Don’t have the time/resources for a gym membership? No worries, you can still get a great workout at home with a few simple, low cost items. Today I’ll try and give you some resources that you’ll need in order to go through a challenging, full body workout at home.
First Things First
One of the main keys to successfully working out at home is mastering many body-weight only exercises that are easily performed. Movements such as push-up variations, chin and pull-ups, burpees, squats, and hanging bar work are all important and are challenging enough to give you a great pump. If yo’re unfamiliar with any of these, use the handy search bar on the Google home screen:
Ok, now that we have the basics down, let’s look at the equipment we’ll need.
Pull -Up Bar
This should be your first shopping item. Nothing else will give you the bang for the buck that this device will. You can do chins, wide grip pulls, hanging leg raises, work on the front lever or other gymnastic moves, and many other things. Go get one. Now.
Ok, next up, resistance bands. Yes, big, oversize rubber bands. “What can I do with those?” you ask – what can’t you do with them? You can place them under your feet and do lateral shoulder raises, bicep curls, and squats. You can anchor one in a door and do rows, work the teres and infraspinatus (rear shoulder) muscles. You can wrap them over your back and increase resistance on push-ups. The list is endless. Did I mention the useful search bar above? Get a few different ones so you can double them up for some real challenging weight!
Now that we have our basic pushing and pulling implements, you are pretty much done! What, that’s it? I don’t need a Bowflex or that new fangled Ab-Tastic-Rip-O-Matic 3000? NO!!!! Al of the basic multi-joint movements can be performed with these basic implements. If there’s any room in your budget, you could invest in some dumbbells, an adjustable bench, or maybe even some kettlebells. Beyond that, if you really want to splurge, you could invest in a TRX, an excellent home workout device.
So What Do I do Now That I Have the Goods?
Ok, did I mention the simple, easy to use search bar? I knew I did. The name of the game at home is full body work. If you can dedicate three to four days a week and get in an hour of full body training, I guarantee you can increase your strength, endurance, and flexibility beyond what you thought you could achieve outside of the gym. There are endless things you can do with the above set up, so go nuts with the internet – it’s still free after all. Again, we want to focus on multi-joint, large muscle group movements and away from isolation exercises. Now, go out, er, stay in, and conquer! Good luck with your home fitness!
Ok, need a head start? Let me help you with the following linksies:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/at-home-workouts-0
http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100230172
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=home+workout&aq=f