Moss to become discouraged when gyms in the Greater Toronto Area closed. Then there’s social distancing.
See, Moss is a personal trainer. So with gyms closed and clients unable to meet him face to face, there wasn’t a way to practice his profession. That’s when Moss turned to social media for his version of the at-home workout.
“I was able to make workouts for myself very easily and share it to Instagram,” Moss said. “At least I can maximize my ability to help individuals with sharing these workouts.”
He said it was his way to practice what he preaches. When it comes to clients, he puts them through a rigorous workout, so this has been his chance to show, not just his clients but anyone who tunes in to his Instagram account (@robbymossfitness), he’s not just all talk.
“Above all, practice what I preach because this is what I do for a living,” he said. “So it was quite easy for me to figure out what to do. And I'm not one to shy away from putting in actual hard work. Not everyone wants to do workouts at home, but I'm not one to shy away from, OK, we know burpees suck, but you got to do them.”
You can catch Moss on IG doing jump squats or standing on his head or doing boxing exercises with his girlfriend. It’s a variety that is sure to get anyone into great shape no matter where they are.
“Honestly, it feels awesome to be able to pass on what I’m good at ,” he said. “People are definitely taking more notice of it, too. Not only my actual personal clients, but people that kind of follow me on Instagram that I don't even know. They're reaching out to me now and saying, “Oh my God, thank you for you for these workouts’ or, ‘Thank you for keeping us all accountable.’ It's very rewarding knowing that what I'm doing, what I like to do, is actually having an impact on people.”
Home isolation can bring on a sense of cabin fever. People crave the outdoors, fresh air and even contact with friends and family. Moss is no different. He admits he’s lucky because he does live with his family, which can break up the monotony. But if he does have a day when he gets away from exercise program, he notices the change that occurs mentally.
“I feel like if I let a day go by where I didn't do anything at all fitness wise, it weighs on me like mentally,” he said. “So for me, keeping active helps me keep sane, relieves some tension, and helps me feel like I did something good for myself on that day.”
Healthy eating is an obvious point of concern for Moss, but he’s also realistic. When those rare trips to the grocery store do happen, buy the healthy stuff. At the same time, don’t beat yourself up for having a snack that may not be the healthiest of options.
“Don't be afraid to have a snack every now and then,” he said, “because I've always been that kind of person who says you have to enjoy certain things as well or else what's the point?”
So what is the point? Now more than ever, Moss says it’s a chance to take advantage of opportunities you may normally not have a chance to experience.
“Just to look at the big picture and set a goal for yourself,” he said. “Don't let this quarantine halt your progress. You don't want to come out in worse shape than you went in. Makes time for yourself. All you have is time. You owe it to yourself to, if anything, find some good out of this bad situation and use it to learn something new. Try something new fitness wise and educate yourself at the end of all this time.”
This is one story in a series of articles with some of the best home workout programs we hope will keep you motivated and active at home.
