Home Workouts: Mindset, Fitness Gear & Resources to Survive Any Pandemic
With COVID-19 raging across the world and Public Gyms & Group Exercise Facilities all closed for business as we all practice "social distancing" & “shelter-in-place” to help slow the spread of the coronavirus what’s a fitness guy or gal to do?
Workout at home! (obviously, right?)
Over the last decade, I've occasionally done home workouts but mostly went to the gym. My old mindset & limiting belief was that in order to get and stay as fit as I wanted to I “had to” go to the gym. With this global pandemic & "shelter-in-place" closing down all fitness facilities I've delightfully discovered that I can actually get in even better shape working out at home full-time. The quote, “Necessity is the Mother of Invention” comes to mind…
In truth, fitness is a lifestyle & a daily choice. And there is never an excuse to stop one’s weekly fitness routine. Times like this give us an “opportunity” to challenge our body & mind in new ways and take our fitness to yet another level.
All growth happens outside our comfort zone so this is just a cue from the Universe to switch things up & get creative.
Nonetheless, you may be looking for ideas for fitness gear & equipment you can quickly get your hands on to build your home gym because we have no idea how long our regular go-to fitness facilities will be closed.
In this blog is all the fitness gear & equipment I personally own & have used for years. Some of it I’ve had & used for well over a decade. All of it is available on Amazon or online and I’ve included hyperlinks to either the exact piece of equipment I own (if still available online) or the current best online offering. You can just click through the hyperlinks and buy. I’ll receive a tiny commission from some of the hyperlinks at no additional cost to you if you actually buy direct from the link but you can just google it if you’d rather not support this website.
I’ll also provide a list of home fitness books, videos, apps & online resources that my partner & I have used extensively over the years.
Before we get into the tools & resources let’s talk about Mindset & Space.
MINDSET
Like I mentioned in the opening of this post, Fitness is a Lifestyle. I’d also say that it is a Mindset. Every day is a great day to work on your fitness no matter what is going on in the world or your personal life.
At this point, there is so much research on the mental, emotional, physical & spiritual benefits of regular exercise that I won’t regurgitate it too much. You can google that on your own. All you need to know is that regular weekly exercise is a massive Life Hack! It consistently cultivates and builds happiness, health, longevity, increased energy, improves mood, releases endorphins, pushes people into higher states of consciousness, makes them better at work, better at relationships and does all sorts of other radical life-enhancing things to humans.
Plus, there is almost an infinite number of ways to work on your physical fitness. The key is to find ways of fitness that are FUN for you as a unique individual! And to find new ways when you get bored. If it isn’t fun you won’t stick with it in the long run.
Regular weekly exercise every single week throughout the years is where the biggest payoff comes — this means you have a fitness mindset, live a fitness lifestyle, & your overall life performance compared to someone who doesn’t live this way will be infinitely better. Especially over the long-run (i.e. years/decades).
You also need to understand how you respond to internal & external expectations. For some, fitness is part of their self-prescribed identity and working out every day is just what they do and who they see themself as (this is me).
For others, there needs to be an external expectation set — these are people who thrive having a “workout partner” or having prepaid for fitness classes. If you know you need an accountability partner either sign up for a virtual class fitness program online or find a virtual workout partner. [For a deeper dive into learning how you respond to internal/expectations read this article.]
In short recap: understand how you respond to fitness expectations & make fitness fun for you personally and make it a part of your daily life.
SPACE
I live in the Bay Area with a modest amount of home space, but not enough for a dedicated fitness room. I have plenty of friends who live in other dense cities like NYC where space is even more limited.
For the record, you do not need a dedicated fitness room in your home. If you have the extra space for a dedicated room in your home all the better, but it’s not necessary. I workout in part of my living room, part of my garage, and outdoors. All of these spaces are shared with other activities & people.
I have found that when creating an at-home fitness space it is essential to dedicate areas within your home that are readily available and pre-set with the equipment you regularly want to use. This makes the barrier to entry less of an obstacle. If you have to spend more than a few minutes setting up your workout space before a workout you probably won’t get to it. And usually, the biggest challenge for people is “getting started” on a workout. So make it easy to get started every day!
I have kettlebells, Bowflex dumbbells, yoga mat, foam roller, a pull-up bar, FitDesk and more all ready to go in my living room. I can start a workout in well under 30-seconds with little-to-no set up as everything is already ready to go. I have gymnastic rings, battle ropes, a grip bar, a mini trampoline & other different equipment in my garage and the set-up time is also well under 30-seconds.
So whatever the size of your current living space, create a pre-set fitness zone (or multiple zones) to make it easy to get your daily workout in.
Fitness Tools:
A quick note: There is no need to buy all of this fitness equipment in one-go. Think of this as a menu to choose from. Pick a few of the items that seem fun & interesting to get started with and then build up your fitness equipment inventory over the months/years as your home workouts evolve.
