These days, a lot of us are complaining about the creeping reality of Pandemic Pudge. Physical isolation has kept us from our all-important workouts and some of us are feeling it on many levels. While the cottage used to be a respite from working out, at least in the traditional sense, that concept has necessarily shifted.
“A few months into the pandemic, we were suddenly getting a lot of questions on using technology to create an optimal home workout,” says Lisa Venus, co-owner of Muskoka Smart Homes. “We were fielding questions like how to screen mirror an app from a smart phone to a Smart TV, or how to convert a bunkie into a Wi-Fi enabled gym. Other people were asking how they could set up a yoga studio down by the water. The workout landscape has definitely changed, and our smart home technology has evolved along with it.”
Working out on a mat while looking at the tiny screen on your smart phone has obviously created a lot of frustration and a desire to find a better way. “That’s where screen mirroring your phone to an outdoor Smart TV has its distinct advantages,” she says.
Lisa explains that some television brands responded to the rising demand for new ways to exercise with a number of new apps. “Six new fitness-focused apps are now available on Samsung smart TVs, including Barre3, Calm, Echelon, Fitplan, Jillian Michaels Fitness and Obé Fitness.”
While exercising through technology doesn’t have quite the same feeling of community as a gym, one-on-one virtual time with your physical trainer lets you spend time with someone who shares your interests and goals.
Music and lighting are also important motivators, Lisa notes. “We can set you up with speakers on the deck or down at the dock, so you don’t miss the motivation of your favorite tunes.”
Whether you are working out on a Peloton or an Echelon, technology also offers a way of connecting with people safely, while still giving you the virtual camaraderie of the gym. “There’s so much available to people right now,” Lisa says. “They just need to know it’s out there.”
Muskoka Smart Homes can help you set up the home gym of your dreams, but with an important caveat. “At least 10-15 mbps internet download speed is ideal. We’re only as good as what’s coming into your house.” For the best internet choices available to your specific situation, Lisa and her husband Dave Fast will help you find what works best for you.
TEXT KARI KLASSEN | PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN