By Make all workouts count towards achieving your goal
During the pandemic, many of us had to adapt to a new level of physical activity, and more than likely, the levels were probably less than ideal.
I mean, there isn’t much you can do when you’re not allowed to go outside or wear a mask while exercising.
So now that the world has become somewhat steady in controlling the pandemic, we lack the motivation and drive to get physical again.
Perhaps we’ve grown used to not doing as much as we used to and don’t yet realise what we’re missing out on.
One way many people have combated this is to start up their little home gym with some of the essential equipment plus some resistant bands, which can work well.
It is very beneficial to work out from home, although there are a few points you should be aware of to make your workout as effective as possible.
Home and gym settings are very different, and If you want to pivot between the two, you must follow these six tips to get the most out of a home workout.
Perhaps home workouts are more convenient for you, given family and work commitments.
But, whatever your chosen path is, let’s ensure you’re getting the best from your workout and giving your body the intensity it needs to eliminate disease and keep you lean.
One: Make sure you are doing something you love
Find the type of exercise you love and do more of it.
Perhaps you love yoga, maybe some strength training exercises.
Integrate the variety to get the best of both worlds.
You don’t have to stick with the same old thing daily — swap it around, change the equipment or even increase the exertion.
I find that sometimes online programs are great because they give you many different workout programs according to what you feel like doing.
Two: Keep tabs on your progression
It’s important to keep your eyes open regarding your progress.
For example, are you losing weight, changing your body shape or becoming much healthier than you began?
These are all very important questions you should regularly ask to know if your work is worthwhile. Perhaps it may require some alterations along the way.
How will you make any progress if you don’t know exactly what’s going on?
So, don’t be hard on yourself if it’s not going well — take a good look at your eating, activity levels and sleep quality.
All of these components can impact your progression.
Three: Intensity is essential
Even though you may be at home, it’s still important to exert yourself somewhat. Finding little ways to keep increasing the challenge is important.
For instance, you want to be breathless or unable to perform the last few repetitions due to fatigue.
These are all good signs because we hit a plateau when doing the same thing repeatedly.
Progression then stops, and we lose motivation. Aim to challenge your current level during every single workout. Doing this will ensure you get the best out of the training program.
Four: Have a well-defined goal
Slowly add repetitions or weight increases towards your goal.
For example, perhaps you’d like to run a particular distance. Any goal should be manageable yet challenging to achieve to keep the flow of interest and intention throughout the process.
Keeping and altering a goal as time progresses is very important if you are competitive. One day, you will achieve that goal and need a new one.
Our goal in January will be very different in July — if we’ve made an effort and done the necessary work.
Don’t be afraid to change it according to your life and interests.
Five: Commit to your workouts every week
Like the gym, committing to work out at a certain time and on a particular date is very important.
Make sure it’s a timeframe that you can do. For instance, perhaps you might have to work out in the morning when the family is asleep — or late in the evening when everyone has gone to bed.
Commit to that time because it’s important for your mental and physical health. However, once you let that slip, the side effects will start to show themselves in your daily life.
It’s only a small amount of time to dedicate, and we all deserve that.
Six: Don’t just perform the minimal requirements
Although research has given us some national guidelines on the amount of exercise we should be doing, it’s not going to cause you harm by doing a bit or a lot more!
It doesn’t have to be highly intensive, and you can alternate between running, swimming or even walking.
Although these entail going outdoors, it could be the change of scenery you need to keep things interesting. In saying that, don’t forget that strengthening exercises are essential too. It’s not always effective to push cardio all the time.
Instead, integrate some push-ups and lunges, lift your hand-held weights and use the resistance of bands to keep your muscles working.
Key take away
Just as you would at the gym, it’s important to constantly monitor and assess your progression.
It’s as important as scheduling the right food that can cater to your goals.
If you want to lose weight, some changes will be necessary to your eating plan.
You can have as much success with workouts at home as in the gym — but only if you pay attention to your nutrition. Unfortunately, that’s probably the one aspect of training in which people fail.
Do you work out at home or in a gym?
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