Regular exercise offers numerous health benefits, but maintaining a routine demands dedication and perseverance. Despite challenges, certain strategies can aid consistency, leading to improved physical and mental well-being.
For beginners, this article offers guidance on initiating and sticking to a routine. Working out at home appeals to those with time constraints or budget considerations, but it may raise concerns about optimizing workouts and acquiring equipment.
Once addressed, home exercise can be a rewarding alternative to gym memberships. This guide provides advice on exercise types, equipment, routines, safety, and self-care during home workouts.
Choosing a Workout Space
When you are ready to start your workout routine, you will need to choose a workout space. This space should be easily accessible and have room for equipment storage (if necessary) and exercise movement.
Understandably, not everyone can easily set aside enough room for a dedicated workout spot. If you have minimal room, you may want to incorporate your workout space into another space, like a living room or bedroom.
Outdoor settings, like backyards or patios, can also be good options when the weather is nice. As long as you’re able to move through your workout without bumping into furniture or hitting a wall, any space can be adapted into a workout space. No fancy home gym set-up is required to get a solid workout in during your day.
Common types of exercise at Home
There are various types of exercise, including:
Aerobic. The core of any fitness program should include some form of continuous movement. Examples include swimming, running, and dancing.
Strength. These exercises help increase muscle power and strength. Examples include resistance training, plyometrics, weightlifting, and sprinting.
Calisthenics. These moves are usually performed without gym equipment using large muscle groups. They’re done at a medium aerobic pace. Examples include lunges, situps, pushups, and pullups.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT). This type of exercise includes repetitions of short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by low-intensity exercises or rest periods.
Boot camps. These are timed-based, high-intensity circuits that combine aerobic and resistance exercises. Balance or stability. These exercises are designed to strengthen muscles and improves body coordination. Examples include Pilates, tai chi poses, and core-strengthening exercises.
Flexibility. These types of exercises help muscle recovery, maintain range of motion, and prevent injuries. Examples include yoga or individual muscle-stretch movements.
Stretching can help to improve flexibility in muscles and is intended to help avoid injuries when working out. Many people believe you should always stretch when working out, either before or after. An excellent way to target specific muscles would be using active individual muscle stretching.
The activities above can be done individually or combined. The important thing is to do what works best for you and to have fun with it.
SUMMARY
Common types of exercise include aerobic, strength, calisthenics, HIIT, boot camps, flexibility, stretching and stability. You can do them individually or combined.
Before beginning a new exercise regimen, a few factors must be taken into account.
1. Check your health
Before beginning any exercise routine, especially strenuous ones, it’s crucial to consult your healthcare provider and undergo a physical examination. This early checkup can identify potential health issues that may increase your risk of injury during exercise. Additionally, it enables you and your personal trainer, if you have one, to understand your limitations better and create a customized exercise plan suited to your specific needs.
2. Make a plan and set realistic goals
When committing to regular exercise, develop a plan with achievable steps and goals. Begin with simple steps and gradually increase intensity as your fitness improves. For instance, if aiming to complete a 5-kilometer run, start with shorter runs and progressively increase distance until reaching the desired goal. Setting attainable milestones boosts success chances and maintains motivation throughout your fitness journey.
3. Make it a habit
Consistency is crucial for exercise success. Establishing a routine and making it a habit increases the likelihood of long-term adherence. Studies suggest that replacing unhealthy behaviors with healthier habits enhances maintenance over time. Setting a schedule and exercising at the same time daily can help sustain your routine. For instance, planning workouts immediately after work or in the morning can solidify exercise as a habit. Choose a time that aligns with your preferences and lifestyle.
SUMMARY
The minimum recommendation for exercise is at least 150 minutes per week. However, it is important to start slowly and let your body rest from time to time.
1- week sample exercise program
Below is an easy-to-follow, 1-week exercise program that doesn’t require equipment and will only take you 30–45 minutes a day to complete.
This program can be adjusted to your fitness level and made as challenging as you want.
- Monday: 40-minute moderate-pace jog or brisk walk.
- Tuesday: Rest day.
