Now that many parts of the world are gradually reopening as the coronavirus pandemic winds down, fitness enthusiasts will be looking to get out of their homes and back into fitness studios. The virtual workouts and instructors you’ve grown to love over the last year in isolation may not compare to sweating alongside other humans in a boutique studio, but you don’t need to ditch your at-home routine altogether. At-home workouts can serve as a wonderful complement to the studio experience, especially on the days when you might be too busy to carve out an hour to go to the gym. Below are a few ways you can make the most of your studio workouts at home as your routine evolves with society’s reopening.
Download Your Studio’s Virtual Platform
Going back to the gym after a year or more of isolation is going to feel strange at first. We’re not used to being around others, which can make you feel shy and intimidated, two feelings you probably don’t want to experience during a group fitness class. With so many things to think about already as you reintroduce a studio component to your exercise regimen, don’t let the moves or choreography in class be one of them. Download your studio’s virtual platform and practice the movements at home, so when it’s time to bust them out in front of others, you are a pro. For example, if you like dance classes and want to attend a session at an AKT studio, you could benefit from seeing some of the moves beforehand via AKT GO.
“We break down the choreography in each of the workouts, so whether you have experience or not, you’ll get to learn each of our moves,” said Jonathan Tylicki, XPRO for AKT GO. “The great thing about AKT GO is that you can come back to the workout multiple times, to really master the routines!”
Shake Up the Modality At Home
Membership fees add up quickly if you belong to multiple boutique fitness studios, which is why most people only join one or two. However, if you only belong to CycleBar for example, you are missing out on several other modalities of fitness that challenge your body in different ways. Doing just one type of workout is going to limit your results, and repeated use of the same muscles can lead to imbalances in the body. This is where an at-home fitness platform can come in handy. If indoor cycling is the only workout you do in a live setting, trying other modalities such as Pilates or barre through apps like Club Pilates GO or Pure Barre GO can be an effective and cost-friendly way to shake up your regimen and ensure that you don’t plateau.
Incorporate a Recovery Practice
For some people, being around others motivates them to work out harder and more often. But going too hard too soon in the studio after a year of sporadic at-home workouts can be detrimental to your body. It’s important to make time for recovery so that you can continue to excel in your fitness goals. Since most group fitness classes relegate stretching and recovery to a few short minutes at the end, those can be great elements of your overall wellness to focus on at home. For instance, after you come home from a treadmill class at your local STRIDE studio, you should do a 15 or 20 minute stretching routine to make sure you’re maximizing the benefits attained from running a few miles, as well as preventing injury during your next class. Apps like StretchLab GO and even YogaSix GO have tons of great options for quick recovery sessions you can do in your house or apartment.
"Home workouts are efficient, effective, and they allow more time for cool down stretching, which lends to better recovery and staying healthy,” said Lauren Reid, XPRO for STRIDE GO. “I often find it hard to make time for stretching after driving home from a class, so it's nice to eliminate that element. Not to mention, no commute time!"
To sum up, the return of live classes and events doesn’t mean you have to throw away everything you’ve gained this past year from a virtual fitness program. Studio and online workouts are best utilized in combination to help you achieve your peak level of fitness and wellbeing.
