What Have You Actually Liked About Working Out at Home?

Working out at home has brought its challenges: improvising equipment, cobbling together a routine, planning for an uncertain future, trying to not get bored, scouring the internet for those elusive weights. But there are some upsides too, right?

Some of us learned a new skill or style of workout. I have friends who got really good at kettlebell movements because a kettlebell was the only equipment they had. I bet some of you went all-in on yoga or calisthenics, and improved your skills there, too.

Maybe you now have an encyclopedic knowledge of something, like the best vintage workouts on YouTube. Or maybe you built a habit, like becoming one of those morning exercisers you used to admire.

As for me, I’ve enjoyed being able to work out whenever I want, without the time suck of commuting to the gym. I also love that I found a way to enjoy some gym camaraderie with my husband. We don’t normally lift together, but now that Saturdays are our shared deadlift day, I look forward them all week. The kids have also started to join in workouts, and it’s heartwarming to see them set their sights on big-for-them goals, work at them, and succeed.

Home workouts have even been good for my long-term goals. The lack of competitions has actually given me more training time: instead of spending weeks peaking for a meet (which someone else scheduled) and then having to take it easy afterward to recover from it, I can commit to a 10-week or 12-week training plan and see it through. My training has been more consistent than it ever was before, and I know that will pay off in the future even though it’s not very exciting right now.

So I’d like to know: What have you gained or even enjoyed from your home workouts? What was more fun than you expected? What would you miss if you had to stop? How have you grown as an athlete or as a person? Whether you only did home workouts for a short time this spring, or whether you built a home gym and committed to solo training for the long run, share your successes and secrets with the rest of us.