To help delay and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, governments across the world are encouraging people to stay at home when possible and adopt physical distancing and special hygiene measures in public. Concurrently, health experts recognize the role of outdoor recreation and exercise in promoting mental health, physical fitness, and cognitive development. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends daily physical activity for both children (60 minutes a day) and adults (30 minutes a day).
So, how can people exercise and return to play in a manner that minimizes the prospect of contracting or transmitting the virus? This general informational resource, created by the Aspen Institute with the support of medical experts, is designed to help people of all ages assess risk in a variety of common sport and recreational activities.
The CDC currently recommends no organized sports or activities, given the many challenges of containing the virus in group settings. So, priority consideration in this document is given to lower-risk forms of participation, most of which involve free play or individual training. As COVID-19 restrictions lift and organized activities return, additional insights will be added.
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The materials are based on CDC guidelines, and were reviewed by experts from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Hospital for Special Surgery which also offer free resources. We also thank officials at various national sport governing bodies for sharing their input.
This document is a general informational resource and should not be treated as medical or expert advice to participate in any activity. Rely on the information at your own risk, and consult the most up-to-date recommendations of federal, state and local public health officials.
Consult your own qualified health providers or other advisors about any specific issues or circumstances you might have.
Updated May 27, 2020.
GENERAL GUIDANCE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers recommendations on how members of the public can limit the spread of the coronavirus. They currently include:
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and exercise equipment (including balls).
Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Wear a cloth face covering that covers your nose and mouth in public settings.
Stay at least 6 feet away from non-household members. Note: research is ongoing on appropriate physical distance for bodies in motion.
Cover your mouth and nose with tissue when coughing or sneezing.
Stay at home if you are sick.
Check local public health recommendations and mandates in your area, found on your state and local government website, before heading anywhere for a workout, especially considering local shelter-in-place and face-covering ordinances. Find a directory of state health departments here, and get the latest data on COVID-19 cases and deaths by U.S. county here.
Other Return to Play Guidance
US Olympic & Paralympic Committee guidance on Return to Training [PDF]
US Olympic & Paralympic Committee guidance on Sports & Events [PDF]
American Academy of Pediatrics COVID-19 Interim Guidance: Return to Sports
National Recreation and Parks Association on Slowing the Spread
RISK CATEGORIES
Risk categories are assigned relative to other ways of participating in that sport or activity, based on the latest public health and scientific understandings of COVID-19 and how it can be transmitted.
Activities are segmented into three types of risk posed both to participants and others; based on general characteristics:
Lowest Risk
Individual exercise or training at home, alone or with shared household members, with owned and sanitized equipment.
Medium Risk
Individual exercise or training in public, alone or with shared household members, with owned and sanitized equipment; individual exercise or training in public with non-shared household members physically distant.
Highest Risk
Any group play or training with non-household members not physically distant in private or public, any usage of shared equipment.
“Physical distance” is currently defined by the CDC as 6 feet away or more from a non-household member. Research is ongoing on appropriate physical distance for bodies in motion. “Household member” is defined as anyone living with you. “Shared equipment” is defined as equipment shared with or owned by non-household members.
In the current environment and consistent with the views of public health experts, The Aspen Institute recommends engagement in the lowest risk activities with the necessary safety precautions (e.g. protective gear, safe play). We also recognize that some of the highest risk activities are currently not permitted by the shelter-in-place guidance of some state and local authorities.
FITNESS AND FUN ACTIVITIES
+ BICYCLING
Lowest Risk
Use your own indoor cycle; ride outside alone or with household members with your own equipment in less populated setting.
Medium Risk
Ride alone or with household members outside with your own equipment (only ride in a pace line or close group/pack with household members) in more populated setting, remaining physically distant from any non-household members.
Highest Risk
Join group ride; ride with non-household members not keeping recommended physical distance; indoor cycle at public gym; cycle with shared equipment (e.g., bike, pump, rented bike, etc).
Sources and resources: USA Cycling
+ BOWLING
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities (release and finish drills, general fitness, strength training), at home (inside, backyard, driveway) alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities in public spaces alone or with household members or with non-household members following recommended physical distancing; sanitize any equipment.
Highest Risk
Play in public alley; participate in group play; not maintaining recommended physical distancing; not sanitizing personal or shared bowling ball or other equipment.
Sources and resources: United States Bowling Congress
+ CLIMBING
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities (general fitness, strength training, hangboard workouts) at home (backyard, inside home, at-home climbing wall), alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities in public spaces alone or with household members, or with non-household members maintaining recommended physical distancing.
Highest Risk
Perform climbing activities at indoor facilities or at your local crag with non-household members not maintaining recommended physical distancing or in groups.
