I’ve racked over 500 hours (and counting) of virtual training and exercise over Zoom, Google Meets, Webex, Jitsi, you name the platform and I’ve done it.
The programs ranged from, Strength Training with weights, Kettlebells, exercise programs without equipment, core and mobility, stretches, Tai Chi, Kickboxing, to youth programs such as Self Defence for all girls class and Boxing for all boys class.
It has definitely been a very different experience as I, like many people, have never really exercised or trained at home, other than doing some light stretches.
And… it’s not like training someone 1-1 or an in person training group. I have to be even more engaging, have higher energy and I’ve chosen to train alongside with the people in my classes.
But now… because of work, necessity and options, exercising at home have become a frequent ordeal. How frequent? Well, I have trained others in my own home at least 4 to 6 times a day from Monday to Saturday since March 2020. I’ve never cancelled or missed a scheduled class and only take days off on Sundays, holidays and vacations.
This is what I’ve learned from observing my participants and my own physical fitness and health over the 560 hours of training.
You CAN Effectively Workout at Home
I was like many people and never liked exercising in my own home.
Because…
- My home is my home and not a gym
- There is not enough space or equipment
- It’s hard to stay motivated and I can turn it off anytime
- Too many distractions, I have kids, pets and partners getting in the way and have responsibilities to take care of.
But it turns out, that was just a bunch of excuses that I gave myself. I now do live and stream videos out of my 3 bedroom apartment. Our family is comprised of my wife, 2 kids, a cat and 2 guinea pigs. I don’t have a backyard or a lot of space. I stream workouts either in my living room or bedroom depending on virtual school, lessons, work and life.
Despite not having all the bells and whistles of a gym, you can get a great workout at home. I would even go so far to say that you can get an even better workout.
Now does that mean I’ll never return to a gym? I’m not saying that at all (I miss going to the gym too), but I realized that training and exercising at home is now possible and you can do it too and do it well.
So if you are hesitant to start a workout program or a virtual class and wondering whether or not you can lose weight, get strong and be healthy from working out at home?
The answer is 100% yes.
Here is why.
You Don’t Need Fancy Gym Equipment
I rely on only 3 pieces of equipment to get an amazing home workout. A Kettlebell, Band and Bodyweight. I also have a suspension system that I’ll break out to remix some of my workouts but I’ll be honest, I rarely do.
On top of that, you can save a lot of money. Ok, I know gym equipment is currently at its peak pricing point but kettlebells and dumbbells don’t expire or rot. Once you purchase a set, you have them for life and they can even be passed down to the next generation or be sold. At the end of the day It’s far cheaper than any gym membership that you won’t use anyway.
Home Workout Saves Time and Lots of It
Often times people think a gym workout or attending a fitness class is just that 1hr. We never consider the ‘overhead’ time. It takes time to pack and prep clothes and equipment, to commute and fight traffic, to cool down, banter, and take a shower after the workout. And there’s another commute back home.
When you workout at home, you literally just do a 1hr workout.
It’s OK to Look Silly
This is, believe or not, #2 reason why people hire a personal trainer or fitness coach. People hire coaches because they don’t want to embarrass themselves at the gym in front of people. They want to look like they know what they are doing and that they are doing it properly.
In the comfort of your own home, you can exercise the way you want. You can try new exercises that you have never tried before that you found on YouTube or with your virtual fitness coach without the fear of people ‘looking’ or ‘judging’ you. You can go to failure, make funny sounds and grunt, pass gas, sneeze and be in a pool of your own sweat. It’s your own home, you do what you want.
Keep Your Fitness Fresh and New at Home
If you are the type of person to get bored with fitness and want to try something new then training at home is for you.
There’s never a better time to keep your home training fresh and inspiring.
Virtual Fitness instructors, online courses and programs were available before the pandemic but there has been an explosion of new offerings over the last year and it’s only getting better. For example when I started, I was using my laptop web cam to stream classes. Now the Remix My Fitness Virtual program has evolved to a whole new system of multiple cameras, screen overlays, crisp audio and better teaching cues.
YouTube, audio workouts, live streams and virtual workouts are here to stay past 2021 and beyond. You can get amazing, both free and paid content at your disposal and you can literally try almost anything.
You CAN Achieve Your Fitness Goals at Home
Whether you have (had) a gym membership, access to facilities at your condo or play sports, the bottom line is you still need to show up to reach your fitness goals.
The hardest part of working out, is getting started.
That’s the one thing that has not changed over the last year. You can absolutely, lose weight, become more flexible, increase your cardio and strengthen your core at home.
I’ve seen it happen over the last year running programs. People have lost 10lb-20lbs, developed six packs where there was only 1 pack, they have gotten stronger and grown confidence in themselves.
You need to put in the work, try your best, be consistent and remix your fitness when you stop seeing the change that you want.
Doing those things has just gotten a lot easier now that you can train at home.
So what are you waiting for? Grab that mat, dust off those weights and start exercising and training at home.
How to get started training at home?
Check out these workouts below to help you get started.