Treasury Secretary Hugh McCulloch adorns this revenue stamp from 1871: $1 per barrel of beer! Hey, he was someone’s dad, too!
It’s Thursday of the week before this week as I am posting. With the COVID-19 virus causing restaurants to close to sit-down service, a lot of events have been postponed or cancelled. I left a few of the postponements up for big events, like the Two Brothers’ anniversary party.
I have found over the previous weekend that some brewers have gone on with new beer releases, if they are able to do canned beers or crowlers for walk-in or curbside pickup. So I will update as I find these.
As always, please call your favorite establishment to see what their latest situation is. And be sure to tip generously.
Fresh Beer Events, occasional bacon, but always spam free, opt out any time.
Meet The Blogger
Mark McDermott
Writer, trivia maven, fan of many things. I thought to learn all there is to know about beer as a way to stay interested in learning. It is my pleasure to bring Chicago’s craft beer scene to you.
Recording the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast at the WCPT 820 Studios. (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)
I know I’m a bit delayed in posting last week’s Consumer Guide Carstuff Podcast, but today was record-the-podcast day at WCPT 820, so I wanted to make sure I got this one out ASAP.
The big news last week was the postponement of the New York Auto Show, which was supposed to happen at the beginning of April, but will now take place after the newly minted June Detroit auto ahow. Things are certainly still fluid with this situation, and we discussed even more cancellations today.
The car we check out: The BMW M850i.
But the bulk of our show focused on the Teen Driver Safety program offered by the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Ill. Our guest was Tony Kester, chief instructor and managing director of driving programs for the Autobahn. What this program gives you over something like, say, driver’s ed, is real-world experience dealing with emergency situations. I’ve attended the program myself, and it’s a pretty cool deal. For the adults out there, they also offer performance driving courses.
While I will continue to post the podcast to my blog each week, you can subscribe to the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast on any podcast subscription service or visit the Buzzsprout link. New episodes are usually posted on Friday, and then the show itself airs on WCPT 820 AM on Sundays from 1 to 2 p.m.
Be sure to let us know if you have questions or if there are any topics you’d like us to cover on future podcasts.
I’m Jerry Partacz, happily married to my wife Julie for over 40 years. I have four children and eleven grandchildren. I’m enjoying retirement after 38 years of teaching. I now have an opportunity to share my thoughts on many things. I’m an incurable optimist. I also love to solve crossword puzzles and to write light verse. I love to read, to garden, to play the piano, to collect stamps and coins, and to watch “Curb Your Enthusiasm”.
See how easy it is to maintain a good mood? Well, I do work at it. I meditated, drove with my dog around in the rain, came back home. Oh, saw something new. Stopped at a chain pharmacy for some cold medicine just in case. They have blue tape on the floor, about 6 feet apart, where they ask customers to stand while waiting for the cashier. This is NOT guaranteed to stop the spread of COVID-19, but it is an attempt to maintain some social distancing while people do something they need to, ie pharmacy shopping. It could be used in grocery stores. If the epidemic gets much worse the government may have to step in to enforce some kind of distancing while allowing the population to shop for necessities.
We Americans are used to our many freedoms. But the country has been through many hard times, and select population groups, like Florida, New Orleans, and others, have experienced natural disasters which the majority of us have not suffered. We can do this. WE CAN DO THIS. We need to all pull together. China evidently is doing better after extreme social distancing/isolation measures. By the way, to repeat, the COVID-19 virus is the name being used by all public health folks. Corona virus is ok too. For those with no microbiology background, Corona virus is the name of the larger virus group, which includes other types of epidemics like SARS, and even many so-called common cold viruses. Like Rinaldi is my family name, and it includes lots of near and distant relatives. So, let us all call it COVID-19 or Corona and not after some country. I recently read about the so-called Spanish Flu virus of 1918-19. One or two Rinaldi’s died during that epidemic. Anyway, was not caused by the Spanish. It began in Europe during WW1. It devastated many civilian populations as well as many military personnel. The war was still being fought so allied war correspondents were not allowed to report on it in order to not detract from the war effort. The Spanish were not held to these standards, so, they reported that a major flu epidemic was raging. Therefore it came to be called Spanish Flu. And when our troops returned home, we were not ready for it and it spread like wildfire. We are medically better prepared now although that is not to diminish the severity of our situation.
