5 Tips To Help You Stay Fit At Home
I think we are all in agreement that right now it is very challenging to try and get or stay fit. The majority of us are forced to stay at home with no access to gyms, equipment, or other comforts that usually allow us to exercise more easily. Not to mention the mental barriers and surplus of distractions when you’re stuck home during quarantine.
Heck, exercising can be difficult for some of us during the best of times. For those of you looking for ways to stay fit and motivated while working out at home, this article is for you.
1. Go Virtual With A Class
Nowadays were using online video calls for all facets of life. It makes sense that we could apply this to exercise as well. Just because we cant all see each other like we’re used to doesn’t mean that we cant stay connected or have to face our workouts alone.
If you want to bring the fun-factor straight to your living rooms there are now many options available to join a virtual fitness class. Workouts such as Zumba, yoga, pole dancing, and group HIIT sessions have really taken off.
Virtually classes are a great option because they allow you to exercise in real-time with other people which makes the workout more fun and helps increase motivation. In most cases, you’ll also have the option to watch back a recording of the class so you can exercise on your own schedule.
And best of all, you can get the whole family involved and get fit together.
2. Look To The Future With Digital Fitness
The future is now when it comes to digital exercise with a whole host of fitness technology that’s been taking the market by storm. And if you are looking for a really cool way to enhance your workouts then they might just be the answer you’ve been looking for.
Although a pricier way to exercise, digital equipment such as the Peleton Bike, Hydrow Rower, and Tonal offer you the chance to engage in an interactive workout like never before. Imagine combining a video game with exercise, sounds cool right? Well, thats what you’re getting from the latest digital fitness equipment.
One of the most exciting features is the chance to escape your surroundings. As even though you’re at home you can be transported to a different location like with Hydrows live outdoor reality technology, that sends you out on the river. You can read more about this in Start Rowing’s Hydrow guide.
3. Invest In Exercise Equipment
Depending on what you already have available and what your personal goals are, investing in some equipment could be one of the best ways for you to get fit from home.
Investing in a few pieces of quality long-lasting equipment is a better approach than purchasing lots of cheaper equipment that may break easily and need to be replaced regularly. What equipment you can get will of course depend on your budget and space you have available.
A few pieces you should seriously consider to get a full-body workout are
- Pull-up bar – Great for developing upper body strength. Just make sure you have a suitable place to attach it.
- Free weights – Dumbbells or kettlebells are great to have at home. They are super versatile and allow you to do a wide range of exercises. Note that the heavier you go, the more expensive the weight will be. Options include adjustable or weights or buying one mid-range weight that you can perform ll exercises with.
- TRX – If you get a pull-up bar then a TRX can be a great piece to combine with it. Again it’s very versatile and allows you to build strength throughout your body.
4. Use Social Media
You may be wondering how social media can help you stay fit at home. If anything surely social media will hinder your exercise efforts and leave you wasting hours scrolling through pictures of cats.
Well, social media doesn’t have to be so bad. It just depends on how you use it. And as it happens, there are actually tons and tons of trainers who you’d otherwise never have access to, sharing workouts, nutrition advice, and motivation on social media.
Admittedly not all the advice you will see on social media should be accepted but there is still a lot of good information, especially if you have no clue of where to start.
Try hopping on to YouTube or Instagram and searching for something like ‘home workout’ or ‘exercises at home’ and you’ll see lots of examples with demonstrations on how to perform each exercise. It’ll be like having your own personal trainer.
Just don’t get distracted!
5. Use What You Have At Home
Maybe you can’t afford any home gym equipment, don’t want to pay for classes, or just don’t want this as an extra expense to have. Don’t worry, you don’t need to purchase anything at all to get fit. In fact, chances are that you already unknowingly have lots of items within your home that can be used during your workouts.
Want a weight? Try filling a rucksack with books, put it on your back and perform rounds of squats or pushups. Or use other items from your cupboards. You can use the frame of a table or desk to lean on or perform inverted rows. Use chairs to perform dips. And of course, there is an endless number of exercises you can perform using just your floor and walls.
Just be careful that any exercises you perform with household items are safe to do so. The last thing you need is broken tables and chairs as well as broken bones. So be safe!