Home workouts provide an excellent starting point for individuals beginning their fitness journey, especially when time is limited or for those with low self-esteem or concerns about how they would be perceived in an actual gym.
Concerns about what to wear or one’s appearance when sweaty and hot are eliminated during a home workout.
However, potential downsides may include the distraction of family members or pets interrupting the workout, and there may be limited space compared to a gym.
So how do you avoid these potential pitfalls, plan as though you were heading off down to your local gym, set aside a specific timeframe so as not to detract from what you want to achieve.
How to get started with your home workout
The first step to any workout routine is to evaluate how fit you are for your chosen physical activity.
If you have any health doubts always consult with your doctor before beginning a new workout or diet routine.
And no matter what your medical condition, you can always find some way to work out.
So you’ve assessed your fitness, now to set some workout goals. For example, do you want to prepare to run a 5K? Cycle a circuit? Or just to get rid of those Bingo wings.
Whatever your goals, fitness levels and medical condition, approach any new exercise regime with caution.
Start low and go slow because if you go all in to start with it can lead to very quick injuries that could lay you up for a long period.
Home exercise equipment worth investing in
Treadmill. One of the best-selling pieces of equipment out there, this machine is perfect for cardiovascular exercise, depending on how you do, adjust the intensity, incline, and/or time accordingly.
For something lesser impacting on your joints though we highly recommend looking at an Elliptical machine.
Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells are great for strength training. Dumbbells are recommended for beginners.
Consider investing in an adjustable dumbbell set to determine a comfortable weight for your strength. Adjustable dumbbells allow weight adjustments in increments and also save space within your home.
An exercise ball might require an exercise DVD for guidance. Exercise caution when starting with this equipment, as there have been reports of individuals falling off or struggling to keep the ball still.
But once you master this piece of equipment working out with an exercise ball can provide a great core workout.
Exercise videos, DVDs and YouTube, all of these will help you improve your form and give further ideas of which home exercises you should look into doing.
Now you’re ready to begin exercising
Before beginning any fitness routine, it’s important to warm up, jog on the spot or 5 – 10 minutes on the exercise bike if you have one available, then do some very light stretching. Save the bulk of the stretching for after the workout.
Once you’re fully warmed up, three recommended activities can be chosen from: cardio, strength conditioning, and flexibility training.
Doing each of these on a regular basis will result in your balanced fitness.
No need to worry if you haven’t had the time or money to purchase any equipment for your at-home workouts.
Some of our and others’ favourite workouts can be perfectly achieved without the need for any equipment.
Take for instance Yoga or Pilates, both great for the core, strength, conditioning and flexibility. If you’ve always liked the look at Crossfit try your hand at Calisthenics.
For a Cardio burn look at HIIT training, the list is endless but do your research beforehand to ensure you do the right workout for what you wish to achieve.