Do you remember where you were on March 15, 2020?
This was the day that states in the U.S. began to implement shutdowns due to COVID-19. The rest is… still to be determined.
I’m not going to sit here and say whether the decisions that were made were right or wrong – what happened, happened. What we can do now is try to digest the information and learn from past situations and the decisions that were made, so that we can try to make better choices and decisions in the future.
The fact of the matter is that when shutdown orders hit the U.S., gym doors across the nation were closed and locked for several months – ordered by our government.
In fact, two gym owners in New Jersey were arrested for refusing to close their gym doors during the pandemic. Law enforcement proceeded to close and board the gym up for them.
Let’s fast forward to 2023 when we learned that more than 81% of COVID-19 deaths occured in people over the age of 65, according to the CDC. We have also learned from the CDC that those at an increased risk of experiencing complications due to COVID-19 include individuals with underlying conditions such as: asthma, lung diseases, cystic fibrosis, cancer, heart conditions, mental health conditions, obesity, physical inactivity and being overweight (BMI >25 kg/m2 but <30 kg/m2).
Any guesses as to what each of these conditions have in common?
If your answer was that exercise, training and weightlifting can help to benefit/heal/alleviate each condition on the list and possibly even cure a few, then you are correct!
I-Min Lee, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said that, "muscle strengthening exercises improve glucose metabolism, enhance maintenance of healthy body weight, and help improve cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure. All these factors lead to lower risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, which lowers mortality risk."
There are a plethora of reasons to train and exercise - many people engage in physical activity to improve their health, but that’s usually only scratching the surface. Many use exercise as a tool to improve their body image or help recover from disordered habits, promote a sense of well-being, increase their motivation or to improve their mental health - amongst many other reasons people choose to participate in training and exercise.
Access to such benefits should not be able to be revoked by the government - or by anyone for that matter. How can this be avoided? Own your gym.
The only way to ensure that your gym privileges are never revoked again is to become the owner of one.
How is this possible?
You’d be surprised at how little equipment, space and money you need to start building your own home gym.
Garage, spare bedroom, backyard or living room – there are methods and equipment to get started with an effective set-up no matter where your available space may be.
Everything does not need to be purchased at once. You want this to be a lifelong process, so there is no need to rush. You can simply purchase what you need and ease into the transition from your commercial to home gym. Grab the equipment you know that will motivate you to enjoy your workout whether that consists of dumbbells, barbells and weight plates, kettlebells or a rack/rig if needed.
Start with what you know you will use. Make this an enjoyable time and workout space for yourself.
You should be able to walk through your workout in your head prior to executing. Does this plan involve waiting around for the equipment you need or choosing different equipment because you don’t have the time to wait? It shouldn’t.
These small frustrations add up to ultimately affect you and your pursuit of health. There should be no friction within yourself when preparing to begin your workout. Your only worries should be how many reps and what weight you will perform with today.
The comfort of a home gym allows for anything but comfort during your workout. When you’re dialed in with no distractions is when you begin to seriously grow. You can plan and execute exactly the way you imagined prior to training with no distractions.
Your home gym allows you to maximize your gains, technique and desire to stay consistent with your training. It allows for ease of access, planned workouts on your time and to stay focused and in the zone during your training. You can choose to focus on what you desire without the feeling of others' judgement. You never need to check what the gym hours are. You save time, money and frustration.
If you are currently or growing frustrated with your mediocre gym experience, there is a way out. Start working on owning your gym today. Become a CEO and never wait for an open squat rack again.
