A very evident change is the way in which we have adapted our exercise routines this year. At the start of the year, it was essentially the only reason we were allowed to leave our homes, during lockdown. This then forced existing gym bunnies and novices alike to become inventive and to take up new challenges. We became a nation of long-distance runners, looking to household objects to use as weights and tuning into online classes and Zoom PTs.
As the year has evolved, as has technology, flexibility and the ease at which we now workout from home. The trend towards at-home gyms has become ever more prevalent, and one person who has seen this more than most is Owner of WeMakeGyms.com, Mark Reynolds.
Mark set up his business back in 2015 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. WeMakeGyms.com is dedicated to the design, supply and management of innovative, industry-leading gyms in private homes and commercial spaces in the UK and worldwide. Whether it’s an at-home personal workout room, a corporate or commercial gym or the focal point of a large residential development, the experienced fitness specialists at WeMakeGyms.com provide an end-to-end service for creating the perfect fitness space.
WeMakeGyms.com can design, fit and manage everything from simple equipment requests to fully functioning home gyms, with the latest technology and gym equipment, based on the client’s requirements – from cardio machines to fitness walls, yoga spaces and strength-based areas.
In the current COVID-19 aware climate, the home gym industry is booming as people opt to invest in a safe, effective and private workout. During lockdown, WeMakeGyms saw an increase in its already busy roster, with enquiries including highly motivated home gym projects for members of the public and premier league footballers who needed equipment for their lockdown training schedules. WeMakeGyms already has an impressive client list, with private homes including those of elite sports stars and celebrities, as well as commercial projects for residential developers.
Commenting on the spike in at-home gyms during 2020, Mark says: “Up until the last few years, the home gym was perceived to be something only the rich and famous could afford, but that has all very much changed since COVID-19 reared its head. Firstly, a home gym can be as elaborate or simple as you like, from jumping up and down in your bedroom, in front of your favourite Instagram Live personal trainer, to cornering off a section of your living room, with some cardio equipment and weights, to a fully functioning separate room, garage, basement or outhouse, ventilated, air-conditioned and adorned with the latest fitness technology.
Cost shouldn’t scare anyone off either, as long as there’s space in a flat/house, we can tailor a gym design to individual budgets. Health and fitness analysts in the UK have reported that gym memberships have fallen by almost 20% this year, and revenue generated by the UK gym and fitness industry could also fall by as much as 28%. Whilst we, as a nation, are keen fitness enthusiasts, the prospect of returning to the gym after the first lockdown dwindled, as people had formed new ‘at-home’ habits and according to industry experts, it takes humans on average only 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic. Having spent just over 100 days in lockdown, people became extremely inventive, and in doing so, have created their own fitness regimes.
We saw a huge spike during this time for at-home gyms and we were very fortunate to have fared in the weather of coronavirus, and whilst part of our business model is working with commercial and corporate clients, it is our personal/at-home sector, which is especially booming. More so than ever, is the aforementioned cost, and whilst a fully equipped at-home gym can cost from £2k upwards, what our clients have to factor in, is the cost of a yearly gym membership, circa £600, or the rising trend of fitness classes. This can start from £10 and go to almost £30 per session, which can double or treble per household, dependent on the number of those in one household, meaning it can all quickly add up. Therefore, the appeal of an at-home gym, becomes ever more prevalent.
One last factor is the changing environment we find ourselves in, with so many working from home, the prospect of setting the alarm for 6am to get to the gym before work has all but become a thing of the past. You no longer have to get to a fitness class on time, because at home you determine when you work out and that can now take place at any time of the day or night.
To summarise, whilst I am a huge fan of the gym, fitness classes and the incredible service my fellow fitness professionals provide all over the globe, the world is evolving and a new normal is being created. Whilst we must all be supportive of one another in every business sector, what our clients are starting to see is the pure flexibility and long-term cost-effectiveness of an at-home gym.