I am fortunate to have a lanai constructed across the back of my house that is ideal for a workout space.
The floor is cement, the ceiling eight feet high and the dimensions are plenty big for my needs.
The one exterior wall is built almost entirely of screens, which provides steady ventilation. For most of the year, the weather in the local area is moderate. I appreciate access to a fresh breeze. I have a lovely view of the gardens and lake at the back of the property. I’ve outfitted my home gym with a yoga mat, incline bench, mini trampoline, set of free weights, jump rope and battle ropes. I have everything I need to target all of my different muscles, elevate my heart rate and work up a sweat. I focus on stamina, flexibility, balance, strength training and calorie burn. I typically spend an hour per day on my fitness routine. My only complaint with the space is the lack of temperature control. Because of the screens, there is no way to incorporate heating or cooling into the lanai. There are a couple months in the middle of winter when the outside temperature drops into the forties. I wait until the afternoon to workout, hoping to take advantage of the highest temperature. I need to dress in layers and I run a space heater. It still is sometimes impossible to sufficiently warm up my muscles. It’s difficult to get motivated and I worry about injury. There are also a couple of months when the heat and humidity of summer are brutal. I exercise as early in the morning as possible, hoping to avoid the heat of the afternoon. I run an electric fan at the highest speed and stand directly in front of it and yet am still dripping sweat before completing my warmup.