We’ve heard it over and over, many of us already know, have read or heard about all the benefits of exercise, right? So why can it be so difficult to stick to your fitness routine or even see results, especially when life gets busy, stressful, or overwhelming? Well, there are many reasons, but let us just say this, it is easier to be consistent if you have a plan or program to follow, in addition to being able to obtain better results and take full advantage of your workouts.

In the past, exercising was something that was only done in gyms, but now it is increasingly easy to get healthy and in shape from the comfort of your home or almost anywhere else, especially when there are so many advantages when exercising at home (time-saving, you can fit in workouts any time in your schedule, save money, privacy, you can add variety, 24hr/open,  etc).

If you are just starting to exercise at home or want to continue your home fitness routine, we have made a short guide filled with tips to maximize your exercise routine and achieve your fitness goals from the comfort of your own home.

 

# 1 Find and prep your workout space 

Find a place in your home where you can do your workout, it can be almost any space like a corner of your living room, your basement, garage, etc. You don’t need much space at all, but that place will inspire you and invite you to come back every time when you do you workout there. Organize the equipment that you will use, place towels for your workout, a motivational quote or your favourite exercise mat for example. Fill your space with details that you like make you feel excited to be there!

 

# 2 Equipment

You don’t need a lot of equipment to get good results from your workouts!

Remember that body weight exercises are great for several reasons but adding variety and challenging yourself can make your workouts more effective and complete. