Home Gym Popularity

According to a recent poll, 47 percent of women and 22 percent of men admitted to gaining weight "due to COVID restrictions." Similarly, a recent study titled "Self-quarantine and weight gain related risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic" found that spending more time at home during the current pandemic increased stress levels. This added stress subsequently was considered to be a significant factor in unwanted weight gain in those surveyed.

Even 20 minutes of exercise each day can reduce stress levels, regulate our metabolism, and maintain our preferred body weight. As uncertainty regarding the COVID 19 pandemic continues to keep us away from fitness centers and other crowded areas, the home gym market is in full growth mode. Statistics from just last month found that home fitness equipment sales have soared by over 170% since the start of the pandemic. Like other businesses, many gyms and fitness centers are also offering online classes for their members. Having some essential equipment for exercise, spinning, Pilates, Yoga, or the dozens of other fitness routines is often a prerequisite for these online fitness routines.

Sustainability Issues to Consider for Home Gyms

Unfortunately, not all home gym equipment is an excellent addition for homeowners who worry about their interior air quality and other health and sustainability aspects. Below, we take a quick look at some of the sustainability issues to consider for home gyms.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are among the primary sources that negatively affect our homes' indoor air quality. Found in interior paints, the formaldehyde in plywood, the Memory Foam in your mattress, and the synthetic fibers in your carpet and furniture, VOCs are a serious potential health hazard for homeowners. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) even says that VOCs' levels may be up to 10 times higher inside our homes than in the outside area. Luckily, there are several things that homeowners can do to lower and even eliminate all together VOCs from their home (check out our article on how to find the best VOC-free paints here).

Great Mats

This brand has a large selection of eco-friendly flooring for your home gym. They offer both natural and recycled rubber options and use the lowest VOC binding agents on the market. If you are looking for the most natural option, Great Mats also has a cork flooring used for your home gym setup.

SportsArt

According to their website, this company imagines a future where "fitness facilities can transform into power plants that offset their building's electrical costs and earn points towards LEED certification, government incentives, and more." Their treadmills, stair machines, cardio machines, and elliptical are certainly not on the inexpensive side. However, the company claims that their grid-tied equipment can save up to 85 percent in energy costs, thus lowering your workout routine's carbon footprint. In the future, fitness gurus might be designing exercise routines around the amount of "watt-hours" you achieve instead of calories burned.

How to Clean Gym Equipment at Home 

Once your workout is over, you can change a few simple things to increase the sustainability of your home gym and workout experience. Instead of quickly spraying down your bench, mats, and other equipment with a bleach solution or other chemical disinfectant, consider making your own DIY home gym cleaner. A simple solution made from vinegar, vodka, or rubbing alcohol and lemon juice is a much more environmentally friendly way to keep your gym equipment free from germs. Alternatively, thyme oil is often referred to as the "natural bleach" and is another healthy alternative.