Speaking of not diminishing the severity, I need to apologize to the wife of a very good friend of mine. My buddy and I drink coffee every month with another friend. Well, that will be suspended also I guess. His wife is a very nice and intelligent woman and last week maybe, she remarked on FB that things were getting more serious in the western suburbs, with the virus. I replied that according to the Center for Disease Control, CDC, the fatality rate is lower than say, for the H1N1. Well, I believe I seemed to diminish the severity and gravity of our present epidemic/pandemic. I was wrong in diminishing it. Still not sure about the fatality rate, but I am not the CDC. My basic feeling is that we should not panic, so that is the feeling lurking beneath what I write.
Speaking of writing this thing, blog or blurb. OMG my writing is getting longer and longer. I spend time and mental energy deciding what to write. I write kind of like I think, which is a little disorganized and chaotic at times. It is a kind of fine line. I find humor in many things, like the toilet paper deal. Btw, a friend of mine bought too much toilet paper a month or two ago, before it was an issue, and gave me a bunch. Like several rolls so I am ok, thanks for asking. I did stock up on peanut butter, I have 4 jars. God forbid I run out. So, this is what I mean; I think in a humorous way even though I fully realize that some friends and relatives are in the high risk group. I am as well, nearing my 73rd birthday. I do not feel risky. I quit risky behavior years ago. Grew out of it or got tired. My son made me quit smoking years ago. Be grateful to any children you have, or other’s children as they come up with great ideas and we want our society to continue on so they can take over and do a better job than we sometimes do.
All right, call each other, check on friends and relatives as well as possible. Last night I did ZOOM videoconferencing with a community group to which I belong, DuPage United. Great group of people. Anyway it took me half an hour to figure out how to turn on the video on my PC but I managed. So, many ways we can continue our togetherness. It is a bad situation, but, not hopeless. Like many disasters in the past, this will go by, but we DO need to cooperate and try to keep our distance. I am a little concerned about the weekend work. I work the Friday evening in a large grocery store and all day Saturday and Sunday. I have not heard of any changes in the schedule. It can be crowded. But the job needs to be done and if I call in sick, I do not get paid. And someone else has more work to do. I think adjustments could be made and I will suggest it. But likely, no one will listen to me. I will not make any further comments on how business works.
So, I need to cook. I will try to continue this on a daily basis. I hope I do not hear groans, but no one has to read it. It is just me, one guy in Illinois commenting on how this pandemic looks from my perspective. I will try to stay healthy and not become a statistic. I wish the same for us all, especially for my relatives and friends, who I love.
Stay safe and well out there. Stay together and believe in the higher powers.
Home page
Just a word about my blog, “Docrambo”. It sounds weird to me and when I told a friend in one of the volunteer organizations in which I participate, she gave me a gentle smile. I think it meant “sounds funny but I think you are a nice person anyway.” It is ok. The name was a nickname I acquired while working at the Great Lakes Naval Base in North Chicago, IL. A navy hospital corpsman worked with me in the Pediatric Clinic. He was a bodybuilder and saw that I had some small hand-weights under my desk, which I used at lunch time to keep myself toned. I am anything but a Rambo-type of a guy, but we joked about it. He gave me the nickname.
I have been writing things since I was 15 years-old. I am a retired pediatrician. These are my ideas, experiences and feelings from all those years. They are about being a pediatrician, a doctor, and also about being a father, a spouse, and just a human being.
The Chicago Bears could be in the market for a cornerback in the NFL Draft, and AJ Green might be just what they’re looking for.
It has already been an interesting offseason for the Chicago Bears as they head into next month’s NFL Draft — assuming it goes forward according to schedule. The recent uncertainty created by the spread of COVID-19 has left many wondering how it will impact teams’ draft preparations — especially in light of teams canceling travel to Pro Days and hosting player visits.
Regardless of when the Draft is held, the Bears could look to Oklahoma State cornerback AJ Green as a potentially great fit for the future.