- Wednesday: Walk briskly for 10 minutes. Then, complete the following circuits, resting 1 minute after each set but not between exercises. Stretch afterward.
o Circuit #1: 3 sets alternating 10 lunges for each leg, 10 pushups, 10 situps
o Circuit #2: 3 sets alternating 10 chair-dips, 10 jumping jacks, 10 air squats
- Thursday: Rest day.
- Friday: 30-minute bike ride or moderate-pace jog.
- Saturday: Rest day.
- Sunday: Run, jog, or take a long walk for 40 minutes.
A few tips for beginners
- Stay hydrated
Drinking fluids throughout the day is essential for maintaining healthy hydration levels.
Replenishing fluids during exerciseTrusted Source is essential for maintaining optimal performance, especially when exercising in hot temperatures.
Moreover, hydrating after your workout can help you recover and get you ready for your next training session.
2. Optimize your nutrition
Be sure to consume a balanced diet to support your fitness program.
All food groups are necessary to sustain healthy energy levels and get the most out of your workout. Carbs are vital, as they can fuel your muscles before exercise.
Carbs are also important after exercise to replenish glycogen stores and assist with the absorption of amino acids into your muscles during recovery. Protein also promotes muscle growth, heals tissue damage, and enhances muscle recovery during exercise.
Finally, it has been demonstrated that ingesting healthy fats on a regular basis can assist burn body fat and conserve muscle fuel during exercise, resulting in longer-lasting energy.
3. Warm up
It’s important to warm up before your workout. Doing so can help prevent injuries and improve your athletic performance. It can also help improve your flexibility and reduce soreness after your workout. Simply start your workout with some aerobic exercises like arm swings, leg kicks, and walking lunges. Alternatively, you can warm up by doing easy movements of the exercise you’re planning to do. For example, walk before you run.
4. Cool down
Cooling down is also important because it helps your body return to its normal state.
Taking a couple of minutes to cool down can help restore normal breathing patterns Trusted Source and even reduce the chance of muscle soreness.
Some cool-down ideas include light walking after aerobic exercise or stretching after resistance training.
5. Listen to your body
If you’re not used to working out every day, be mindful of your limits.
If you’re not used to working out every day, be mindful of your limits. Also, remember that working out harder and faster is not necessarily better.
Taking your time to progress through your fitness program can help you maintain your routine in the long term and make the most of it.
SUMMARY
Drink plenty of water, eat a healthy diet, warm up before working out, cool down afterward, and listen to your body.
Common Barriers to Exercise
Exercise isn’t fun. Let’s face it, many people have hated exercise since elementary school gym class. The thought of joining a gym may make you feel anxious or simply be unappealing, or maybe you dread going for a run in your neighborhood.
Pain. If you’ve been recently injured or have a condition that contributes to chronic joint pain, like arthritis, you may worry that activity will make your pain worse. In fact, regular, gentle exercise is one of the most effective ways to break a cycle of chronic pain.
To help moderate your symptoms during activity, it helps to start small. So rather than starting with a five-mile run or 15-mile bike ride, start with an activity intensity and duration that feels manageable for you. It’s okay to nudge into some pain during exercise, but you don’t want it to exceed an acceptable level for you.
Time. It can be difficult enough to balance work life and family life without adding in time to exercise. This is where fitting in short five- or 10-minute bursts of activity during your day can be very effective. Whether it’s doing some bodyweight exercises at your desk, going for a quick walk, or stretching at your kid’s soccer game, it all counts.
Fatigue. You’re so tired that you can barely get through the day — how can you muster up enough energy to work out? Contrary to what many people assume, exercise itself is a potent pick-me-up because it releases endorphins, or brain chemicals that boost your mood.
A 2022 review published in the journal Movement Science and Sport Psychology found that people who adopt an exercise program that’s moderate intensity (like brisk walking) report less fatigue and more energy.
It seems too late to start. It’s never too late to become physically active, no matter your age, weight, or fitness level. Even starting exercise later in life is highly beneficial. A 2019 study published in JAMA Network Open found that folks who’d been inactive early in life saw a 35% lower risk of dying if they stepped up their activity in their 40s, 50s, or even 60s.
It’s hard to make it a habit. Habits can be hard to break, and they can be hard to create, too. This is often because people don’t understand what goes into a habit. Once you understand why your brain goes on “autopilot” during certain activities, you can make a concerted effort to change the cue.
