10 Tips to Make Your Home Workout Worth It
This is an interesting time. For many people, working out at home hasn't been much of an option. We love going to the gym because the gym has equipment, different spaces for different workouts, and people to help encourage us to push ourselves. Now, whether you're in quarantine or just trying to be more savvy and workout at home, here are some tips to make that home workout worth it.
TIP #1 - CREATE A SPACE
This is probably one of the most important parts of working out at home is to create a space that you feel comfortable working out in, and that you can call your own. This space should be clean (this is the unfortunate part, you have to at least throw your laundry in the hamper), and should have everything you need in one place. Not every workout needs a ton of equipment, so if all you have is a mat and a few resistance bands, then that's all you're really going to need!
Side tip: Make sure you have enough space around you. Once you have a space lined out and clean, you should have enough space to be able to spread out on the floor if you need to without jamming a foot into the end of the bed!
TIP #2 - ONLY GET WHAT YOU NEED
Once you know what types or workouts you'll be doing and how often you're doing them, then you can get some equipment (if you don't already have some). Be sure to limit yourself to only what you need, nothing is worse that getting a bunch of equipment just to have it collect dust in your garage.
TIP #3 - LIMIT DISTRACTIONS
Everyone has seen the workout videos online that have a gal doing yoga in her living room just to have her dog come in and bowl her over. Try to limit distractions like your pets, your phone, TV or someone running around the house as much as you can. Obviously if you have pets or kids (especially young ones), this can be difficult, but do the best you can.
TIP #4 - DITCH THE PHONE
This one does go back to Tip #3, but your phone can be a major distraction during your workout. Most of us use our phone for our workout music now a days, but be sure to mute your notifications during your workout to help keep you concentrated. You can even turn on Airplane Mode to completely close yourself off for your workout.
TIP #5 - DON'T FORGET A WARM UP AND COOL DOWN
Working out at home isn't any different than working out at the gym when it comes to how your body works. Your body still needs to be primed and ready to roll when you start doing the real workout, so make sure you're warming up beforehand.
A cool down is a great way to end the workout too, and stretching should be an integral part of both the warm up AND the cool down. Once you've cooled down, a nice nap on the couch is always a great reward (you may want to shower first though).
TIP #6 - YOU DON'T NEED A TON OF TIME
Working out a home is going to be different, no matter what type of workouts you're doing or what you're used to. The most important thing to remember is that you don't need to workout for hours at home (or at the gym really). If you're having trouble getting motivated to workout at home, start with a micro workout at maybe 10-15 minutes. These small workouts can help you build the motivation to get going on a longer workout that may be closer to what you're used to in the gym.
TIP #7 - PLAN AHEAD
Having a plan of attack before you even start is the best way to make that workout efficient; this goes for both at- home workouts and at-the-gym workouts. Plan the exercises for today's workout so you don't waste time figuring out what to do next.
TIP #8 - WATER, WATER, WATER
Have a water bottle ready for your workout and stay hydrated during your workout. This one is important all year long, but especially if you're going to take your workout outside in the spring and summer months! Again, this one applies in and out of the gym.
TIP #9 - KEEP YOUR FORM
Just because you're not at a gym, doesn't mean you should stop concentrating on the form of the exercise. Even if you're not using weights, using improper form can still hurt your body.
TIP #10 - SPREAD OUT YOUR WORKOUTS
Doing 3 or 4 days worth of workouts in a single, long workout may sound like a good idea, but it won't help your body during recovery, and also won't help with your consistency. You want to build the routine of doing a workout at home 2-4 times a week to be consistent, just like you are in the gym. This is where the planning comes in again; if you plan on doing a couple muscle groups each day, then doing the workouts 2-4 times per week will become routine before you know it.
BONUS TIP - HAVE FUN
Your workouts in and out of the gym should be fun. That's what keeps you coming back, right? So make your at-home routine's entertaining for you to keep wanting to come back.
We know this time can be tough, but sticking to a routine at home can certainly help. Doing a workout at home and boosting those endorphins will certainly help too. Check out our Facebook pages (Mesa Fitness Grand Junction and Mesa Fitness Clifton) for workouts, live stream classes, and more tips!
