Working out at home has plenty of benefits. You can tailor your workouts to your needs and schedule, you don’t have to worry about fitting into the gym’s schedule or getting there at a certain time of day, and of course, you can save money on membership fees. Picking the right equipment is key to setting up a home workout space.
- Evaluate what you need. If you’ve never worked out before, it’s not a bad idea to get some professional advice about an appropriate workout plan. If you’re on your own, though, figure out what you want to accomplish with your workout (weight loss? building muscle?) and consider whether that requires any special equipment. For example, if you’re trying to build muscle mass, dumbbells are an essential piece of equipment; if you’re trying to lose weight through cardio, on the other hand, you might benefit from a cardio machine.
- Fitness videos. To make sure that you stick with your home workouts, invest in some exercise videos. This will give you a clear idea of what to expect from the exercise videos and how they will help you achieve your goals. Choose videos that match your needs such as toning, aerobic or weight loss programs. Prepare yourself mentally for each workout by imagining yourself succeeding with each move or exercise. This technique will help keep you motivated throughout the entire workout session.
- Keep track of your progress. Keep track of how often you work out, what days you do it on, what time, how long etc. This will allow your body to become accustomed to the change in schedule and help motivate you.
- Work multiple muscle groups. When working out at home, don’t focus on just one body part — hit two or three muscle groups with each exercise to get the most bang for your body.