For starters, the team will likely be in the market for a cornerback this offseason. After letting go of Prince Amukamara, they are left with some question marks as to who will fill the spot opposite of Kyle Fuller. This offseason they signed Canadian Football League standout Tre Roberson, who previously spent some time on the Minnesota Vikings roster.
They also drafted Duke Shelley in 2018 and have 2018 undrafted free agent Kevin Toliver on the current roster. Shelley, however, projects as more of a slot than boundary corner, and while Toliver has looked good at times, it comes via a limited sample size.
The Bears will also need to look beyond 2020 and consider who could assume this role for the long term. As they evaluate their options in the draft, they’ll see Green, who possesses so many of the traits teams find desirable in a cornerback. Let’s take a look at some of those qualities.
The Chicago Bears got themselves another quarterback via trade on Wednesday. So, now what?
There is a whole lot to unpack here. Let’s start with the facts. The Chicago Bears entered this offseason needing to add a quarterback. Wednesday, during the third day of this NFL free agency frenzy, general manager Ryan Pace pulled off a trade.
The trade sent Foles to Chicago in exchange for the Bears’ 4th Round compensatory pick in this year’s draft. In receiving said pick, the Jaguars now own 12 selections in this year’s draft and are on their way to rebuilding.
Meanwhile, the Bears land a notable name at quarterback while paying a costly price. Normally, a fourth-round selection wouldn’t be a huge deal. But, Chicago was already without a pick in the first and third rounds of this year’s draft. Now, they only hold picks in one of the first four rounds.
While it wasn’t the deal a lot of folks wanted, bringing Foles in to (supposedly) compete with Mitchell Trubisky does hold a few positives. I won’t lie and say that this was a great trade for the Bears, because the fact of the matter is, this deal was actually pretty atrocious.
RELATED PRODUCT
Download theScore App for the latest Pro Football Scores, Stats, News and Odds
Pace didn’t need to give up a fourth rounder to land Foles. In fact, Jacksonville may have been confused by Chicago’s offer. The Jaguars were rumored to need to send a pick with Foles in any trade this offseason — instead, the Bears sent them a pick.
Regardless, let’s try to see some positive in the deal as a whole.
My father worked for International Harvester, now Navistar, Inc., for 30 years and retired with a pension that he had to fight to receive at all as a member of the United Auto Worker’s Union. He has been retired for 27 years.
He worked as a machinist in the Melrose Park, IL plant since before I was born. He would be up every morning at about 4:30 am and was out the door. We didn’t see him again until 4:15 pm that day. I don’t remember him EVER missing a day of work. He was and IS a proud member of the United Auto Workers and I remember growing up they had to fight the management tooth and nail for every pay raise and every bit of a pension that they almost didn’t receive.
Finally, he retired to Michigan in 1993 and has been receiving a modest monthly pension check until something horrible happened on February 24, 2020.
My father and his wife of almost 54 years have battled and continue to battle significant health issues. They were in a Ludington, MI Walmart on February 25th and were paying for groceries with a check that was declined. My parents have probably never bounced a check in their life. Walmart said they would have to take it up with their local PNC branch.
They immediately went to the Ludington, MI branch of PNC bank and they were told that their bank account was negative by over $33,000.00
Obviously there was some mistake! Something easily corrected. Nope.
Navistar had, in the course of one day, tried to remove 45 monthly pension payments without any notification or authorization.
Well, my parents obviously didn’t have that much money in the bank so they took everything they had including a $500.00 overdraft protection account that up until then they had never had to use. Well that started a domino effect of other checks bouncing and more overdraft fees occurring until it had reached a grand total of $33,869.78 overdrawn.
The manager of the Ludington, MI branch of PNC bank attempted to call a retiree hotline of Navistar to try to rectify the situation. They called the Employee / Retiree Information Center (E.R.I.C.) at 1-877-353-5100 and pressed the number for Retiree Benefits. A woman from Northern Trust (The bank handling deposits) stated that they have nothing to do with Pension payments and they would have to dial 7 but there wouldn’t be anyone in the office because they are only part time. The Bank Manager stated that my parents would have to come back in a week when there was someone in the office.
