A Guide to Working Out at Home

When I was working at an office, there was a YMCA one block away so it seemed like a no-brainer to join so that I could work out during lunch or after work. Now that I work from home, I no longer belong to a gym. Perhaps you work from home too or are one of the people who don’t like to exercise at the gym? Exercising at the gym is not for everyone. You may not feel comfortable exercising in front of other people, you may not want to rush to the gym when it’s not so busy or you may not want to wait for your turn to use the equipment.

Nevertheless, exercise is important to remain healthy. This is why you may want to consider making the switch to working out at home. If you are not sure where to start, here are some tips to get you started exercising at home:

Set Up a Proper Gym Area for Yourself

Having a dedicated area of your home to exercise will help you get into the proper mindset. You don’t want to have to compete with other activities in your house. Thus, you should find a small area in your house that provides some seclusion so that you can concentrate on your workout. A spare bedroom or basement is ideal because you can close the door for privacy while you workout. A room with a door is also good if you plan to play some motivational music. Your room should be large enough to accommodate a dumbbell rack and other workout equipment that you might need. The temperature in your workout room should be somewhat cool so that when you start sweating, you will be comfortable. You might also want to add a fan to your workout room. When the weather is nice, you may even want to move your home gym equipment outside for a while.

Equip Your Gym Well

Most people imagine that setting up a home gym is pricey, but this isn’t the case. If you are looking to cut down on cost, then it is best to focus on items that you will need and will actually use. For instance, whether you are looking to lose weight or tone up, you are definitely going to need weight lifting equipment.

Since you don’t want to stock up on too many items, look for machines that can work different parts of your body out simultaneously such as a rowing machine that works the large muscles in the upper and lower body. A workout bench is also helpful if you want to use dumbbells. The rest of the time, you can do bodyweight exercises and should still be able to see the results that you want.

Create a Timetable

When you are working out at home, there may be some temptation to slack off. To avoid this, create a schedule for yourself. Figure out which time you are most likely to exercise and block off this period. Then, break down your routine into sections and keep your exercise schedule somewhere where you can always see it. This will act as motivation for you to exercise even when you don’t really feel like it.

Dress Like You Are Going to the Gym

Don’t try and do your home workout in your old jeans or leggings. Put on your proper exercise clothes as if you are headed out for the gym. Wearing proper workout wear will not only allow you to do your exercises correctly, but will let your brain know that you are serious about completing your workout.

Invite Your Friends

Working out on your own may take some extreme discipline, but exercising with friends makes workouts fun. So ask your friends to work out with you at your home gym. This way, you can encourage each other to stay motivated so that you stay on track of your fitness goals. You are much more likely to exercise on a regular basis if you are exercising with friends who won’t let you bail out on them.

These are the top things that you need to know about working out at home. With these in hand, you should be able to get fit and healthy in the comfort of your own abode.

You might be interested in reading, “Simple Tips for Decorating Your Fitness Room“.