3 Reasons to Put Your Exercise Equipment Outside

During the Coronavirus Pandemic, thousands of people discovered the joy of working out from home when they were unable to go to the gym. Even as the pandemic winds down, studies show that many people don’t plan to renew their gym membership, for reasons ranging from affordability to safety.

If you were one of the many people who purchased home exercise equipment during the pandemic, or if you were cycling before it was cool, have you considered putting your exercise equipment outside? If you live in a moderately temperate climate or can move your equipment back inside when the seasons change, the benefits can be huge.

Benefits of Putting Your Exercise Equipment Outdoors

1. Save Space Indoors

Most exercise machines are bulky, and most also need room around them to keep users safe as they work out. A treadmill can easily take up half a room, and even the smallest exercise bikes will still take up space that you could put to other purposes.

One solution may be to invest in a compact version of the type of exercise equipment you want, but they often don’t perform as well. If you already own an exercise machine, then buying another one probably isn’t high on your list of solutions.

Putting your exercise machine outside, in your garage, or on your patio or porch could be a great solution! The machine will be out of the way, but still more easily accessible than driving to the gym.

2. Isolate Noise

Even if space isn’t a big consideration for you, putting your exercise machine outdoors could still benefit everyone in your living situation. Using most exercise machines is a noisy process; mechanical parts and engines are running, you are breathing hard, and the motivational trainer or music you are listening to can all contribute to a less-than-peaceful atmosphere.

If your housemates get annoyed with the noise or you find yourself working out at odd hours to avoid them being around, putting your exercise machine outside will give you privacy and isolate the noise. If you live in an apartment or condo, your downstairs neighbors will thank you for putting your machine on your balcony, so they don’t have to listen to your high-intensity workouts.

3. Get Sunshine and Fresh Air

Being outside is good for you. Research shows that vitamin D deficiency is soaring in the United States. Vitamin D isn’t naturally present in many foods, so the most common way to get it is through sun exposure. Vitamin D is responsible for numerous processes in the body, including calcium absorption, cell growth, and reducing inflammation. Studies are linking a lack of vitamin D to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

If you have already made your exercise machine part of your daily routine, you could easily knock out two birds with one stone by putting it outside.

If you are a runner, you may wonder why you should bother putting your treadmill outside when you could easily just run around your neighborhood. If running outside is something you already do, and you keep your treadmill for rainy days, you are right! But if you tend to avoid outdoor runs or live in an area that isn’t runner-friendly, this may be a solution for you. On a treadmill, you don’t have to worry about obstacles like potholes, stoplights, or other pedestrians disrupting your run, and you don’t have to take the extra time to drive yourself to a bike or running path.

Just make sure you use sunscreen on your face!

3 Things To Think About Before Putting Exercise Equipment Outside

1. Check Your Warranty

With some companies, putting your exercise machine outside may void your warranty. Even if the issue you are reporting wasn’t caused by the machine being outdoors, just the fact that it was outside may allow the company to get out of fixing or replacing your machine.

This may or may not concern you depending on the terms of your warranty in the first place, or whether you bought your machine used, but its worth knowing. You should always review the warranty for equipment before using it anyways, as some of them have important notices and fine print.

2. You’ll Need Flat Ground and an Outlet

Unfortunately, just having a yard, porch, or patio isn’t enough. You’ll need an area that is relatively flat – a slight slope may not be a problem for most machines, but rocky or uneven ground might make it dangerous to workout on your machine or may damage your machine if it shifts while you are on it.

For most machines, you’ll also need an outlet. You’ll want it to be close to the machine, as having cords running across your yard can present a hazard. You’ll also need the outlet to be protected from the elements, specifically moisture from rain or snow. Water and electricity is a dangerous mix.

3. Protect your Machine with a Cover

Water and electricity are dangerous, but water on the plastic and metal components can also cause damage over time.

A cover from Equip will offer protection from weather and UV rays and extend the life of your machine.

Equip offers cover in standard sizes for a variety of machines, including some covers for your favorite brands like Peloton and NordicTrack. We also offer custom covers. Our production team can work with you to produce a beautiful cover from easy-to-follow directions.