Although the commercial gym is the first choice for most people when trying to stay fit, it should not be the only choice. Many people don’t realize it, but you can stay/become very fit and healthy from just working out at home. Yes, results can be achieved with home workouts.
Home Vs Gym
Obviously if you want to work out hard and want to reach your maximum level of physical fitness then a commercial gym is superior (unless, you have your own top level home gym).
In a commercial gym you have everything you need at your disposal, whether it be a squat rack, stair master or incline bench. If you are working from home you most likely do not have these luxuries, you have to settle for simple but effective equipment like adjustable dumbbells, kettlebells etc.
However a home gym is great because it is FREE (Well, after you purchase your equipment) and it is at home. You can also create it your own environment, you can watch TV or listen to music (No annoying earphones!)
How to exercise at home?
To successfully exercise at home you are going to need a few important things:
1) Equipment– I think that if you want to have a decent weight workout at home, the bare minimum of equipment that you should have would be a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a pull-up bar. With adjustable dumbbells you can hit just about every body part and with a pull-up bar you can really work your upper body. Of course if you have more money you can get more equipment (I would first buy an adjustable bench).
2) Space– You must have some space inside or outside your house to exercise. If you live in a tiny one bedroom studio you should consider going to the park instead.
3) Motivation– To be perfectly honest, working out by yourself in the isolation of your home can be tough mentally. I don’t know about you, but when I’m in a gym surrounded by people I tend to work out harder, lift heavier and run faster. When i am at home it is much harder for me to focus mentally and stay motivated.
Whatever your choice work hard and keep healthy.
Note From Brigadoon Fitness
Exercising at home can be a convenient and cheaper alternative than working out at a gym or fitness center. Especially in this day and age when more and more people are working from home or enjoying a hybrid work schedule.
The trick is not to go out and buy a whole gym and put it in your home, you should start by buying one piece of equipment and building your space for you and your goals. One of the best home exercise pieces of equipment is a treadmill. If you start with that you will get the benefits of a great cardio workout, strengthening your leg muscles, even building core muscles if you swing your arms while walking.
Next you may want to add in some kettlebells and dumbbells. These are great for arms, shoulders, legs, back, and abdominal muscles. They will also help improve your posture. Add to this an adjustable bench so you can perform more positions to give you more strength.
If you really want to sweat and get your heart rate up then choose a jump rope. Exercising with this can be just as good for your heart and weight loss as running 20 minutes on a treadmill.
If you have heard of body weight cardio then you are ahead of the pack! Just grab a yoga mat and use your own body weight to do burpees, squats, lunges, push ups, planks, and more.
Having a home gym does not have to include a lot of equipment at the start. It all depends on your goals and your bank account. Contact Brigadoon Fitness today and our experts can help you decide which piece of equipment to start with.