My parents at this point called me about the problem and I assumed that it was probably a clerical error that could be easily fixed. The people at PNC said that they would obviously reverse any overdraft fees or NSF fees and they would start a dispute of the debits to the account.
One week goes by and my parents meet with PNC bank again to make a phone call to the E.R.I.C. which everyone assumed was some guy named ERIC.
The person on the phone, who probably wasn’t named ERIC, said that Navistar showed by my father and his twin brother, who was also a Navistar retiree, as deceased. My father and his twin obviously share the same birthdate and their social security numbers are only 1 number off. My uncle did pass away five years ago on February 24th which is coincidentally the same day and month that Navistar stole the money from my father’s bank account.
The manager said that he was sitting with my father and he was very much alive. The person on the phone stated that they would start an investigation but it might take a long time. They did not have any idea when the mistake would be corrected.
The bank manager told the person that it was unacceptable but that really didn’t make a difference. All they received was an issue number.
My parents asked how without authority or notification some entity can simply empty out a bank account. They were told that if someone has your bank account and routing number they can remove what they want and the bank can’t stop them. Hmmmm. I don’t think that is true but since I am not a bank manager I can’t say for sure.
The bank manager suggested they should set up another meeting in a week and make another phone call to the same E.R.I.C. Meanwhile, the bank would start an investigation and dispute the charges to the account.
E.R.I.C. Navistar Employee Retirees Information Center
My father called me in a couple of days when he received three letters from PNC bank on March 16th that stated that the three charges of $818.71 on February 24th were already returned on February 25th so no further action would be taken. WHAT? I told my father to go to the bank (They don’t do online banking) and get a printout of the account and the balance. Maybe the money was back in.
He went to the bank and the account was still ridiculously in the negative. He showed them the letters and they told him that no money was returned to the account.
He also received a call from E.R.I.C. who said that if my father could mail them a copy of my uncle’s death certificate he might be able to get his money back faster! In fact, he could mail the death certificate to their P.O. Box in Lisle and simply write their issue number on the death certificate. WHAT? Death Certificates are government documents that are not public information. If you are not the next of kin and do not have a legal interest in the document the County Clerk’s office will not issue you a copy. Besides, why would proving my uncle is dead help prove my dad isn’t and why should we break the law and give a legal document to an entity that didn’t think twice about unlawfully emptying your bank account?
At this point, I decided I needed to get involved. Things weren’t making sense. I drove to Michigan. It only takes about five hours. I have been telling my parents who are extremely susceptible to this virus to try to stay home and now I have to drag them out to try to get a power of attorney so that I can try to sort things out.
I had the documents in hand and now had to find a notary. That was fun. No banks would do it unless you had an account and most government offices and courthouses were closed. Finally, I found a wonderful woman at the Mason County Courthouse who said that she would come out to the car to notarize the documents so that my parents didn’t have to come inside.
We drove the 30 minutes to the courthouse and had the documents signed. I told my dad to drive my mom home and I would speak with the bank.
At first, the teller I talked to said that they couldn’t talk to me even though I had a power of attorney until they sent them to their legal office for approval and that could take five days. I told them that wouldn’t work. I finally spoke with a woman who was not the manager but my parents remembered her fondly.
She made copies of the powers of attorney but still couldn’t talk to me so I asked her if she could call my father at home and talk directly to him. She did make the phone call and verified my father’s identity and made a printout of the statement.
I asked her about the confusion regarding the three payments being replaced when they weren’t and she explained that only 3 of the 45 payments removed from the account were disputed because they assumed the first three were the correct ones. She said that she would contact a local PNC branch as soon as she received confirmation from their legal department regarding my power of attorney and that I could work with my local PNC branch to correct the situation.
Keep in mind that I had fully researched (that’s what I do for a living) the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (15 USC 1693).
In a nutshell, one protection the consumer has is that once a financial institution is notified of an error, either orally or written the institution must start an investigation that can take up to 30 days. Once an error has been identified the bank has 24 hours to replace the money. In the event they can’t figure it out within 10 days they have to at least provisionally place the money back until the investigation is complete. None of this happened.
So, I made sure that my parents had enough food and medical supplies for a little while and returned home to Illinois with my powers of attorney to attempt to speak with Navistar, Inc. I mean how hard would that be. Their world headquarters is 20 minutes from me in Lisle, IL.