Yoga mat: my favorite yoga mat right now is by Apeiron. I have the “Midnight Chakra” version that makes me feel like I am balancing my Chakras every time I get on it. The material on the mat is awesome, super high quality, & slip-proof. The sweatier you get, the better the grip.
Bowflex Dumbbells: I originally got these well over 10 years ago when I did my first P90X home workout program. I freakin love these things! My Bowflex Dumbbell set goes from 5lbs up to 52.5lbs. There is also a set of that goes from 10-90lbs. I’ve considered getting those as well, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet.
Kettlebells: I have a 15lb, 20lb, a 35lb, two 45lbs, and a 70.5lb size. The number of exercises you can do with Kettlebells is endless. Just start Youtubing or searching Instagram and you will see. I like the vinyl-coated kettlebells as I use them in my living room and don’t want to fuck up my floor. SPRI makes great vinyl-coated kettlebells in a bunch of different weights. Weight recommendation for beginners: 15-20lbs for women, 20-35lbs for men.
Tools of the home fitness trade — kettlebells, battle ropes, & my beloved mini trampoline!
Mini Trampoline: As a kid, I had a giant trampoline and it brought me massive joy (and fitness). As a grown-up, I still get massive joy (and fitness) from rebounding on a mini fitness trampoline. I highly recommend investing in a quality mini trampoline like the JumpSport 250 Rebounder (this is what I use). It’s quiet (no metal springs), will last you years and is an incredible way to get cardio in even when it’s raining outside.
Jump Rope: Jump-roping is one of the most portable cardio exercises you can do. When I travel I always bring a jump rope. Now that I’m working out at home full-time I have been adding in jump-roping as I work towards leaning out for the warmer shirtless months. Here’s a great jump rope. Also, after you get practiced up on a jump rope and have the right music on it pretty much becomes like dancing — super fun!
Resistance Bands: I love these! Especially for traveling. Very portable. But great for tons of different exercises at home during a “shelter in place” mandate. I use this heavy duty set of resistance bands from UPOWEX. You can also use these to assist in pull-ups — I used them when I was learning how to do a muscle up. I also have this set that comes with a door anchor, handles, & ankle strap. I find the door anchor especially useful when space is limited. Plus, the handles are easier on the hands.
Pull-up Bar: I have owned a pull-up bar since first doing P90X pre-2010s (pull-ups are part of the home workout program). I love having one in the house. It’s great for daily stretching — just hang from it and let your spine & back decompress. And of course, it is amazing for getting in all sorts of pull-ups (weighted and unweighted). The Pull-up bar I use can be placed in a doorway. Here’s a great doorway pull-up bar that also has a rock climbing grips incorporated. I also have a rock-climbing grip bar installed in my garage, but this one is a nice combo if you’re limited on space. This pull-up bar can also double as a dip bar & push-up stand which is awesome!
Push-Up Stands: Again, I bought these when I first embarked upon P90X. Pushup stands are awesome for doing all types of pushups and getting a deep range of motion which results in greater overall muscular development. You can also use pushup stands for handstand pushups against a wall, again, getting a deeper range of motion. The pair I have I can no longer find online, but I’ve used several pieces of fitness equipment from GoFit and these pair of pushup handstands have good reviews on Amazon.
Gymnastic Rings: Professional gymnasts are some of the most shredded & muscular people on the planet and training on gymnastic rings is an incredible way to take your fitness to the next level. There are so many exercises you can do on rings so you should never get bored. Here’s the pair of Gymnastic Rings I wish I owned — I, unfortunately, bought a pair that doesn’t have the numbered measurement along the strap so adjusting them up and down and getting the rings completely level takes more time. My pair still work great, just less convenient for setup. I hang these from a cross beam in my garage, but I’ve seen people hang them off a pull-up bar, bolt them to their ceiling, and hang them from a tree limb.
Weight Vest: Weight vests are an incredible way to augment your training, build up support muscles, increase bone density, get in a savage bodyweight training session, or just make your neighborhood walk a bit more challenging. Hell, I even throw it on in the morning while I’m brushing my teeth, washing my face, etc. Then I feel light as a feather the rest of the day after having had it on for 15-30 minutes in the first part of the day. I’m a huge fan of V-Force weight vests because they are durable as fuck and the weight is adjustable. The one I linked to is made so that you can do overhead movements as well which comes in handy when you’re combining a weight-vest with various types of exercise routines.
Dip Belt with Chain: I use this for weighted pull-ups and weighted dips as well as some weighted rings exercises. When I want to change weights faster this is easier/faster than changing the weight on a weight vest. I have a super old dip belt I can’t even find online, but if I were to buy another today I’d go with this Dip Belt by Hawk Fitness.
