In the article below we also discuss exercising at home using no gym equipment. So we thought we’d include the above video “Tips On How To Exercise At Home Without Equipment” – to give you some examples of how to go about this.
A home workout is a great option for many people, but there are some downsides to it as well. Some benefits are that you have privacy, can exercise whenever you want, and do not have to travel so it is convenient, but these same benefits can cause problems.
A big issue is there are usually many things you can do at home instead of exercising, such as watching TV, working, doing chores, or just relaxing. It can be difficult to make yourself workout when there are other options available and people often end up skipping workouts to do these other things.
People often say that the toughest thing about working out in a gym is getting there. However, once you get to the gym, you know that you are going to exercise. Traveling to a gym mentally prepares you to begin exercising, but this often doesn’t occur when your working out at home.
Therefore, it is important to have some things you can do to prepare yourself for a home workout in order to keep yourself from skipping workouts and sabotaging your success.
A great place to start is by treating your workouts just like any other important part of your schedule.
If you use an organizer or calendar, write your home workouts down as appointments you need to keep. That way you can prevent yourself from scheduling other things during those times and ensure that you have the time to do your workouts. If you don’t keep track of your schedule, you can write small notes reminding you to exercise. Just be sure to put the notes in places where you will see them frequently.
It is also a good idea to keep a workout log or journal. If nothing else, at least keep track of the days, times, length, type of exercise, and overall difficulty of your workouts. This will not only help you track your progression over time, but it also serves as one more thing to keep you thinking about your exercise routine.
I also recommend keeping track of each day that you don’t do any exercise.
Most people do not like having to write down many days in a row where they do not exercise, so if you start missing workouts, this serves as a motivator to get back on track.
Another issue people have is they think of their living space as a place for relaxing or possibly working, but usually not exercising, so they sometimes just forget to exercise. The above suggestions help with this, but you can also benefit from having a dedicated home workout space.
You do not need an entire room or even a large space, but if you have at least a part of a room that you only use for exercising, it will help you think about working out. This is especially true if you have equipment (a cardio machine, weights, etc.) that is left out and easily visible. As the old saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind” and this is true when it comes to exercise equipment and working out.
If it is not possible to have a dedicated workout space, you can also stay on track with your home workouts by having a training buddy or partner.
Some people do not like exercising by themselves and if this is the case for you, having a workout partner will increase your motivation and make exercising more enjoyable as well. Plus, it is a lot harder to skip a training sessions if you know someone else is expecting you to show up.
Even if you do not want to exercise with another person, you can still benefit from having a workout partner. However, instead of exercising together, you will basically be a support system for each other and hold each other accountable for sticking to your nutrition and exercise program. Naturally, this works best if the other person is someone you see regularly, such as a family member or coworker.
When it comes to your actual home workouts, one thing that causes people to falter more than almost anything else is a lack of variety in their training.
One of the most common problems is when people perform the same workouts week after week. This could involve doing the same aerobic activity, following the same exercise videos, or doing the same exercises in a resistance training program.
In many cases the workouts are initially beneficial, but over time progress stops and motivation declines. One of the main reasons this happens is because the body needs change to stimulate further improvement and repeating the same workouts decreases their effectiveness over time.
In order to keep your workouts effective you should frequently change up your exercises and/or the types of workouts you perform. This can be somewhat difficult if you are exercising at home and do not have any exercise equipment… but you probably have more options than you realize.
Chances are there are many things you already own that can be used as weights or other exercise equipment. For light weights, you can use things easily found in most kitchens, such as cans of food or a gallon of mink. For heavier weights, you can use a backpack or suitcase and add books or other items until they are an appropriate weight.
Some exercises are difficult to perform when using these types of unconventional weights, but they will greatly increase the number of exercises you can do without having to buy additional weights. Plus, these exercises can challenge your muscles in different ways than traditional weights. You can also use pieces of furniture or other things you already own to perform exercises. Various examples are shown in the accompanying video.
If you prefer more traditional exercises or want even more variety to keep your workouts interesting, there are many inexpensive and effective pieces of exercise equipment, such as exercise bands, balls, and light dumbbells. You can probably get an exercise ball, band, and a pair of light dumbbells for around $50. Each piece of equipment allows you to perform dozens of other exercises and having more resistance and training options definitely helps people stay on track with their home workouts.
If all else fails, there is the option of hiring a personal trainer. Some personal trainers will come to your location and they may even bring their own. This is more expensive than training by yourself, but it can add a real boost to your training and your results. It is also very helpful if you are new to exercising and need to learn correct exercise technique.
Some trainers will even work with clients on an infrequent basis, such as once every couple of weeks. In that case you could have the trainer design your workout routine (possibly for an extra fee) and stay in touch to hold you accountable, while keeping the overall cost down. During the sessions, the trainer can teach you new exercises and make sure you are doing them correctly to get the most out of your workouts.
It can be a challenge to have a successful home training program, but it can certainly be done if you have a plan. By using the tips in this article and possibly coming up with some of your own, you can develop an effective home workout routine that you can stick with in order to achieve long-term success.
By Ross Harrison
VFT Fitness Expert
© Virtual Fitness Trainer.com
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