I gathered my documents and drove to Lisle on March 18th (this morning) I pulled into the parking lot and decided to speak with E.R.I.C. one more time before I went in. I mean the woman on the phone and their website said that they would be in the office at this time. I could wave to them from the parking lot.
I called the number and pressed 7 to make sure I didn’t get the people from Northern Trust. I was greeted with a recorded message about how important I was and that all the representatives were busy assisting other customers. I could continue to hold. I did. After about 10 minutes I was automatically transferred to a voice mail instructing me to leave my information and that the phone call would be returned promptly in 7 days. O.K.
I decided to venture into the hot zone of Navistar corporate headquarters and see what type of runaround I would get there.
Navistar’s spacious corporate lobby
I was greeted by an impressive lobby the size of a small town with a reception desk and a hand sanitizing station. I spoke with a very nice lady and explained my situation. She actually looked like she was going to cry. I probably gave her way too much information about what was going on and she simply looked at me and told me that the only people who were working were facility services and they probably wouldn’t be able to help. She gave me a Navistar brochure with their main corporate number. She said I could have a seat and call the number and see what would happen. O.K.
I passed by an empty glass suggestion/opinion box on my 15-minute walk to the waiting room chair. There were blank suggestion sheets and a pen. A little voice in my head, probably God, told me not to.
I called the number and a person answered! I explained the situation and the person suggested I call E.R.I.C. I told her I had and they would promptly call me back in 7 days. She apologized and said if you give me your info and your father’s info I will have someone physically look for a human being to help you and call you back. I told her I was in the lobby of the corporate headquarters and could wait for a little while. The call never came in.
Navistar Suggestion Box
Today my father’s and mother’s social security checks were deposited in their PNC account and are gone because the account was negative, to begin with. The Pension has stopped their monthly payments and has stopped paying my father’s Medicare supplement insurance because he is supposedly deceased.
So basically my parents who are not rich by any means but for the richness of their hearts have been without money since February 24th (almost a month now) checks have bounced, payments are late, and they are even more stressed out than most of us already are during this pandemic.
If you are reading this and are in a position of authority in Navistar please respond. If you are a member of the United Auto Worker’s Union (UAW) please give us some advice. If you are an attorney with some advice please contact me at [email protected] According to the ETFA your fees would be paid but there is no recourse for any big settlement so it might not be worth your time.
If you love Chicago History please consider subscribing to my posts. You will receive an email that alerts you when a new article is published. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.
Ray Johnson is a former criminal investigator in Du Page County, Illinois. He was born in Chicago and has spent his entire life in the Chicagoland area. He is a graduate of The University of Illinois at Chicago and has taught College Classes in Criminal Justice at the College of Du Page in Glen Ellyn as well as lecturing on Chicago folklore and history and teaching adult education classes on historical research techniques. He is a former Chicago Area Representative of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a member of the Jackson Park Advisory Council and a member of the Hyde Park Historical Society. He is a life-long fan of Chicago history and especially the stranger side of Chicago’s history which really makes history come alive for adults and kids alike. His first published work is “Chicago’s Haunt Detective”, Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA, 2011. His website for the stranger side of Chicago is HauntDetective.com He also runs a historical research service from his other website, HistoryCop.com. His second book, “Chicago History – The Stranger Side”, Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA, 2014 was released this February.
The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition is one of Ray’s favorite historic topics in Chicago history and he recently started a not for profit called “Friends of the White City”
Even them big, hairy Bear Hands can’t fight off the curse of Coronavirus. It seems Brian and I were in attendance for the last show the band played before they had to pull the plug on their latest tour, due to the rapidly spreading disease, that has now been labeled a Pandemic.
But while the story seems to be, “Bear Hands End Tour In Chicago Due To Coronavirus,” it should be, “Bear Hands Perform Blistering Set At Chicago’s SubT!” Truly. The real story lies in the fact that this band has never sounded better.
A girl at Subterranean said the vibe was even better than the Beat Kitchen, which is hard to imagine, as they were flawless that night. I agreed, though, that the band was firing on all cylinders. Dylan Rau played a ton of guitar and the band brought back a lot of their old catalog.
