Working out from home is cheaper, more convenient, and doesn’t involve traipsing out to the gym on a cold and wet evening after work. Sounds ideal right? However, there are challenges and obstacles that come with home workouts that can be just as difficult to navigate as finding the time to head down to your local gym or sports centre.
We have all been forced to spend more time than ever at home in the last twelve months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen an increase in the popularity of home workouts. However, working out at home can require a considerable amount of motivation, as skipping your online class in favour of catching on your favorite show is all too easy. Therefore, we have put together our top 5 tips for starting a fitness workout at home, to make exercising not only easier, but more beneficial to your health, and overall more enjoyable.
- Remove distractions
- Get the right equipment
- Use social media resources
- Create a designated fitness space
- Get your friends and family involved.
Remove distractions
One of the biggest challenges you face when working out from home is all the distractions around you that can cause you to cut your workout short. Whether it is work commitments, needy children, or just a complete lack of motivation, when working out from home you are surrounded by reasons (or excuses) to skip your session. Therefore, we recommend that you try to minimise these distractions as much as possible.
This could mean turning off your phone notifications so that you don’t keep checking to see if you’ve had a reply to that work email, or waiting till your children are having a nap or are otherwise occupied, so that you can focus your time and energy on working out. Remember, physical exercise is beneficial to your mental and physical wellbeing and is not an activity you can afford to just keep skipping.
Get the right equipment
Many individuals are put off working out from home as they worry they don’t have the resources or the equipment to be able to complete a full workout. Therefore, we would recommend that you invest in a few working out from home essentials to help see you through. Yet this doesn’t mean that you should go online and spend hundreds on kitting out a home gym. Even a few pieces can make all the difference when trying to get the most out of working out from home. For example, a skipping rope, a small selection of dumbbell weights, and a workout mat is all you need to get started. You could also invest in some resistance bands to take your training sessions to the next level.
However, be sure not to forget about the importance of having muscle recovery equipment on hand to assist you when working out at home, as it can make all the difference to your overall progress. For example, the mini massage gun is a great handheld device that allows you to benefit from everything massage therapy has to offer your post-workout muscles all from the comfort of your own home. Taking care of your muscles after your home workout will also ease any muscle soreness and tension you may experience, which will help you to get maximum results from future workouts.
Use social media resources
With more people working out from home than ever before during lockdown restrictions that we have all faced this year, there are now more social media resources than ever before to help aid your home session. These can be a lifesaver if you want to work out and keep fit, but have no idea where to start.
Not only are there a range of online workouts that you can stream and download, but you can pick a workout that suits your ability, as well as to suit how long you have to exercise. Many fitness companies have used the rise of the home workout during lockdown as the perfect opportunity to offer their online followers a chance to exercise with them. For example, Pulseroll have been offering live workout sessions on their social media platforms that anyone can get involved in. Following an online session makes it easier to workout from home as it provides you with direction on what exercises to do to help you get the maximum benefits.
Create a designated fitness space
One of the biggest tips we can give you for working out at home is to create your own designated fitness space somewhere where you can exercise. Not only will this help you have more control over your exercise routine, but it will also help you stay motivated and dedicated to your plan. Trying to make space in your living room in order to workout can make working out more of a chore, than an enjoyable activity, and could make you more inclined to skip the session altogether.
So, whether it is a corner of your spare room, or an outdoor area, by creating your own fitness space you can focus on your workout, without wasting time looking for your equipment, and with limited distractions around you.
Get your friends and family involved
Taking part in any form of exercise is more fun and less of a chore when you have someone to do it with you. This is true when both heading out to a workout class at your local gym, or when working out at home. Through the magic of technology, it is now possible to work out with others, whether you are together or not- which comes in really handy during lockdown.
So, whether you live with family members who will join you in a home workout session, or you Facetime your bestie while you both work out to the same online stream, taking part in exercise with others makes it a much more enjoyable way to engage in exercise.
By making these considerations to your living environment and exercise activities, you can have everything you need for a beneficial and fun workout in the comfort of your own home!