For instance, instead of sitting on the couch when you get home from work and catching up on emails, you can immediately put on your walking shoes. That gets you one step closer to establishing an after-work walking habit.
How to stay motivated
The first question to ask yourself when you want to start an exercise program is: Why? Do you want more energy to keep up with your kids? Got test results back from your doctor and your cholesterol is too high? Want to lose some weight? “If you understand your motivation, it will help you stay on track if barriers come up and try to derail you. Here are some other ways to stay motivated:
The key to staying motivated and making exercise a habit is to have fun while doing it. This helps you to not dread exercising.
1. Find enjoyable activities: Seek intrinsic motivation by engaging in activities that bring you satisfaction. Whether it’s hiking with your dog, biking with your kids, or joining a yoga or dance class with friends, choose activities you look forward to rather than feeling obligated to do.
2. Exercise in a pleasant environment: Opt for environments that enhance your workout experience. If your home workout space is chaotic, consider exercising outdoors in a park or nature setting. Research indicates that training outdoors increases adherence and activity levels compared to indoor workouts.
3. Set achievable goals: Start with small, attainable goals to maintain motivation and prevent injuries. Instead of immediately aiming for a 5K race, begin by walking two miles with intermittent jogging. Achieving short-term goals boosts motivation and allows for gradual progress.
4. Accountability buddy: Partnering with someone to exercise increases adherence. Whether it’s a workout companion or a friend who checks in on your progress, sharing successes and challenges makes it easier to stay committed.
5. Participate in fitness challenges: Join challenges with individuals who share the desire to change and improve their bodies to maintain motivation. Knowing that others are participating can boost commitment, and the typical 30-day period aligns with research showing it takes this long to form a habit.
Exercising with Joint or Muscle Pain
It can be tricky to exercise with pain. It may hurt to move but try to remember: movement will make your joints feel better. For my patients, starting is often the biggest barrier. Once they begin, and they feel better, then they usually want to continue.
Here are some pointers on how to exercise if you have an injury or chronic pain:
Stay low-impact. Think water workouts, a recumbent bike, an elliptical trainer, or walking on soft surfaces, like a track.
Use heat, which can relax your joints and muscles before exercise. Use heat (like a moist towel) for about 10 minutes.
Warm-up. Try not to jump right into the high-intensity portion of your workout. Start with range-of-motion exercises for five to 10 minutes, like stretching your arms up high and rolling your shoulders forward and backward. Then move into your aerobic or strengthening workout.
Don’t “push through” unacceptable levels of pain. Although it can be scary, it’s okay to nudge into pain during movement. This helps you find your movement sweet spot — the point between doing too much and not enough to challenge your body. That said, don’t push through unacceptable levels of pain. If you’re not sure how to find your sweet spot, it’s okay to stop and check in with your PT or physician.
Helpful Equipment for Home Workouts
Home workouts can often be done by combining bodyweight exercises, allowing your desired workout area to stay equipment-free! That being said, having a few small things can often help you add to certain exercises, allowing you to add more variations to the movements you’ve chosen.
Here’s some basic gym equipment to add to your home workout routine:
- Dumbbells
- Resistance bands
- Yoga mat
- Punching bag
- Ankle weights
Mirrors for the home gym are also useful for keeping your form in check. Additionally, some safety-inspired workout gear, like a reflective vest, can be helpful if you find yourself adding outdoor cardio to your routine.
A Word From Warrior Of Health
If you are working out and experience pain or discomfort, you should see a healthcare professional. If you sustain any injury to the head, even if it appears fine, you should see a doctor immediately. Staying safe is a top priority, no matter what setting you choose to work out in.
So what are you waiting for?
Start exercising today!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION
What are the benefits of working out at home?
Exercising at home can provide accessibility and comfort for those new to working out. It can also help those who are too busy to fit a trip to the gym into their schedules.
What are some challenges of working out from home?
Challenges of home workouts include limited space and equipment, motivation issues, distractions, lack of variety, absence of professional instruction, and potential impact on mental health due to isolation.
What are some challenges of working out from home?
The biggest concern with working out at home is the lack of instruction. Using improper form can cause a lack of benefits from working out or even injury.
Can you get in shape working out at home?
A study has shown that, if done properly, even four weeks of training at home can improve your muscle strength.