[embedded content]
After opening with two of the best songs on their latest record, Fake Tunes, “Spirit Guide, ” and “Ignoring The Truth,” they pummeled the audience with the majority of You’ll Pay For This, one of the most underrated records of the decade. “I Won’t Pay,” “2AM,” “Boss,” “Winners Circle,” and “Chin Ups,” all kept the audience grooving. The latter of which I’ve been obsessed with since hearing it live. It’s a jam.
“Lots of luck, kid/I’m the lost fucking cause, am I/(Lost cause) All forgiven?” -Chin Ups
Out of all these bangers, though, I think the highlight of the show was a smoking rendition of “Moment of Silence,” from Distraction.
“Oh holy man/Feed the Volcano, So, I abandon my call for reign/NO
This is not what the God’s made us for/Little sacrificial animal.”
“In the store, all caged up/Pre-paid at the door/Don’t wait up
I’ll join you tomorrow right here, right now. Death to sacred cows. -Moment Of Silence
There’s something ominous about this song. I feel like I need to stand at attention every time it’s sung. Like we do for the Pledge of Allegiance. On this night it was no different. I was blown away.
“Does anyone want to hear a song about pills?” Rau asked, before launching into crowd favorite,”Agora.” It’s a sing-a-long of sorts that really gets the crowd jumping.
“You like to hang out but I don’t/I don’t leave the house cause I can’t
I’ve been taking these pills but still/Got a couple of trails that I couldn’t shake.”
Other songs from Distraction included the bouncy “Bone Digger,” and an energetic version of, the song that put them on the map, “Giants.”
Before plunging into the dark waters of “Party Hats,” Rau told the audience, “We wrote an end of the world song.” Val Loper (bass), and TJ Orscher (drums) set a trap here and our spirit guide took the bait. Man, did it sound evil, with those gigantic bass lines, that somehow didn’t overshadow the lead vocals. The muffled guitar really shines, over the big chords, but the drums make this one tick.
[embedded content]
Even after all that there were more surprises. Are they really playing “Belongings?”
“At the gentle age of nine, I bought my first forty-five. Oh I drink and I drink and I’m sticking to a flea/Oh I drink oh I drink and I smoke a little weed.”
I never thought I would get to see this one played live, and the band crushed it. Once you sink your teeth into Burning Bush Supper Club, you get hooked and realize what an amazing album it is. “What A Drag,” from the same record, was also played.
I’ve written before about my affinity for “Mr. Radioactive,” and the rest of Fake Tunes, on several occasions. “Friends in High Places,” “Reptilians,” and “Blue Lips,” all sounded better than they did on record. But it was the fleshing out and bringing back of all the older material that made this concert one for the ages. Bear Hands has continued to improve their live set, every time they return to Chicago. It’s a shame they can’t finish this tour. Hopefully, they will return soon.
Illinois, como el resto del país, se encuentra en un estado de emergencia por la contaminación del nuevo coronavirus, y se recomienda que los establecimientos, especialmente los lugares donde se sirve comida, cierren al público.
Por eso los centros comerciales estilo pulga conocidos como el Discount Mall (26th y Albany) y el Super Mall (55th y Pulaski), adonde asisten cientos de mexicanos de dentro y fuera de Chicago cada fin de semana, también han cerrado.
El lunes, los vendedores del Discount Mall recibieron la noticia de que el establecimiento permanecería abierto, pero que la gerencia “respetaría” la decisión que tomara cada quién. Según los vendedores que comentaron bajo anonimato, todos los puestos tendrían que seguir pagando renta.
Para el miércoles, cuando se buscó el comentario de la gerencia por teléfono, había un mensaje de voz que anunciaba: “Este mensaje es para los clientes del Discount Mall. Debido al COVID-19, el Mall ha decidido cerrar de marzo 18 al 31, y abrir las puertas en abril 1ro.”
No está claro si esto aplica a todo el mall o solo a una porción del mall.
Los comerciantes del Super Mall, por otro lado, fueron notificados el lunes que la gerencia tomaría medidas de precaución y cerrarían del 17 al 31 de marzo. Algunos comerciantes comentaron que el Mall no les cobraría renta durante este periodo.
