Ashley Horwitz: Committed, Creative and Resourceful
May 8, 2020
D10 Houston athlete Ashley Horwitz
Tell us about your day-to-day, and how it's changed these past two months.
I'm Group Fitness Manager and an Instructor for Equinox in River Oaks, in Houston. We closed the doors to our club March 16th and have been inactive ever since, as we await a reopening date.
With a five-year-old at home, I find it important to maintain some form of routine and to stay active, especially outdoors. We wake up to enjoy some time on the back patio before a big breakfast. After chores, it's time for a bike ride and a dog walk around our neighborhood. We venture to the Buffalo Bayou trails or Memorial Park almost every day for a long run or walk.
I’m able to maintain strength training at home. We make it a point to do an activity each day, whether it be Legos, workbooks, puzzles, reading, etc. The most challenging part of the adjustment is finding variety in everyday life. And not lifting heavy. But the silver lining? s a single mom who works challenging hours, it’s always been difficult to find time to cook. The time I’ve had every evening to spend in the kitchen has been such a welcome change.
Have you been able to maintain a training regimen?
Yes, I’m a firm believer you can train anywhere, no matter how little equipment you may have. You just have to be committed, creative and resourceful. I’ve been long-distance running several days a week and just ran a half-marathon. I bike 25-30 miles per ride. I’m thankful for the dumbbells I have at home, and have been able to creatively use my son’s playscape in the backyard. I program at-home workouts very similarly to how I would program for the classes I teach at Equinox. Long stroller walks keep me active outdoors on recovery days.
What's something you do to reward yourself, or to look after your mental health?
I drink my coffee on my back patio every morning to enjoy the beautiful weather we’ve been having, and I end the day with a glass of wine in the same spot while my son plays in the backyard. The more sunshine and fresh air, the better I feel!
Get outdoors and stay moving. Be accepting to the fact that your workouts may look very different during this time, but know by staying active, you are still moving yourself forwards. Use this time to change up your routine and challenge your body in different ways. In reality, your body probably needed this.