So you want to be healthier, lose some weight, get in shape. Before you rush out and buy a gym membership, you should consider the benefits of working out at home. At home, you will probably get in shape faster, with better results.
Benefits of the Home Gym
- It’s cheap. No fees, no babysitter costs, no travel expenses.
- There are no excuses. You’ll never not be able to get to the gym, no matter what the weather or traffic.
- It’s convenient. You can work out any time you have a few minutes. You can make your workout fit your life, instead of the other way around.
- It saves time. You waste no time getting to and from a gym or waiting for a class to start.
- There’s nobody watching you. No embarrassment.
- It’s your own space. You can play your own music, decorate it however you want, and make it a place that can really inspire you to do your best.
Designing A Home Gym
If you just want to burn some calories then you don’t need a lot of space. A corner of your basement or a small room will do, just as long as you have enough room to completely stretch out. If you want to build serious strength, you will need a little more space, like an entire room or the garage.
Picking the Right Workout Equipment
- Free weights. They are the cheapest and most effective equipment you can buy. They also take up less space than anything else. If you want to burn a few calories and feel healthier, a few dumbbells should do. If you want to build real functional strength burn a lot of calories, get a kettlebell.
- Treadmill. Running and walking are great ways to improve your cardio, and you can even do them outside for free. However, if you want to be able to walk or run even in bad weather, then your home gym could use a treadmill.
- Stationary bikes. They can do even more for your cardio than a treadmill can.
Exercising at Home
There are three things you want to concentrate on with a home gym:
- Bodyweight exercises. These will do wonders for your overall physical fitness, calorie burning, and muscle toning. Pushups, situps, and pistols or squats are fundamental bodyweight exercises you should be doing at home.
- Weights. Build strength and endurance with dumbbells or kettlebells. If your goal is to get as strong as you can, use a kettlebell. Concentrate on exercises like one-armed presses, snatches, goblet squats, swings, and the figure 8 leg pass.
- Cardio. Develop your cardio with the treadmill, stationary bike, the jump rope, jumping jacks, and more.
The Takeaway
Working out at home has a lot of benefits. For most people, it is actually a better option than going to the gym.