When you’re deeply interested in staying in shape, your favorite gym can be like a second home. You get to hang out with friends and keep an eye out for your well-being, all while working up a good sweat. But it’s this kind of exertion that makes it easy for contaminants to spread in a gym. The combination of heavy breathing and confined spaces can turn it into a petri dish for all sorts of diseases.
So it’s easy to understand why you might be apprehensive of returning to your regular workout place. But that’s okay because you can keep healthy and stay in shape in the comfort and safety of your own home. All you need to do is build your own outdoor exercise area.
You can choose between a simple outdoor space and a full-on fitness park.
A Simple Outdoor Space
This is basically a flat area outdoors you can set up your gym equipment on and enjoy the fresh air. If you already have a paved area attached to your house, such as a patio or a veranda, this will make it easier to create.
First, make sure the area’s paving is level and uncracked. If the surface is broken or uneven, you may end up injuring yourself, especially with heavier equipment. Should there be any irregularities on the pavement, like cracked areas, smooth them over with a new layer of cement. Do not use tiled areas because they might break from the stress.
If the area’s surface is clear, you can begin moving out your gym equipment. Make sure there’s adequate space between each equipment to make the most of the space. Lay down yoga mats or similar material on spaces where you can perform calisthenics or yoga.
Finally, ensure your outdoor area has adequate sun protection, such as a retractable patio shade. Without an awning or similar shade, not only will you be at risk for sunburns and similar skin conditions, but your equipment can also get damaged by the sun.
An Outdoor Fitness Park
If you want to take your outdoor exercise area to the next level, you might as well build your own fitness park. For this, you won’t need a paved area, a suitably grassy spot will do. You’ll need the following:
- Logs and cordwood
- Lumber
- A tractor tire or any tire with a large diameter
- Metal tube or rods
- Rope
- Resistance or exercise bands
- Nuts, bolts, screws, and assorted hardware
With these materials, you can fashion yourself a few pieces of outdoor equipment.
With lumber, cordwood, and metal piping, you can build a pull-up bar, even something similar to a jungle gym. Or attach the resistance bands to a lumber post for added resistance. Build a sturdy scaffold with steps or a ladder, attach a rope with several knots down its length to make equipment perfect for climbing. Finally, puncture several holes in the tractor tire to make sure it won’t hold water. You can use it to do tire flips down one length of the area.
Staying fit is necessary for your well-being, and thankfully, it’s not dependent on having access to a gym. By building your own outdoor exercise area, you can stay healthy and keep your body trim without risking yourself.
