Building Your In-Home Gym: An Exercise in Pandemic Creativity
By all measures the pandemic is worsening around the country. We are seeing records of new cases, hospitalizations, and even deaths. The situation in Massachusetts is also worsening. Researchers have some key indicators that cases are on the rise in Boston and we should expect for the situation in our own backyards to worsen. The Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, has announced that the state will institute new restrictions to try and control the spread of the coronavirus. Some of these restrictions include limits on the number of people who are allowed in a gym. However, just because the pandemic is making it harder to go to the gym, that doesn’t mean you have to cut exercise out of your routine. There are plenty of easy ways to give yourself everything you need to get a good workout at home. Here are some tips for building an in-home gym.
Building a Gym in Your House
The housing market in 2020 has been red hot. Not only have people been buying more homes than in previous years, but they have also been buying bigger homes. People are looking to buy larger homes because there are more demands on our home lives caused by the pandemic. Our houses are no longer places where we sleep and watch TV. Instead, many people are now working from home, schooling from home, and even working out from home.
Buying a larger home is an option that many have turned to in order to make sure they have the space to meet their needs. This allows you the most flexibility. If your current living situation doesn’t give you the space to meet all of your needs, you can find one that does. You can buy a home with more rooms, open floor plans, and larger yards to make room for a home office and a home gym. However, not everyone can buy a new home to turn a room into a home gym. If this is your situation, there are still lots of things you can do to exercise at home.
Convert Your Garage into a Home Gym
Even if you cannot buy a new home to dedicate a room to a home gym, you can still convert the space you have. One part of your home that can make a great gym is your garage. It keeps you out of the cold Massachusetts winter and still gives you the space you need for all of your exercise equipment. For many, this is a big ask because your garage is used for parking your cars or it is being used as a very large closet. If you are one of the many people that is using your garage for storage, this might be the perfect motivation for you to reduce clutter.
There are many benefits to clearing out your garage and converting it into a gym. First, most of us have a lot more things than we need. Chances are, there are items in your garage you have not seen for months or years. If that’s the case, do you really need to keep them around if you are not using them anyway? Furthermore, clearing out your clutter can make it easier for you if you ever decided to sell your home. If you have been thinking of selling your home, right now might be the perfect time because home prices have been soaring. Cleaning out your garage and turning it into a home gym will make it easier for your big move.
Buy Your Own Exercise Equipment
One of the biggest benefits of going to a gym for exercise is that they have all of the equipment you need in order to get a good workout. However, there is no reason why you cannot get everything you need for your home. Each year, exercise companies are releasing newer and better equipment to help you get the workout you want in the comfort of your home. Business Insider recently published a list of some of the best items released this year that might be perfect for your own routine.
The big downside to buying your own equipment is that a lot of people have had this same idea. This has led to shortages in particular types of equipment going back to the early days of the pandemic. For instance, it has been very hard to find dumbbells in the United States. They have just not started to appear; however, they are at higher prices and have long shipping times. With pandemic restrictions starting to go in place around the country, they might not be available for long. One way to get a good resistance exercise without dumbbells is by using resistance bands. Resistance bands are a great piece of at-home exercise equipment because they are inexpensive, easy to find, and take up little space.
Take Classes from Home
Many people love going to the gym because of the group classes that are offered. However, just because you cannot go to the gym in-person, it doesn’t mean you cannot access those classes. The health industry has been impacted by this pandemic like everyone else, and they have had to adapt to the changes. Many instructors that used to offer their classes in gyms or in their own private studios now have virtual options. Aside from getting to take your favorite class from your living room, the big benefit is that you can now access classes from all over the world. All you need is a yoga mat and you can be taking a class from legendary yoga studios like Aum Yoga.
No matter what kind of classes you enjoy, they are available in a virtual format. From cycling, to yoga, to dance classes. You can get the guidance you need and the calorie burning you desire from the safety of your home. If you want to personalize the at-home class experience, you can always get your friends to join you. It is not the same as being together in-person, but it still provides you accountability by having your friends involved.
Final Thoughts
Not everybody enjoys going to the gym, but for those of us that do, cutting it out of our routines is a big disruption to our way of life. This year’s pandemic has reinforced the old adage that the only constant in life is change. We have all been forced to adapt to changing situations and find creative solutions for problems we never imagined we would encounter. Finding ways to work out from home is just one more way in which we can update our daily routines to take some control back from this pandemic.
Of course, we want nothing more than for this pandemic to go away and for us to be able to go back to doing the things we love, including the gym. Until the meantime, we will have to be creative and flexible to get through the best we can. The team at Streamline Realty hopes that all of you are staying safe and wishes you the best of luck with your at-home exercise.