Sources and resources: USA Climbing • Climbing Wall Association
+ DANCE
Lowest Risk
Dance at home alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Dance in public outdoor spaces alone or with household members while maintaining recommended physical distance from non-household members.
Highest Risk
Dance in public studio; not maintaining recommended physical distance from non-household members.
Sources and resources: USA Dancing • Dance USA
+ PARKOUR
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities (balance, ground movement, jumping, calisthenics), at home (driveway, backyard, living room) alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities in a local park, or uncrowded outdoor public space (nature area/roads/sidewalks) alone or with household members, maintaining physical distance from non-household members; limit touching of surfaces.
Highest Risk
Train with non-household members not maintaining recommended physical distance in high density spaces; touching multiple non-sanitized surfaces.
Sources and resources: US Parkour Association
+ RUNNING
Lowest Risk
Run on personal equipment (e.g. treadmill in your home); do sprints at home; run alone or with members of household in uncrowded nature area/roads/sidewalks with wide paths (keep recommended physical distance).
Medium Risk
Run alone or with members of household in more populated rural/suburban/urban setting, remaining physically distant from any non-household members.
Highest Risk
Run in crowded areas; run with non-household members in close proximity; run indoors on shared equipment (e.g., treadmill in a shared gym).
Sources and resources: New York Road Runners • Running USA
+ SKATEBOARDING
Lowest Risk
Enjoy fun activities and individual skill development (balance, footwork, tricks), at home (driveway, backyard) alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Skateboard in skate park alone or with household members and/or maintaining physical distance from non-household members; skateboard in public (e.g., road, sidewalks, parking lots) with household members or maintaining recommended physical distance from non-household members.
Highest Risk
Skateboard with non-household members not maintaining recommended physical distance.
Sources and resources: USA Skateboarding • Tony Hawk Foundation
+ WALKING/HIKING
Lowest Risk
Walk/hike alone or with members of household in uncrowded space with wide paths/roads/sidewalks (keeping recommended physical distance); walk on personal equipment (e.g. treadmill in your home).
Medium Risk
Walk/hike alone or with members of household in more populated rural/suburban/urban setting, keeping recommended physical distance from non-household members.
Highest Risk
Walk/hike in crowded areas; walk/hike with non-household members without keeping physical distance; walk indoors on shared equipment (e.g., treadmill in a shared gym).
Sources and resources: National Recreation and Park Association
+ WEIGHTLIFTING
Lowest Risk
Lift at home alone or with household members; using personal equipment or household objects.
Medium Risk
Lift in public spaces alone or with household members while maintaining recommended physical distance from non-household members; sanitize personal equipment; use personal chalk.
Highest Risk
Lift in public gym, not maintaining recommended physical distance, not sanitizing personal or shared equipment, not using personal chalk.
Sources and resources: USA Weightlifting • National Strength and Conditioning Association
+ YOGA
Lowest Risk
Practice yoga alone or with household members at home.
Medium Risk
Practice yoga alone or with household members in outdoor public space, or with non-household members physically distant and with no physical contact and use of your own sanitized equipment (mat, blocks, straps, blankets, etc).
Highest Risk
Participate in indoor or outdoor yoga class not maintaining recommended physical distance of non-household members; using shared equipment.
Sources and resources: Yoga Alliance
+ OTHER LOW-RISK FUN AND FITNESS ACTIVITIES TO CONSIDER
When CDC recommendations on preventing spread of the virus are followed, shared equipment is not used, and activities are enjoyed alone or with household members:
- Outdoor activities such as archery, camping, cornhole, cross-country skiing, dance, fishing, frisbee, hopscotch, hula hoop, hunting, jump rope, kayak, roller skating, sailing, shadow tag, snowshoe, and spikeball
- Indoor activities at home such as table tennis, dance, rowing machine, and Tai Chi
- Virtual fitness or P.E. classes on social media and group participation platforms (e.g. Zoom, Skype, Instagram)
- Online apps for individual fun or sport training activities
SPORT ACTIVITIES
+ BASEBALL/SOFTBALL
Lowest Risk
Participate in any fun or training activities (swing drills, catch, solo toss, footwork) alone or with household members at home with your own sanitized equipment.
Medium Risk
Train or play alone or with household members at a public facility with your own sanitized equipment.
Highest Risk
Participate in any team or large group pickup play with non-household members and shared equipment.
Sources and resources: USA Baseball • USA Softball • Little League
+ BASKETBALL
Lowest Risk
Dribble, shoot and participate in other ballhandling drills or activities alone or with household members at home in driveway or backyard with your own sanitized equipment sanitized equipment.
Medium Risk
Engage in the above activities with household members at indoor or outdoor public court, making sure to sanitize any commonly shared surfaces such as gate handles, benches, basketballs, etc.
