How to turn your home into a home gym.
Many people are not fans of going to the gym. Between membership fees, sweaty change rooms and waiting for treadmills, sometimes it’s better just to stay at home. But that doesn’t mean you can’t exercise there. Here are a few tips on exercises you can do at home without fancy equipment.
There’s an app for that!
If you are looking for full cardio workouts, look no further than your smartphone or tablet. There are thousands of options available no matter what your exercise needs are. Pilates, yoga, interval training, stretching, aerobics and other cardiovascular programs can be easily downloaded and done at home. All you really need is workout clothes and a yoga mat!
If you’re more into old-school technology, pick up a DVD of your favourite type of exercise. Like smartphone apps, it’s easy to follow along to a DVD so long as you have enough space to complete the required exercises. Be careful about downstairs neighbours if you’re doing a lot of jumping jacks!
If you are familiar with basic exercise techniques, you can easily design your own at-home workout. Here are some suggestions:
Equipment
You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on home exercise equipment, though you certainly could. All you really need are the following:
- A yoga mat
- A stability ball (optional)
- Adjustable free weights
- Room to move
- Stairs (if you have them in your home, use them!)
- Resistance band
At-home exercises
You can easily create an at-home workout that combines cardio, strength training and stretching. Here are a few suggestions on various exercises that can be done anywhere. If you are unfamiliar with any of these exercises, a quick search on YouTube will show you the correct technique.
Cardio:
- Burpees
- Mountain climbers
- Jumping jacks
- Climbing stairs
- Skipping rope
Strength training:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Push-ups
- Tricep dips
- Shoulder presses (use resistance bands)
Core and abdominal exercises:
- Sit-ups/crunches
- Side crunches
- Bicycle kicks
- Leg lifts
- Superman lifts
Create a 20–30 minute workout that involves at least three exercises from each list. Do three sets of 12 at least three times a week. Increase reps by two each week.
