Altru Family YMCA offers online fitness options to enhance health at home

The Altru Family YMCA is offering free online fitness options to encourage people to get some exercise and stay healthy while they’re being asked, or required, to remain at home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“Thanks to virtual technology and social media, there are many resources available that are easily accessible from home or office,” said Patti McEnroe, YMCA membership and marketing director.

She recommended three free options “that are available to everyone who has wifi,” McEnroe said.

Developed by the YMCA of the USA, the YTRAAK Stay Healthy-Y 600 Challenge encourages friendly competition between U.S. states. The winning states will be decided by a point system that is calculated and displayed in real time in the participant’s profile and on the stats page, McEnroe said.

The team with the most points at the end of the challenge will be the winner of the match. In North Dakota, the competition, which started March 23, has drawn more than 6,000 participants who track time spent in activities, such as biking, running, walking and Y360 classes, she said.

Fitness categories include strength training, cardio and mind-body -- the latter involves activities, such as meditation and yoga. Go to www.ytraak.org .

A group of YMCAs have collaborated to create an on-demand healthy living network, YMCA 360, which includes virtual programs, in a class platform, that can be accessed anywhere.

“It offers all kinds of different classes that people can do anytime," McEnroe said.

The content is accessible on the YMCA 360 YouTube Channel, www.YMCA360.org .

“I’ve put my yoga flex class on YouTube,” she added.

Silver Sneakers and Silver and Fit members can access online classes and other programming that offers “a vast array of workouts that are relatively short,” McEnroe said. The workouts “are very similar to the classes we offer at the Y.”

There’s also a phone number participants can call if they have any difficulties accessing the programs, said McEnroe, adding that both organizations are very accommodating.

For more information, visit www.silversneakers.com or www.silverandfit.com .

“During this unsettled time, we are continually exploring alternative ways to meet the needs of our Greater Grand Forks community and beyond,” McEnroe said. “People should take advantage of these options. It’s so important to help people keep healthy and feeling more positive and upbeat. We just have to keep people moving.”