Highest Risk
Participate in any team or large group pickup play with non-household members and shared balls.
Resources: USA Basketball • Jr. NBA
+ CHEERLEADING
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development (jumps, flexibility, tumbling, choreography, general fitness, strength training) at home (backyard, inside home), alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities in public outdoor spaces alone, with household members, or with non-household members maintaining recommended physical distancing.
Highest Risk
Participate in team or group activities in gym; use shared equipment; not following recommended physical distancing guidelines.
Sources and resources: USA Cheer
+ FIELD HOCKEY
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities (dribble, passing, footwork/agility drills, shooting drills, etc.) alone or with household members at home with your own sanitized equipment.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities alone or with household members, in an outdoor public venue with your own sanitized equipment while exercising appropriate physical distancing.
Highest Risk
Participate in any group, team, or multi-team structured or pick-up play, with non-household members; using shared equipment; not sanitizing shared or personal equipment (e.g., cages, balls, cones); not maintaining recommended physical distancing guidelines.
Sources and resources: USA Field Hockey
+ FOOTBALL
Lowest Risk
Train or engage in fun activities (e.g., catch, footwork, sprints) alone or with household member at home using own sanitized equipment.
Medium Risk
Same as the below, but in public spaces.
Highest Risk
Participate in any organized team or large group pickup play with non-household members and shared equipment (better if gloves are on).
Sources and resources: USA Football • NFL
+ GOLF
Lowest Risk
Putt or chip balls at home.
Medium Risk
If on golf course, carry own clubs or ride alone in sanitized golf cart and abide all updated club and/or US Golf Association (USGA) guidelines; maintain recommended physical distance from non-household members; keep golf bag in your possession at all times; use remote check-in; no bunker rakes; modified flagsticks and cups; no common use distribution of tees/scorecards/pencils/ball markers.
Highest Risk
Play with non-household members not maintaining recommended physical distance; make physical contact (e.g., handshake, high-five, fist bump), and ignore club and/or USGA guidelines using shared equipment.
Sources and resources: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America • PGA of America • US Golf Association
+ GYMNASTICS
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities (general fitness, strength training, flexibility/holds, tumbling) at home (backyard, inside home), alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities in public outdoor spaces alone, with household members or with non-household members, maintaining recommended physical distancing; sanitize any personal equipment.
Highest Risk
Perform team or group activities using shared equipment in gym; not sanitizing personal or shared equipment; not following recommended physical distancing guidelines; share chalk.
Sources and resources: USA Gymnastics • USA Gym Parents
+ ICE HOCKEY
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities (dryland training, general fitness, strength training), at home (inside, backyard, driveway) alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities in public outdoor spaces alone or with household members or with non-household members following recommended physical distancing; sanitize any equipment.
Highest Risk
Participate in any group, team, or multi-team structured or pick-up play, with non-household members; practice in public ice rink; using shared equipment; not sanitizing personal or shared equipment; not maintain recommended physical distancing guidelines.
Sources and resources: USA Hockey
+ LACROSSE
Lowest Risk
Engage in sport-specific training and related activities (wallball, passing, footwork drills, shooting drills, etc.) alone or with household members at home and with your own sanitized equipment.
Medium Risk
Engage in the activities above alongside shooting drills or free-play involving passing, running and scooping ground ball, alone or with household members, in a public venue with your own sanitized equipment while exercising appropriate social distancing.
Highest Risk
Participate in any group, team, or multi-team structured or pick-up play, with non-household members (including coaches and officials) and shared equipment.
Sources and resources: US Lacrosse
+ MARTIAL ARTS
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities at home alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities in outdoor public spaces alone or with household members while maintaining recommended physical distance from non-household members. Sanitize any equipment.
Highest Risk
Participate in any martial arts with non-household members; practice in public gym; not maintaining recommended physical distance from non-household members; not sanitizing shared or personal equipment.
Sources and resources: USA Judo • USA Karate • USA Taekwondo
+ PICKLEBALL
Lowest Risk
Train or engage in activities alone or with household members at home (shadow swing, dinking, footwork) with your own equipment.
Medium Risk
Play or train on public or shared court only with household members.
Highest Risk
Play or train on public or shared court with non-household members; no measures taken to minimize touching of shared objects.
Sources and resources: USA Pickleball Association
+ ROWING
Lowest Risk
Row/erg on personal equipment (e.g. ergometer at your home); perform individual skill development activities at home alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Row on personal equipment (e.g. ergometer or single) in public alone or with household members; perform individual skill development activities in public spaces alone or with household members or with non-household members following recommended physical distancing; sanitize any equipment.