Battle Ropes: I think battle ropes are one of the best ways to get super shredded. You cannot properly use them without getting your heart rate way up. The exercises and routines with battle ropes are endless and if you have a driveway or a park nearby they are a super fun way to radically up your fitness game. Here’s the set of Battle Ropes I currently own—extra thick grip (2.5 inches), extra-long rope (50 foot) & protective covering so they will last for years. If you’re limited on space get a shorter rope. I happen to be fortunate enough to have a good long driveway.
FitDesk: I’ve been using a FitDesk for over 5-years now. It’s a stationary bike with a desk built in so you can work on your laptop, read a book, and work/play on your phone/tablet while you’re cycling. I use it during virtual meetings, work email/calls, blog writing, social media creation/consumption, reading & more. At least two friends/colleagues I know binge-watch Netflix while on a FitDesk. I highly recommend the FitDesk 3.0 — it’s built like a tank but it’s very comfortable too.
Yoga Balance Ball: I use a yoga balance bar for all sorts of things — core work, as a bench for incline & flat dumbbell chest press, as a seat for seated dumbbell shoulder presses, & more.
Bosu Balance Trainer: Also just called a Bosu Ball. These are amazing for balance work while doing all sorts of exercises. I also use it to do pushups where I push extra hard at the top of the movement to come off the ground slightly (sort of like clapping pushups without the clapping). This recruits explosive muscle fiber and is a great exercise to shred up.
Foam Roller: Foam rolling is such a powerful way to recover from workouts & keep your body working in optimal order. I just use a basic foam roller from Amazon and do my best to foam roll daily, even if for just a few minutes.
Yoga TuneUp Balls: The ability & skill to keep your body tuned up is critical to a lifelong sustainable weekly fitness routine. I do regular self-massage & mobility work with a set of Yoga TuneUp Balls. These get deep into all the points that you can’t get at with just a foam roller.
Foot Rollers: I use this set of foot rollers to keep my foot fitness game strong. Just a few minutes at the beginning of the day is a great way to wake up feeling good or at the end of the day for a great way to wind down.
Percussive Therapy Gun: This machine has transformed my life. I use it every single day for both warm-up, recovery & mobility work. It ain’t cheap but it will take your fitness & overall wellbeing to the next level! I use the Theragun G3PRO & fuckin love it so much!
Rollerblades: Yep! It’s back! I was an avid rollerblader growing up then stopped in high school then picked it back up in 2012. Been going strong the last 8-years and even have a crew I blade with regularly. My favorite skates right now are the FR1s! Also, not cheap, but they will last for years and if you really get into rollerblading you can switch up the wheels & frames. I often just rollerblade around my neighborhood or cruise Stanford University Campus as it’s less than 2-miles from my house. It’s super fun while listening to music (feels like space dancing) and I can easily burn a ton of calories while jamming out.
Bike: I have a single speed that I normally use to get around town and go to the gym with as well as a used multi-speed Bianchi road bike that I use for longer rides.
Fitness Watch: I use a Garmin Fenix 5X to track all of my workouts along with a Garmin Tri-HRM chest strap heart rate monitor for an accurate heart reading. I’ve personally found that unless you are running wrist heart rate monitors are pretty inaccurate.
Shoes: I currently do non-running bodybuilding workouts in a pair of Allbirds Treetoppers which are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. I also often workout or go for long walks/hikes in those weird Vibram Five Fingers to build up my foot strength and create greater body alignment. For longer distance running/hiking I currently use a pair of Nike’s but have been thinking about investing in a pair of Vivo Barefoot shoes. At times I’ll train up to long-distance dirt trail running in the Vibram Five Fingers, but pavement running in Five Fingers seems to be a recipe for injury for me.
Body Scale: I use the Withings/Nokia Body Cardio to track my body weight, body fat %, bone mass & muscle mass every single morning. This way I can see if I’m trending towards or away from my aesthetic physical goals.
Equipment I don’t own yet, but plan to invest in at some point:
Parallettes: short semi-portable parallel bars for handstands, planches, L-sits, tucks & more. This is probably my next purchase. I’ve been eyeing this pair on Amazon, but there are even smaller more portable versions.
Parallel bars: an amazing way to train. I have some at two different public park areas less than a mile from my house, but it would be awesome to have some at my house. I hear from friends the Lebert Fitness Equalizer Bars are pretty awesome.
Apps, Books & Other Online Resources
Strong: I use this smartphone app to track every single workout—every exercise, every set, every rep. This way I can monitor strength progress and remember what I did in the last week’s workout and then try to beat the last workout’s weight/reps and make progress.
MyFitnessPal: I use this smartphone app to track all of my food and it automatically pulls my bodyweight and body-fat from Withings/Nokia Body Cardio scale and my workouts from the Garmin so I have everything in one place—food consumption, exercise & physical results (weight & BF%).
