Like so many people, we had full intentions of using the lockdown months as an excuse to “shred” and come out of our isolation looking like Arnold. However, as the months creeped by and we realized we hadn’t used the time as wisely as we imagined – especially when there seemed to be freshly baked breads and sweets in the house at all times! Now that lockdown has been lifted a little, despite public gyms are opening with restrictions, a lot more people are looking at investing in their home gyms as an alternative to the risks involved. New innovations and technology are emerging because of the growing need for home-based fitness tools. This new wave of digital fitness allows you to get the motivation and knowledge that you would get from going to a personal trainer or a class, but at home. What does that mean for you and your home gym? It’s getting easier and easier to create spaces at home where you can find the motivation to reach your fitness goals, and it won’t take up as much space in your home as you think.

Here are some of our favourite options:

PELOTON – https://www.onepeloton.ca/

The Peloton bike is absolutely changing the way people are approaching home workouts. If you don’t believe me, ask someone who has taken the leap into the Peloton world! You can choose to participate in live classes, take “nature” rides and compete with other friends. The nice thing with the Peloton is the screen is attached to the bike so no matter where in your home you choose to put it, you will be able to access all the features!

THE ECHELON MIRROR

For those who are limited on space and don’t necessarily have room for large equipment, there is the Echelon Mirror. It functions like a decorative mirror when not in use, but will transform into your own personal trainer, yoga or pilates class or any other aerobic exercises you can think of! Also includes celebrity classes if you are a fan of well known trainers such as Billy Blanks, Denise Austion and Katie Austin.

APPS

You might be reading this article thinking about the unused treadmill sitting dusty in your basement and not be able to justify investing in a new piece of work out equipment. Good news! There are a ton of phone and tablet applications that you can use to run on your treadmill, or even work out in your living room. Nike Run Club is a great option for those who would like to use their treadmill and build up their endurance. It will track your progress and your runs if you decide to run around the neighbourhood too. Beachbody is another fantastic option. Popular programs such as P90X and 21 Day Fix are found in this application. Each workout will tell you the required equipment – however we find that for most workouts, the equipment required is minimal. Additionally this application provides a variety of other tools such as meal plans and meditation – all great things for an overall health overhaul!

No matter how and if you choose to enhance your home workouts during this pandemic, the options available to you are steadily growing! If you’ve found success in setting up your home studio, we would love to hear what equipment/apps have worked for you. We look forward hearing your suggestions below, however, we can’t guarantee our “Arnold-like” physique the next time you see us – we like our pizza and beer too much!