Now that we’re turning the corner on the pandemic, people are adjusting to life “post-pandemic” and how we’ll go about doing our routines again. While not everyone has this figured out, it’s important to start forming good habits, especially when it comes to your training. We’re seeing a few main approaches that we think are worth noting
Lots of people, especially in different parts of the country, are comfortable returning to the gyms. Gym owners are doing a good job of making members feel comfortable returning to gyms, and as vaccinations rise, people are starting to come back. If you’re returning to the gyms after not going for a while, we’d recommend trying to build the habit back in to your life, but allowing more time to continue to clean equipment and protect yourself at the gym.
From our standpoint, boutique gyms that cater to their members' concerns about health and safety are the safest bet if you’re considering returning. Membership fees can be a little higher at a boutique gym, but you’ll build a much better relationship with them.
If you live in a multi-family housing community with a communal gym, that’s also a great option. We’re seeing many community managers working to update their gym rooms as the housing market continues to boom, since a strong gym facility can be a great competitive advantage for the community.
Many people are choosing to completely ignore the gyms, instead opting for an entirely home-based workout routine. When doing this, we’d always recommend continuing to change up your workouts, and giving yourself enough space to really mentally get invested in your workouts. Functional Trainers have become extremely popular for the workout-from-home crowd, as they’re incredibly versatile.
Many customers are also getting involved with personal trainers who come to the home and spend time one on one with them, then continuing to train with prescribed programs. We’d recommend looking for NASM certified trainers, potentially even trainers who offer “virtual training” over FaceTime or Zoom, to help keep you on track.
Connected fitness also continues to grow in popularity. It’s important to consider if you’re the type who prefers to be motivated or entertained by your connected fitness options. For many people, it’s just about zoning out on Netflix while on the treadmill. For others, they need an instructor on the screen giving them instructions to keep motivated. Consider which way you think before jumping after a hyped connected fitness product -- there’s a lot to consider.
We’re also seeing a lot of people who are choosing to return to the gyms sometimes, as their schedules see fit, but continuing their workouts while at home. Many people who are working from home and vaccinated are going this route – go out to the gym some days, but stay home to still squeeze in those workouts on the days you’re working from home. As most people who are Work From Home (WFH) will say, just because you’re home more doesn’t mean you always have more time than you did when you were commuting.
Getting to leverage all of the equipment in a gym can be great to compliment your core workouts, but the convenience of a home gym is still very hard to beat. On the one hand, you’ll have more options, but on the other you’ll have the ability to work out whenever you want, cutting out the commute and the traffic. As Tony Stark once said… “is it too much to ask for both?” We say no!
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