fbpx

Working out in a gym is great but working out at home can be very effective, too. You just need to know how to duplicate machine exercises for your home workouts.

To work out from home, I would recommend you get yourself a few bits of equipment. This will help for development and variety and can rival some gym workout routines.

 

Checklist

Exercise Ball
Dumbell Set
Exercise Mat““
• Barbell Set
Workout bench
• Home Exercise Cycle (only if you have room)
Chin Up Bar (for advanced trainers).

The more workout kit that you can get at home, the more variation you can get into your home workouts.
Working out from home can be great. You do not have to travel to a gym, you will save on gym membership costs and you can get some great results whilst fitting a training program around your busy lifestyle.

I have spoken to people in the past who would prefer not to go to a gym because they feel intimidated by the members who are in better shape. I would just like to say at this point that that these guys were beginners at some stage, too. I will also add that people in great shape in a gym are 99% friendly and will be more than happy to give advice and help out someone who is new to the game. I know I would.

If you are just starting out, I would suggest getting a small dumbbell set, a Swiss ball and an exercise mat. You will be surprised at the intensity of workout that you can get from just using this exercise kit.

With a Swiss ball and dumbbells alone, you can have a decent all-over-body workout for general fitness and muscle toning.

You could try something like this:

• Brisk walk or jog / skipping / stationary cardio equipment (If you have it) (10 mins)
• Body weight push-ups / Body weight push-ups, feet on Swiss ball (incline)
• Dumbbell rows
• Swiss ball squats / body weight squats
• Dumbbell shoulder press
• Dumbbell bicep curls
• Tricep dips from chair (or workout bench, if you have one)
• Swiss ball crunches.

This is an example of an-all-over workout that can be done from home using just a Swiss ball and dumbbells. The routine above can be optimized for general fitness by doing 12 — 15 reps of 3 – 5 sets or by doing 3 — 5 sets of 25 — 50 reps (for endurance).

This is just a small sample of what can be done. There are literally hundreds of exercises and training methods that can be used with a Swiss ball, dumbbells and a barbell.

 

Tips For Working Out From Home

Working out from home is a great way to stay in shape and get some good exercise done. However, there are things that can hold you back.

The number one reason is motivation. When you are a member of a gym, you have to prepare to go, you have to be there (in most cases) between a certain time of day or night, you may have a training partner who is usually waiting for you or you may go to the gym straight from work.

These factors help to keep a good routine going and help you with motivation. When working out from home, however, it will be very tempting to decide to sit around and do something else instead of training.

Hmm, I think I’ll watch TV instead, I’ll train right after this episode of The Big Bang Theory.

But we know it’s a double bill and it will be “too late to train” after that.

Maaan, it was a hard day at work and I can’t be bothered to get my bench and dumbbells out — I’ll train tomorrow.

I have trained from home before and I know what it’s like. It is arguably harder to stay motivated while working out from home than when working out at a gym. Luckily for me, I have a good friend who has a home gym, and it is great for all kinds of training. However, when I did live there for a time, I faced this motivational issue, too.

Below are some great tips that should help your training when working out from home:

 

Have Your Gym Equipment Set Up Or Easily Accessible

This is a big factor because if you are tired from working all day or the early morning alarm is ringing and you know you have to find all of your gym equipment at the back of the cupboard or in the garage, it just feels like more hassle. If you are not motivated or not in a routine, this can only be a negative drawback on your mindset. So it is a good idea to have your gym equipment in an easily accessible place altogether, so that all you have to do is grab it and get started.

If possible, I would have a separate room where the kit is already set up or stored, and use this room as the “workout space” as well. That way, your mind is programmed to recognize that this is the place we train.

 

Have A Set Of Gym Clothes That You Only Wear For Training

This has helped me in the past (but it seems that all of my clothes are now turning into workout gear!)

By having a set of workout clothes, you will train your mind to think, “Right, I’m ready! Let’s do this!” as soon as you put your workout clothes on. This is mostly a mental process but you will be surprised at what this can do for your motivation. It is also a good idea to have these clothes easily accessible as well.

When I train, I always put on my training gloves; when these go on, I’m ready to train! These gloves, for me, are 90% mental and 10% function.

 

Get Into A Routine

Before you get into a routine, you must first decide when your training time is going to be. I would advise that you train, at least, 3 days per week. Plan, at the beginning of the week, when these sessions will be. In most cases, this plan will be the same for every week thereafter.

Routine is key here, and the longer that you stick to your routine, the closer you are to turning that routine a habit. With exercise as a habit, you will start to get some real results.

Although your finances and housing situation will determine what range of equipment you are able to use, you are always in a position to be able to work out and stay fit. It is even possible to have an all-over-workout by just using body weight exercises. I will cover this in a later post. I will also go into more detail about home workouts in a later post.

I hope this information has outlined many new possibilities for you, and I really hope it helps you out. Please, leave a comment if there are any questions that you would like to ask. I will be happy to answer them. As always, I am pleased to hear about your training results.

Good luck, and stay motivated.