You probably know that if you want to get started with a workout at home that you don’t need anything except yourself, some motivation and maybe a couple of tins of baked beans to act as weights. There really is nothing to stop you from doing a few pushups, crunchies or star jumps while you wait for your coffee to brew.
Of course, for the vast majority of us, there is nothing motivating to having to design our own workout, there is no fun in it, and what’s worse, it is so easy to cheat when you are the one creating your fitness plan. Yes, you probably could do 3 reps of 10 pushups, but for most of us, we’ll just try for 2 reps, just so we don’t overdo it.
This is why home workouts are so popular, because you don’t have to come up with a balanced workout, you can have it customized for your fitness level and delivered to your home. You can get some great reviews for home exercise programs from sites like OfficialTop5Review, but what sort of things should you be looking for to achieve your own goals?
Current Fitness Level
This is actually a really big part of how well you will succeed at any exercise program. It is all well and good to say that you will do one hour of Zumba every day and before the month is out you will have dropped 2 dress sizes.
However, if you currently can’t walk up a single flight of stairs without stopping for a breather, then this doesn’t become a sustainable routine. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t start a program, or that you should take it easy on yourself, but it does mean that you want to be realistic about your goals and your abilities. Exercise does more than just provide you with a healthier body, it also helps increase your mental facilities and memory as well https://www.scienceopen.com/document/read?vid=f3929fe7-5809-4d7f-89bb-c3605665e77b.
The key to a successful exercise regime is being able to set achievable goals. Look at a program that is going to help you meet those goals. This may mean that you invest in a program that will grow with you. Perhaps, if your fitness level has been sedentary for quite some time, you start with just the warmup routine, every single day. Then start with a warmup and cool down. Then add in the rest of the work out.
Many of the different at home workouts have online support groups and personal trainers that are really going to help you work out how to get the best from your routine, and lots of other people just like you who are either where you are at right now, just starting out, or have become a walking success story that you can achieve one day soon.
Current Interest Level
There are so many different types of exercise, there is no reason to do something you loathe! If you into a full body workout, then you will find a variety of different options that will help you develop strength through using your own body weight, as well as increase your cardiovascular fitness.
If you have a genetic disposition towards obesity, then the type of exercise you do can help to reduce the risk of you developing this (see here), however ultimately, any form of workout that you are able to enjoy and maintain will provide you with excellent health benefits that will be ongoing, beyond a simple reduction in body fat.
Equipment Needed
For most home workouts you will not need a great deal of equipment, if any. However, a good pair of comfortable shoes designed for your exercise type is usually a good idea if you are doing high intensity or high impact movements. This is even more important if you are carrying a bit of excess weight that is putting pressure on your joints. Yet, it is usually to get up and get going rather than use lack of the right footwear as an excuse to prevent you starting today.
When you are looking at purchasing a program, either one that comes in a DVD set that is posted out, or an option with online videos or live streaming, check to see what equipment may be recommended or supplied. Often exercise will use a stretch band which will be provided with a DVD box set, however often their will also be a recommendation for a small set of weights or a yoga mat – and often these are items you are expected to have or purchase separately.
Online Community And Support
Gone are the days where you were exercising all by yourself in your living room. Now you can join in a live stream and be part of a community. Although this doesn’t usually mean that others will be able to see you working out, what it does mean is that others are doing the training at exactly the same time as you. You will usually find that there are online chats before and afterwards that you are able to join in. If this is an option, join up, as the extra support you can get from online communities can be amazing, particularly on days where your motivation levels are really low, and you just want to spend a few hours in something resembling Savasana.
Community based exercise programs are well documented at being highly beneficial for a range of fitness goals and medical recovery, however these are often focused on group sessions where the people exercising are physically together. In the modern world you can have the support, without the travel.
Online communities that are associated with a specific program will also often offer things like nutritional advice, local meet ups and people will share tips and tricks that they have learned over their own fitness journey. Sometimes these communities are lead by the program director or celebratory, while others seem to be more participant lead with people who are just enthusiastic about the program.