Home Workouts: Forever Or Fad
Home Workouts: Forever Or Fad?
Many of us have struggled to stay fit and in shape during this COVID-19 pandemic. Our routines have changed, our eating pattern adjusted and to top it off, the gyms doors and turnstiles have all been closed - sad times!
Never before have we turned to our local parks green spaces and living-rooms as an alternative to the conventional gym. Exercise like running, calisthenics, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and bodyweight exercise are all part of our new found home workouts. But with the UK set to re-open gyms, are home workouts and fitness regimes going to be a thing of the past?
Let’s take a look shall we.
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The Millennials
With the UK home to some seventeen million millennials, they come only second to the baby boomer generation and make up one quarter of the UK population - staggering! It’s not surprising that they’re the biggest spenders online too (despite a lower than average income) and are the most tech-savy early adopters of new technologies than any other group.
When it comes to fitness and health, “generation x” take it seriously. In these unprecedented times, when it comes to finding an alternative to a gym, this group have turned to tech. The surge in on demand workouts, sales in home gym equipment and streamed fitness content has been remarkable.
As lifestyles will inevitably change permanently, the number of those staying fit at home will surely rise.
Active Wear - The New Office Wear
If, like so many of us, you have now employed Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Houseparty as a way of conducting meetings, you’ll have noticed your esteemed colleagues attire has changed. The comfy hoody, tracksuit and leggings have definitely become the garment of choice whilst working from home - well at least among the Hyper Bulk Nutrition crew! Not only are they less formal and slightly more relaxed, you’re always ready for some type of workout at home in your active wear. Super convenient
Gym Equipment, Kit and Resistance Bands
There’s nothing better than lifting a few heavy weights in the gym and crushing your personal best. Not being able to do that has seen some turning towards purchasing their own equipment from kettlebells and Olympic barbells to resistance bands.
This level of investment indicates there is a shift in the minds of fitness fanatics on how they exercise. Committing in this way has got to be a long term play. Let’s face it, the alternative is that Olympic barbell becomes an unsightly coat hanger in the corner of the room.
Summary
It’s hard to see a permanently paradigm shift away from gyms in the short term. They provide the space and equipment needed to really achieve your fitness goals. However, it is clear that gym-goers are considering the alternatives and using technology platforms and technological advances in equipment to bring the gym inside their homes. Longer-term, we could see a more micro-gym approach to fitness where personal trainers come to you, outdoor space is preferred and in-home fitness centres are built.
Either way, fitness, health and well-being is definitely an ever increasing part of the new normal!