Highest Risk
Rowing in crowded areas; rowing with non-household members in close proximity or same boat; erg indoors on shared equipment
Sources and resources: US Rowing
+ SOCCER
Lowest Risk
Train or enjoy exercises at home (e.g., juggle, cone drills, footwork, passing) alone or with household members with your own equipment.
Medium Risk
Engage in any activities in public spaces alone or with household members, and with sanitized balls.
Highest Risk
Engage in team or large group pickup play with non-household members and shared balls.
Sources and resources: US Soccer Federation • US Soccer Foundation • DC SCORES
+ SWIMMING
According to current CDC guidance, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the water. Proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection (with chlorine or bromine) of pools should reduce risk of COVID-19.
Lowest Risk
Swim in your own chlorinated pool (laps, tread water) and engage in dryland training at home alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Swim in chlorinated public pool as long as proper steps are taken by the operator to reduce the spread of the virus, and recommended physical distancing is practiced; swim, snorkel, surf in open salt or freshwater alone or with household.
Highest Risk
Use of water parks and water playgrounds, venues where physical distance is difficult to control; swim, snorkel, surf in open salt or freshwater with non-household members; dryland training within six feet of non-household members.
Sources and resources: CDC (Water and COVID-19 FAQs) • CDC (Considerations for Aquatic Venues) • USA Swimming
+ TENNIS
Lowest Risk
Train or engage in activities alone or with household members at home (wall rally, hot hands, shadow swing, footwork) with own equipment.
Medium Risk
Play or train on public or shared court with household members.
Highest Risk
Play or train on public or shared court with non-household members, and with no measures taken to minimize touching of shared objects.
Sources and resources: US Tennis Association
+ TRIATHLON
Lowest Risk
- Swim:
- swim in your own chlorinated pool (laps, tread water) or in open salt or freshwater alone or with household members in a low populated area;
- engage in dryland training at home alone or with household members.
- Bike:
- use your own indoor cycle;
- ride outside alone or with household members with your own equipment in less populated setting.
- Run:
- run on personal equipment (e.g. treadmill in your home);
- do sprints at home;
- run alone or with members of household in less populated setting.
- Multiple Discipline Training:
- conduct in short and focused sessions using your own equipment and facilities at home.
Medium Risk
- Swim:
- swim in open salt or freshwater, or chlorinated public pool as long as proper steps are taken by the operator to reduce the spread of the virus, and recommended physical distancing is practiced.
- Bike:
- ride alone or with household members outside with your own equipment (only ride in a pace line or close group/pack with household members) in more populated setting, remaining physically distant from any non-household members.
- Run:
- run alone or with members of household in more populated rural/suburban/urban setting, remaining physically distant from any non-household members.
Highest Risk
- Swim:
- swim in chlorinated public venues where physical distance is difficult to control;
- swim in open salt or freshwater with non-household members;
- dryland training while not maintaining recommended physical distance of non-household members.
- Bike:
- join group ride;
- ride with non-household members not keeping recommended physical distance;
- indoor cycle at public gym;
- cycle with shared equipment (e.g., bike, pump, rented bike, etc).
- Run:
- run in crowded areas;
- run with non-household members in close proximity;
- run indoors on shared equipment (e.g., treadmill in a shared gym).
Sources and resources: USA Triathlon
+ ULTIMATE FRISBEE
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities (throwing practice, general fitness, strength training), at home (backyard, driveway, in-home) alone or with household members.
Medium Risk
Perform individual skill development activities in public spaces alone or with household members or perform individual skill development activities with non-household members following recommended physical distancing; sanitize frisbee.
Highest Risk
Participate in team or group play; not maintaining recommended physical distancing; not sanitizing frisbees.
Sources and resources: USA Ultimate
+ VOLLEYBALL (BEACH/COURT)
Lowest Risk
Perform individual skill development activities (passing drills, blocking, hitting, setting, serving, general fitness, strength training), at home (backyard, driveway, in-home), alone or with household members; use personal net at home to play with household members.
Medium Risk
The above individual skill development activities in public spaces alone or with household members or individual skill development with non-household members following recommended physical distancing; sanitize volleyballs.
Highest Risk
Participate in any team or group play; not maintaining recommended physical distancing guidelines; not sanitizing volleyballs.
Sources and resources: USA Volleyball
+ OTHER LOW-RISK SPORT ACTIVITIES TO CONSIDER
Virtual team activities, such as video conference training, fitness challenges and more to stay in contact with your teammates, friends and family.
Questions about this resource? Contact jamie.davidow@aspeninstitute.org.
To download a PDF of this resource, click here.
Project Play, an initiative of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, is continuing to develop resources that help leaders, coaches, and parents adjust to the impacts of COVID-19.