Should I Go Back to the Gym After COVID? Read this First!
If you’re like more than half of Americans, you’re ready to lose the weight you gained during the past 12 months. According to a recent study, three in five people admitted that it was difficult keeping healthy habits during the pandemic, and that these individuals are on a mission to change that in the new year. However, the question is, should you plan to go back to the gym to shed your pandemic pounds? We’ve provided four questions below for you to consider before you go back to your old gym.
Do You Really Need the Equipment at the Gym?
Studies have shown that gym members who actually visit the gym use less than 30% of their gym’s equipment. This certainly begs the question, do you really need to pay these monthly dues to stay in shape? Unless you’re trying to set a personal best on the squat rack or bench press, odds are you can achieve great results at home. Many online training programs require little to no equipment, and they are often much less expensive than a gym membership. What is more, if you look at the before and after results from a program like P90X, you’re likely to witness bigger transformations than you will at the gym.
Is Your Gym Sanitary?
While most of these gyms have stepped up their sanitization procedures, there is simply no way to keep germs at bay in a traditional gym. Dumbbells, machines, weigh bars, and even treadmills will always continue to become contaminated in a shared environment, and there is simply no feasible way to get all gym members to properly disinfect their equipment after each use. Furthermore, in a closed-air environment like the gym, you will inevitably breathe the same air that has been recently shared by others during your workout. These things simply cannot be avoided. Even if it isn’t COVID-19 that you’re worried about, there is no denying that the gym is always going to be, and has always been, a cesspool of germs.
Is it Realistic to Rit 3+ Trips to the Gym into Your Schedule Each Week?
For most people, this is difficult at best. Impossible at worst. In fact, this is what gyms count on in order to be profitable. The entire business model of a traditional gym is built on neglect, as a recent survey showed that 82% of gym members use their membership less than once per week! If all its members actually showed up to workout each week, it’s likely that your gym would exceed its physical capacity limits.
"The entire business model of a traditional gym is built on neglect"
Still, even if you can go the 3+ times per week needed to achieve your fitness goals, the amount of time commuting back and forth begins to really add up each week, not to mention time spent waiting on some machine to become available. If your fitness routines were accomplished at home, you could save both time and money!
How To Get Started Working Out at Home
Did you know you can hire a personal trainer to come directly to your house and put you through a workout?
If you’re really serious about reaching your goals, you can hire a personal trainer to come deliver a workout directly to your home. Personal trainers add a lot of value to your fitness journey, including: customized programming, education on proper technique, additional motivation, and much more. Hiring a personal trainer can be costly, but the benefits are incredible. You can read more about these benefits here.
Even if hiring a personal trainer for the long term isn't right for you, we strongly recommend you hire a professional fitness trainer to help you get started on your home fitness journey. You personal trainer can help you avoid injury through proper technique, and they can also create a program that will fast-track your results!
Mobile Trainers is a personal training company operating in Scottsdale, Arizona, and we strive to implement all the best practices mentioned in this article. If you are interested in learning more about our services, please visit our Home Personal Training page, or schedule a free evaluation session, where one of the members of our staff will be happy to come give you a free consultation, 3D body scan, and advise you on achieving your fitness goals.
