You found out your gym is closed, and you’ve never needed to work out at home. Well, you don’t have to give up your goals and results just because you don’t have gym access. Many people do home workouts and end up with great results! Plus there will be many times when you can’t get to the gym just because life gets in the way. If you develop a solid foundation for working out at home, you won’t ever fully rely on the gym to stay in shape. I will breakdown types of exercise and options to do them at home!
Cardio
This one is pretty simple. People did cardio outside and at home before elliptical machines and treadmills were created. That being said, you just have to be open-minded a bit more creative.
Options:
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Run outside
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Burpees
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Jumping jacks
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High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
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Jump-rope
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Public stairs
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Bike riding
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Old school gym sprints
Yoga and Pilates
Luckily, with this form of exercise, you mostly need space and a mat. If you don’t have a mat, a towel, carpet, or even grass will be sufficient. There are many free resources to access yoga instruction. You can utilize YouTube, Instagram, and Google to find videos. If following a video is not your style, then there are many printable options that depict the routine using pictures and descriptions. There are also books that provide many different types of yoga, that you could purchase.
Options:
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YouTube
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Instagram Influencers
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Pilates and Yoga Instructions
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Free, printable pages
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CD and online programs
Strength Training
This is where a lot of people become frustrated with home workouts. The main reason is that they don’t have access to weights and assisted machines that target specific muscles. Not to worry, if you are a disciplined gym-goer you probably already know how to target muscles at home. For those that aren’t experts in the gym yet, there are still plenty of ways to get in a successful workout.
Bodyweight training is a very popular exercise method utilized at home. Yes, it lacks in heavyweights, but can still provide great results if done correctly. You don’t want to just jump into lunges and pushups, while those are great exercises you have to work to find a program that fits your goals. In the gym, it is easier to find ways to target and grow specific muscles, but without assisted weights, cable machines, and free weights you have to be very intentional.
How can you be sure you are following the right program or exercises? All forms of exercise are fantastic and you can’t go wrong. Yet, if you are hoping for specific goals like building the upper body or toning your abs, not every home exercise program will provide those results. The best way to ensure you are picking a great program is to do your research!
Many of the Instagram fitness influencers create workouts to provide the results they were reaching for. When you chose to purchase or use workouts on their page make sure their fitness goals align with yours. If you are a male hoping for upper body gains, following workouts intended for booty gains is not going to help you reach your goals.
Regardless of your goals, there are plenty of resources to help you reach them at home. YouTube offers millions of free workout videos. If you need a more defined program there are many personal trainers and fitness gurus that created programs for sale. There are also apps and groups that provide a variety of exercises all in one place.
Options
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YouTube
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Instagram Influencers
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Fitness Professionals
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Bodyweight/Home Workout programs
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Add in resistance bands and weights if you are able.
Balance and Flexibility
When I practice balance and flexibility it is usually not in the gym anyway. This form of exercise strength training and some yoga. Some gym exercises help strengthen balance by building specific muscles. Many forms of yoga require balance and flexibility. That being said you can already continue developing your balance and flexibility from home using yoga, pilates, and strength training.
One downfall of gym-goers, new and old, forget about the importance of balance and flexibility. A great way to start a new chapter in your fitness life is to incorporate balance and flexibility into your normal routine. Again, there are many resources through YouTube, personal trainers, and fitness influencers to find ways to develop.
Options:
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YouTube
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Instagram Influencers
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Fitness Professionals
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Physical Therapist or Trainers
Whatever method you prefer to stay fit with, it’s important to keep exercising even when you can’t access a gym. Hopefully, this guide helped explain that you can still meet your fitness goals if you do a little extra research and get creative. Just because you don’t have weights doesn’t mean you can’t mimic those workouts with bodyweight, resistance bands, and the furniture in your home. Yoga, Pilates, and Cardio are easier to transfer to home, but there are many resources out there so you don’t become bored with the same routine. The internet is a great resource for fitness, so happy exercising!