Life without a weight room

About 10 years ago, I decided I wanted to learn how to lift weights. I’d recently lost about 25 pounds through diet and pilates, but I wanted to take my fitness to the next level. My husband and I joined our community center gym, so he could teach me how to use the equipment and free weights. 

 

When I thought about how my weightlifting lesson would go down, I pictured one of those workouts that you see in a women’s fitness magazine. You know - the ones where the women (who are actually models) look fabulous and the workout calls for two sets of 15 reps with five-pound weights. But, that’s not at all what my husband had in mind for me. He said that I could easily do a workout designed for men. We started training with Men’s Health TNT Workout, and I fell in love with heavy weightlifting. I enjoyed it so much and it’s still a workout that I go back to today.

 

Ever since then, I’ve worked to challenge myself in the weight room. I lift as heavy as possible and learned to do some Olympic lifts. At one point, I beat the gym’s record for bench press. Weightlifting has turned into a fabulous and healthy “hobby” for me!

 

 

Now, I can’t even remember life without having access to weights and a gym. In my current living situation, I’m lucky enough to have a gym just downstairs in my building.
 

But, I’ll be moving in a couple of months and for the first time in many years, I won’t have access to a gym. PANIC!

I know that while I transition to my new surroundings that I won’t be able to just NOT do strength training. So, I’ve been trying to think of some creative ways to workout without having access to a gym. Here’s what I’ve come up with:

 

Swimming pool workouts:  Luckily, I will have access to a pool. And, since it will be summer in Florida, I’ll probably need it to cool off! I found some amazing workouts for the pool. Thank goodness for Pinterest.

 

Make use of free weights/body weight: There’s something to be said for old fashioned pushups. I also have access to a set of 12-pound free weights. I am going to get creative with step-ups, pushups with weights, planks and other body weight exercises to keep up my strength.

 

Try a new sport: There’s shuffleboard, pickleball and tennis available at my new place, which will give me plenty of opportunities to work on my fitness (and coordination) in new ways.

 

What ideas do you have for me while I adjust to life without a weight room? I want to know your creative workout plans!