The lanai built on the back of my house supplies an ideal workout space.
The floor is level concrete and the ceilings are eight-feet high.
The whole back wall is constructed out of screens that offer a nice breeze and a lovely view. Visitors to our home are always confused as to why I keep the lanai empty except for my workout equipment. It would be a perfect spot for patio furniture plus a television. I would rather use the square footage for skipping, jumping rope, weight lifting, lunges, squats and abdominal crunches. The only drawback of the lanai is that it’s not heated or cooled. For the majority of the year, temperature control is not a problem. My local area experiences warm and moderate weather most of the time. There are about one or two months in the Winter when the temperature dips down into the low forties or even upper thirties. I put off my workout until the temperatures have warmed up in the middle of the day, and I dress in layers. It’s a challenge to get warmed up and motivated to exercise. My muscles feel tight and stiff, and there is a higher risk of injury. I’m occasionally forced inside the heated area of the house but then I have less space. During the height of summer, we face temperatures in the mid to high nineties. The humidity is excessive. I run a portable fan on the lanai at high speed and position myself directly in front of it. I try to workout first thing in the morning, before the heat of the day, but it doesn’t make much difference. I’m typically dripping sweat before I even begin my warmup. I feel lethargic and struggle to get started. I need to be careful about drinking sufficient water. I’ve had concerns with muscle cramps because of the heat and dehydration.
Workout classes