Spring officially begins this Sunday. The good news is that warmer weather is just a few weeks away and we'll all be enjoying the sunshine in no time.
The bad news is, we all still have our COVID-19/winter bodies.
With the current state of things restricting our access to gyms, we've been faced with a dilemma. How do we stay fit at home in the winter with our favourite fitness destinations being closed, restricted, or out of our comfort zone?
Most gyms in Toronto and the surrounding areas have been closed for months or under rigorous restrictions making it hard to book a time to squeeze in a workout on our own time. Furthermore, the guarantee of safety is one which is hard to make in any closed area where many people are working out.
So, how do we get around this problem when most of us have a limited amount of space to break a sweat in our apartments? Well, there are a number of items that you can purchase to create your own personal gym from the comfort of your home.
The best part is that most of these products are easily found on Amazon or in your local sporting goods store at a fraction of the cost of your yearly gym membership. So check out these apartment-friendly exercise accessories to get you in shape just in time for the warmer months.
The first thing you are going to want to do is to create a comfortable area for you to exercise. Doing your workouts on your hard floors might be a bit harsh on your joints, so consider getting a yoga mat or soft gym flooring squares to make your area a bit more comfortable.
Push-ups are an easy and essential part of any home workout. Using your own body weight is a convenient way to get fit. However, repetitive stress on your wrists causes discomfort or joint pain. Eliminate that worry by grabbing a pair of push-up stands to alleviate the stress on your wrists and allow for a deeper range of motion in your movements. Since push-ups can be done with little to no space, a pair of stands is a great way to optimize your workout.
Ab wheel roll-outs are extremely effective at targeting your abs and an efficient core workout. The movement activates all parts of your core and the wheel itself is super small and easy to store. Requiring just about as much space as doing push-ups, you should definitely pick up one of these.
Consider a set of resistance bands as a cheaper and more convenient alternative to free weights. You can do many of the same movements you would use free weights for, but the bands are easily storable and far more convenient for an apartment setting. You can get bands with handles, which are great for arm exercises, or resistance band loops which are often used for leg exercises.
These bars allow you to do a number of amazing workouts focusing on your upper body and core. They might look like larger versions of your push-up stands, but they can be used for so much more. Dips, leg raises, rows, and more.
Don't skip leg day! Get a portable pilates bar in order to get a great leg and glute workout. This accessory allows you to squat against the weight of resistance bands, as well as many other exercises. Thankfully, there is no need for a great number of weights. It's also very easy to move and store.
This one is nice and simple to set-up right in a suitable door frame. Get a great strength workout without the need for a big and bulky stand-alone chin-up station. Just make sure to check the measurements of your door frame to ensure it will fit.
While you might not have enough room to skip in your apartment, consider skipping as a supplement or alternative to running. It can be done in one static location so that you can quickly pack it in and simply leave when you are done. No daunting trek home required! We suggest that you pick somewhere with a nice view to enjoy while you skip.
You can't go wrong with any of these accessories when looking for apartment-friendly exercise options.