I have been dreaming of my own personal exercise studio with all the gagetry needed to both receive and give amazing exercise experiences. What do you need to make an ideal exercise space?
My exercise space
I don’t have the luxury of a separate space in my home for exercise, so I already use a multiple use space for yet another use. Gratefully, the space that I do use does not have any furniture that requires re-positioning. I have an open wall when teaching for my backdrop. My camera depth is limited so boxes on a counter serve as my tripod when virtual.
One thing I am noticing is that lighting can be a problem, especially on overcast or winter days. I may need to invest in more lights so I can be visible to myself and others while on the screen. For different levels of exercise (standing, lying) my computer has to be re-positioned so I can still see well. Did we ever imagine that we would be fiddling around with a computer while exercising?
If you are more fortunate, there may be more things that you can look into like improving your technology for your virtual experiences. It really helps if you can hear an instructed program clearly. Something simple like earbuds if you can tolerate them can allow you to zone in to cues and music.
I think back to all of the physical spaces I have moved in for the sake of fitness, conditioning and the creation of movement. There have been some that were amazing and others that were not so appealing.
Here is a summary of the factors that made the exercise experience more or less pleasurable:
The Good. Light, good audio/acoustics, clean/uncluttered, easy access, not isolated, fresh air, some sense of newness/modernity and if not, unadulterated classic style, soft floor(wood versus concrete), no carpet.
The Amazing. There were a few spaces where the atmosphere was further enhanced. They all had a cathedral-like structure (very high ceilings and lots of light). No doubt the feeling and sensations that came to me when in those spaces included: Spiritual. Expansive. Uplifting. Energizing. Welcoming.
The Not So Good. The spaces that I didn’t care for much and that I believe ultimately influenced my movement experience included: old and decrepit, cold(I mean really cold), yellow tinged walls, low ceilings, dark, cluttered, and significant distractions from outside sounds.
We can’t all have perfect personally controlled spaces to move in. Especially when exercising in our homes, there may be a limitation of physical space and/or a shared space that can’t otherwise be significantly altered.
I don’t have a magical solution to creating an amazing space but if you start with the basics, like reducing clutter and improving lighting, this can go a long way to improving your exercise atmosphere.
But don’t wait to have the perfect space to get started. The exercise experience is obviously more about what you do with your body than where you are.
Defining your space physically and mentally will ultimately help you fulfill your goals. Removing both the tangible and intangible obstacles, with practice, will make your everyday commitment to movement and physical well being more regular and automatic. Make positive connections with your physical space and build on the possibilities a day at a time. Making space available may simply be deciding that here and now is the best option. Go for it. Let’s move!