Mobile applications have undoubtedly simplified our lives and made fitness more accessible to those of us who find it difficult to find time to work out. We have apps we can use to track our goals, our habits, our steps, our sleep patterns. Moreover, there is now abundant information about health and fitness and the importance of eating right and working out in the public domain. (Thank you, Rujuta Diwekar.) We have come a long way since the 1990s, when fitness was the priority of only a few gym goers and everyone else believed that their regular evening walks constituted a fitness regime.
But in 2020, when YouTube is flooded with fitspiration and free workout videos, it is tempting for many gym goers to cancel their gym subscription and switch to a permanent home workout system. Especially in these uncertain times of lockdowns induced by the coronavirus pandemic, many people are seriously considering this option. It seems like the safer, less expensive, and the healthiest option.
But will this option deliver consistent and sustainable results?
Not an option for athletes
Unfortunately, switching to a full-time home workout routine is simply not an option for athletes. Regular gym time is the nourishment to your body what regular reading is to the souls of writers, and athletes simply cannot make do without gym equipment and carefully calibrated gym routines. Without a regular and effective workout routine, the bodies of athletes and sportspersons cannot continue to perform effectively. Suddenly stopping workouts/reducing their frequency and intensity can have serious adverse effects on the bodies of athletes and sportspersons. So, be it Strength & Conditioning, TRX training, or functional fitness, if you hope to continue being an athlete, ensure that you consider stepping out for fitness.
The less effective option for those committed to fitness
Even if sports or athletics is not your bread and butter, gym time is essential to ensure that your workouts are regular and effective. You know how you feel when you see people with super fit bodies and envy their genes? It’s not their genes but their lifelong commitment to fitness that ensures that their bodies are sculpted to perfection. Do not let the pandemic get in the way of your fitness goals, especially when gyms are taking all the precautions to ensure that their spaces are safe and sanitized regularly.
The worst option for those starting their fitness journey
Taking the first few steps in the fitness journey is particularly difficult, and however motivated you may be you will need some guidance to help you stay on track. Online fitness apps, sadly, are ill-equipped to provide the motivation and to hold you accountable to help you achieve your goals. Joining a gym, on the other hand, will give you one thing to rely on in these uncertain times: your daily workout. What’s more, if you choose a safe and regularly sanitized gym, you could come out stronger and fitter when the nightmare of the coronavirus pandemic ends.
Safe, effective, and essential
Regular and effective workouts have been known to help release happy hormones in our body, which help regulate mood and boost confidence. Besides, this discipline translates to confidence and happiness outside the gym as well. Regular and effective workouts equip you with the tools to better deal with stress and to improve mental focus and clarity.