How To Build A (Very Mini) Gym At Home

Thankful for workout equipment that can fit in even the tiniest apartment.

For the people who thought of the gym as their second home, we feel you. It’s a hard time we’re going through right now with COVID-19 forcing closures almost everywhere, but just know that we are all in this together, and we will get through this.

It’s ok to feel a little lost. Taking a brief hiatus from exercise might be a good idea – our bodies could do with a break – but if working out is your way of coping, then we’re here to help you build your own small-scale gym at home (emphasis on small – we’re not about to fashion a leg-press out of our books and a bookshelf now, or are we…).

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It’s time to get creative. If you don’t have weights, look at what you’ve got access to in your home. Think canned goods or plastic water packs for hand weights and lifting that bag of rice you bought in a panic instead of a kettlebell. If you didn’t stockpile, try exercises that focus on using only your bodyweight, but do it while wearing a backpack to make it harder. This way you can control how much weight you add and increase at your own pace. Just remember, safety first. Don’t lift anything too heavy and be smart with your execution just like you would at the gym i.e. no dropping of weights and always wear appropriate footwear.

If makeshift weights are out of the question, resistance bands might be a more practical alternative. These stretchy straps come in different levels of resistance and offer many benefits over traditional weights, one being that they’re extremely compact so you don’t have to rearrange your whole house just to use them. Plus, they can easily replicate exercises that you would normally use a machine for, like seated leg presses, chest presses and even rowing. For some tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your bands, see this workout from our friend @bnfit__ .

Don’t forget to check in with your personal trainer and your gym buddies – we’re physically distancing ourselves, not socially – and find out what ways you can create a gym experience by working out together from home. It could be anything from a live workout session together via video call, to sending each other different exercises to complete in your own time. We’re in this together.