Now I’m sure last lockdown or the lockdown before that, who’s keeping count, you were as excited as I was at this opportunity to show you had real moxy. Nothing would stop you and the world was your oyster, the idea of putting to use the old dumbbells and bands lying in the corner, to proper use, seemed like such a novelty. At least, that was what we all thought in the beginning, but now it just seems quite frankly like a chore just to be checked off the list. Gone are the times of feeling the atmosphere, enduring the screams of the gym rat patriots, spotting the old bold character in the corner of the changing rooms, feeling the iron grip rip the callus in your palms, choosing that prime time playlist for a new PR and best of all, spotting your unspoken gym crush and mentor. All we are left with now is the continuous perpetual cycle of our discipline kicking in, mixed with some slight body dysmorphia, to trudge through those glute bridges on the floor.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not saying home workouts don’t work or are somehow the worst thing to do, considering we are in a pandemic, it just takes a lot more effort from the individual to keep up the practice. A lot of people you will see on Instagram have been training for years on years so the muscle memory is built into their system, capturing all these movements. For them, this is simply maintenance, for anyone starting out their fitness journey now do not be dismayed as this fundamentally will build a solid base for you, not only in your functional movement and form but in your discipline and consistency. In essence, don’t feel guilty about slipping up one day or another, this is difficult and even the most revered athlete as an off day or two when there isn’t an atmosphere or temple to guide you into a motivated state of flow.

Having said that, there are undoubtedly hundreds of people who will seek to take advantage of this.Just like the gym there are no shortcuts to health even at home. I have witnessed contraptions such as electro shock therapy to the abdominal walls. If you think, even for the slightest second, that this will work and turn you into the sculpted god that is Cristiano Ronaldo then I’m sorry. The best you will earn is muscle spasms and potential damage to the rhythm of your heart you absolute psychopath, all for £69.99. Do not, I repeat, do not buy into every gym item you think will make a difference, most of the people selling the product will not even use the product themselves.Why you ask, because money, that’s why. Everyone loves to pay for convenience but there is no convenient way. I recommend a yoga mat, dumbbells, kettlebell, medicine ball, skipping rope, ab wheels, pull up bar (depending on door frame) and fabric grip thigh bands. Used correctly this is the ensemble you need to stay in shape, straying from this list is most likely a scam. With exception to cardio devices i.e. treadmill, bike and rowing machine etc but let’s be real we’re not all Tories.

Nonetheless, remember we are all on the same boat and as annoying as you might find doing home workouts they still hit you up with a good amount of dopamine levels to fix you up for the day. Finishing a nice HIIT workout may have taken 2 hours of procrastination to get through to actually doing but in the end you still realise it is worth it and divides the day up nicely by giving you a feeling of accomplishment. However, like with anything, stay safe, stay wise and try to be smart about whose advice you follow on Instagram and what might be in it for them at the end of the day. I recommend following @mydigress to keep up to date with a proper narrative.