I am very fortunate to have a lanai constructed on the back of my house.
The space extends the full width of the house and includes a cement floor and eight-foot ceiling.
One wall of the lanai is entirely built of screens that bring in a steady supply of fresh air. The lanai provides an ideal workout area. My friends and family always want to know why I don’t set up any patio furniture in the lanai. This is because I like to keep it clear for my training sessions. I have a yoga mat, jump rope, free weights, incline bench and mini trampoline that I utilize. I have sufficient square footage to go through lunges, squats, burpees, jumping jacks and a wide variety of beneficial exercises. The only drawback of my home gym is that it’s not temperature controlled. Because of the screens, there is no way to implement heating or cooling. For the majority of the year, it’s not a problem. The weather in my local area is typically warm and sunny. I appreciate the access to fresh air and the view of my backyard. There are about six to eight weeks during the winter when the temperature can drop down into the forties. I plug in an electric space heater, but it doesn’t help that much. Bundling up in layers of clothes makes it difficult to move around. I find it nearly impossible to get warmed up and worry about injury. I have the opposite complaints for a couple of months during the peak of summer. The temperature climbs up into the nineties or even triple digits, and the humidity is brutal. I get up as early as possible in order to complete my workout before the day heats up. I plug in a box and stand directly in front of it. I am usually drenched with sweat before I complete my warmup. It’s a challenge to get motivated and push myself.