Ambos “malls” esperan reabrir sus puertas el primero de abril.
Recientemente se anunció la venta inesperada del Discount Mall por $18 millones a un desarrollador conocido por atraer tiendas de cadena y corporaciones. Según el nuevo dueño, John Novak, por el momento no tiene planeado desplazar a los vendedores del Mall.
As the coronavirus continues to spread, many people in Chicago are self-isolating or quarantining themselves. Even if you wanted to go to a gym to work out, many are closing their doors due to the state decree limiting large groups of more than 50. But you still need to exercise!
For those who are already experiencing cabin fever and need a way to get out that extra energy, there are still plenty of options available. Luckily, many fitness companies are stepping up and offering their services for free through an app or otherwise for the upcoming weeks or even months. Here are some of the best ways to exercise at home while you’re social distancing.
Photo Credit: Nike Training Club
Nike Training Club
The NTC app has a little bit of everything. From bodyweight-only workouts to full-equipment workouts, this free app has it all. Workout sessions range from 15 to 60 minutes, with a variety of options available, including mobility, strength, yoga, and endurance.
A post shared by obé (@obe_fitness) on Jan 10, 2020 at 1:54pm PST
Obé
If dancing is your idea of a perfect workout, then check out Obé. All new users get access to more than 4,000 on-demand workouts and 100 live classes for free for 30 days. The app also offers short 10-minute workouts or their more standard 28-minute sessions, which can fit into even the busiest of schedules.
Photo Credit: Corepower Yoga
CorePower Yoga
For the next month, CorePower Yoga will be bringing the studio experience to your home. You can pick between level one (C1) or two (C2) yoga classes, which will deliver a mixture of fast-paced flows as well as more soothing positions. Also available is yoga sculpting (YS), which helps you build muscle while practicing yoga.
Photo Credit: Bloom Yoga and Wellness
Bloom Yoga
Bloom Yoga is a local business that you can support during the coronavirus pandemic. Though they have canceled all in-person classes, they are generously hosting free live-stream sessions to the general public. You don’t even have to be a member to participate in the Ravenswood Manor studio’s classes. Simply visit their website to get a nice flow going.
Photo Credit: Blogilates
Blogilates
Blogilates is a popular YouTube fitness channel that fuses pop music with Pilates routines. On the channel, you can find a variety of classes that are perfect for every level of fitness. The website even has a 14-day quarantine workout plan to keep you in shape while you are stuck at home.
Photo Credit: Planet Fitness
Planet Fitness
Another gym that is offering free in-home classes is Planet Fitness. Sessions are available on their Facebook, where members and non-members alike can live-stream the workouts and get motivated to move.
Photo Credit: Beachbody Performance
Beachbody
When you sign up for Beachbody, you can try out some of the 1,200 available workouts for free for two weeks at home! Some of the plans include Insanity Max, LIIft 4 Mobile, Morning Meltdown, and more. These high-intensity workouts are designed to help you sculpt your abs and arms and lose a few pounds.
Photo Credit: Daily Burn
Daily Burn
New and old members alike get 60 days of free workouts on Daily Burn. While most of their workouts are bodyweight-only, you can find a few equipment workouts. They also have live 30-minute workouts every morning to help jumpstart your day from the comfort of your home.
Photo Credit: FightCamp
FightCamp
You don’t have to own any equipment to get into boxing with FightCamp. Their YouTube channel has tons of videos that teach you basic boxing skills and lingo. Once you are ready, you can try out HIIT boxing workouts on the FightCamp app.
Photo Credit: Tone It Up
Tone It Up
If you need a community and encouragement to get you moving, try out Tone It Up. The app, which is free for the next month for new users, utilizes HIIT routines and strength plans. Plus, the trainers are incredibly positive and team-focused, helping you to get through a tough workout!
You don’t have to spend a lot of money or have any equipment to stay fit while practicing social distancing. Try out a few of these apps and discover which one is the best one for you!
At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.
Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!
Chicago’s Favorite Food Critics and Bloggers
Haunt Detective
Strange Chicago History
Leave a comment