People are posting their home gym fails on TikTok. Here's what not to do when you work out.
- As quarantines continue and gyms are closed for the foreseeable future, people are making do at home and sometimes getting creative with equipment.
- But home gym set-ups can sometimes go wrong, with hilarious and uncomfortable results that show what not to do when working out at home.
- Here are some of the best examples on TikTok of furniture breaking, resistance bands snapping, pets or children joining in, and other unfortunate consequences of improvising with exercise.
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As the lockdown drags on and people try to reduce stress and stay fit with at-home workouts, plenty of people have had to get creative and resourceful to replicate their usual gym routines.
But some people have been finding out the hard way that you can't use just anything for exercise without some hilarious and unexpected side effects. Here are some of the most popular forms of home gym fails trending right now.
Always use a sturdy chair or bench for lifting weights
One of the most common home gym fails is when people try to replace their usual weight lifting bench with a household chair that's not up to the task of holding that many pounds.
Terrick Vargason posted a viral video on TikTok and Instagram of his attempt to lift heavy dumbbells in a lawn chair, which promptly falls to pieces under him.
But he's not the only one to make that mistake.
Personal trainer Brendan McDonald of the Arena Gym took an unexpected break in the middle of his lift when his seat gave out.
And another TikTok user had a folding chair collapse mid-heft during a set of presses.
All of these are a good reminder to make sure whatever you're using for exercise can not only support your weight safely, but also the weight of whatever additional equipment you might use as well.
Resistance bands are great, but don't stretch them too far or the results could be painful
Another common category of home gym fails involved resistance bands, elastic bands that create tension to replace weights and other gym equipment. They're convenient, easy to use and don't take up a lot of space. But things can go wrong if you stretch them too far, causing the band to break, as this personal trainer discovered.
It can also be painful if you don't secure the band properly and it snaps back, effectively whipping the unfortunate gym rat in the face, chest, butt, or other sensitive areas.
Personal trainer Erin Ryan of New South Wales found this out the hard way when her bands gave way during rows and smacked her across the face.
Bodybuilder Kim Santos, meanwhile, attempted to demonstrate an assisted pull-up when the band slipped, painfully whipped across the bum before awkwardly sticking behind his back.
You also have to make sure that whatever the band is attached to is also sturdy, or you might get more movement that you planned — like this amateur power lifter who attempted resistance band hamstring curls and took the whole table with her.
Pets, children, and household items can be unexpected obstacles in your workout
Even if you've secured your equipment, unforeseen mishaps can still interrupt your workout. The beauty of most traditional gyms is that they don't have pets, children, or random furniture to impede your gains. Not true for these home gyms.
Twitter user Scott Lehman tried a set of weighted step-ups, forgetting to watch out for the whirring ceiling fan above his head.
Instagrammer Carly Bryden showed that reality of trying an at-home workout if you have kids is very different than it may look from a polished fitness influencer.
And entrepreneur Ashley McCullough said she can't wait for the gym to open so she can work out without the misguided help of some furry friends.
Don't forget to give your four-legged spotter a treat after your workout for being a very good boy or girl — or, if you'd rather not hire a canine personal trainer, consider keeping them in another room with the door shut until you've finished exercising.
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