For many of us, setting up an indoor gym is not an option. Either you don’t have available space for an indoor workout area, or the space that you do have is too limited to do the type of workouts that you want. Whatever the reason may be, you still have a great option to create your own fitness area at home, and that’s taking your workouts outside!
Exercising outdoors is not only great for your oxygen levels, but it will also allow you to do your workouts without the fear of knocking something down or slamming your elbow against a piece of furniture. Furthermore, spending time outdoors is a great way to decompress in and of itself. So aside from the endorphins that kick in from exercise, you’re also getting extra happy hormones from being outside.
But first, how can you create a fitness area of your very own right in your backyard? Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Choose the best area
When choosing an area in your backyard to dedicate to exercise, you’re going to want to select one that is a good distance away from where people walk through, such as trendy aluminum driveway gates or any openings along your fence. If you have a deck, this can be a great spot for workouts, but be sure to set up your equipment away from the door or the stairway. This way, you don’t have to pause your workout every time someone needs to pass through or use the door.
If you have a tree in the backyard, the area underneath it can also be a great workout spot. With enough shade, you can get some exercise at any point of the day, even when the sun is shining bright overhead.
2. Invest in outdoor workout equipment
Indoor workout equipment may not be able to withstand the elements all that well. So, if you need equipment for your workouts, investing in equipment that is designed for outdoor use is a great idea. Choose a piece of equipment that is easily customizable according to your needs, can withstand rust or corrosion, and is not that complicated to set up and take down when you need to store it away.
3. Spruce up your lawn care
If your lawn could use some work, now is the best time to mow, aerate, weed, and fertilize your grass. You can do this yourself or hire a professional lawn service to do it for you, depending on your needs and resources.
4. Consider cementing a portion of your backyard
Working out on top of the grass is not always a good option, especially for workouts that require a lot of floor work. Furthermore, it is difficult to maintain the grass underneath heavy workout equipment, and your grass will likely die anyway from the added weight and foot traffic.
To make your workouts easier and prevent your backyard’s appearance from downgrading because of a dead patch of grass, consider getting your fitness area cemented. Of course, this will require quite a bit of commitment since cement is very hard to remove and will kill whatever living organism is underneath it, so be sure that you’re going to stick to your workouts before pushing through with this option.
If you do decide to cement an area in your backyard, choose an area that is a good distance away from any trees to prevent the roots from causing movement in the slabs and eventually cracking it. Moreover, make sure that the area is far from downspouts or anywhere water tends to pool; excess moisture tends to weaken slabs and cause them to crack or lift over time.
5. Increase privacy
Working out at the gym with other people is different from working out outside. For one, people are focused on their own thing at the gym, and you are expected to work out. But in your backyard, neighbors and passersby may tend to look a few seconds longer than usual because doing full gym routines outside is something out of the ordinary.
To avoid this problem, increase the privacy in your backyard. The best way to do this is to raise your fence to the maximum height that your neighborhood allows. If this is not an option, try growing greenery on top of your fence to make it harder for others to peek through.
Exercising outdoors is the best way to get regular physical activity without having to go to the gym, especially in the time of COVID-19. If you want to have your own fitness area outdoors, use these tips to create one right in your very backyard.