P90X: This is probably one of the most popular home workout systems in the last decade or so. It combines bodybuilding with yoga, cardio & core work and it seriously works if you do the whole program. You will get in amazing shape. Also, I am forever grateful to P90X because it introduced me to Yoga. The 90-minute Power Yoga session is awesome!
Asana Rebel: This is an App that has a ton of awesome content. Plenty of great yoga flows and bodyweight workouts. My sexy fit fiance’ regularly uses this app and I’ve been known to join in.
Complete Calisthenics by Ashley Kalym: Straightforward book about calisthenics (bodyweight exercises) from beginner to advanced.
Overcoming Gravity by Steven Low: Amazing bible of a book all about calisthenics, gymnastics & mobility. It provides a systematic approach to gymnastics & bodyweight training.
Becoming a Supple Leopard: Pain relief, prevention, mobility, self-repair & optimum physical performance bible.
Instagram Fitness Accounts: Some of the IG accounts I follow & get inspiration from:
@paulsklarxfit aka Paul Sklar: This dude is 45+ and fuckin ripped as all hell. He’s a major inspiration for me as I’ve always planned on being super fit my whole life, especially as I get older. He does all sorts of workouts with barbells, dumbbells, battle ropes & more. Most of his workouts can be done at home.
@primalswoledier aka Eric Leija: He has awesome flows of Kettlebells, Battle Ropes & more.
@nimai_delgado: Mostly a gym bodybuilder, but as a 100% Vegan bodybuilder he’s given me massive inspiration on my Plant-Based Eating Adventure (I’m 2+ months into it). He consistently reminds me that you can be shredded, muscular and live an awesome fun life eating completely plant-based. He’s also been incorporating more yoga into his fitness routines lately which is a huge plus to me because I’ve been combining yoga & bodybuilding for a decade & think they are massively synergistic in a whole bunch of ways.
@max_true aka Maksim Trukhonovets: A calisthenics athlete that currently holds the Guinness World Record for Muscle Ups (26 consecutive muscle ups—hot dang!). If you want to see someone who is ridiculously shredded doing pretty much just bodyweight exercise this is your guy. He’s also a software developer by day which is inspiring to me as someone who also has a full-time career in the food/wellness-tech industry (IOW: neither of us is a full-time professional athlete or fitness trainer).
@devinpkelly: Calisthenics, handstands, planches, levers, rings, one-arm-chin-ups, flexibility/mobility, and other strength training. He has a huge emphasis on the philosophy of exercise & fitness—literally using training as a way to deeper self-understanding, greater body awareness, & cutting through a lot of the mental crap that’s been front-loaded onto various exercise, fitness & health traditions. He’s a little harsh on yoga & vegans as a previous practitioner of both, but I’m sure he has his reasons. Nonetheless, he’s incredibly talented and such a deep thinker that he’s a true pleasure to follow along with—he stretches my body & my mind.
@justindavidcarl: Yours truly! While I’m not a full-time fitness trainer or a professional athlete by any means I’d like to think that I’m a good case study to demonstrate to anybody & everybody that you can have a full-time career & still be in great shape. I have been posting up full home workouts on my Instagram Stories and saving them under a Highlight titled HomeWODs. I’ve been including videos as well as full logs (every exercise, set, & rep) using all off the home fitness equipment I own & listed above. Feel free to follow along & borrow/steal whatever fits your fancy!
YouTube: I currently don’t watch too much YouTube, but you can pretty much YouTube search videos on every single piece of equipment I posted above to get ideas for various workout routines & proper form.
Conclusion
In reality, you don’t need any of this equipment. You could literally just do bodyweight exercises & go running and you can get in & stay in amazing shape.
However, in my view, personal fitness is a lifelong passion that you invest in every single week and it should be something that is continuously evolving with an emphasis on it being FUN!
And with a “Shelter In-Home” instated in most if not all of the US and many other parts of the world, there is no better time to invest in your Home Gym Equipment Inventory & build your Home Workout Skills.
If you need some ideas, invest in a few pieces of equipment above and check out those Instagram accounts I mentioned and/or start googling exercise routines from home that incorporate them.
Don’t worry too much about being perfect or even being good at using any of the equipment or working out at home in the beginning. Skill is built through repetition. So just focus on getting in 3-5 home workouts every week and before you know it your home workout skills will be highly honed.
Lastly, please feel free to leave comments at the bottom of this article with questions as well as other awesome fitness resources — equipment, online courses, books, fitness influencers, etc. I always love discovering & implementing new resources!
Together we Alchemize our fitness & our life so much faster and have so much more fun! YEEHAW!!!
Your Life Alchemist,
Justin David Carl
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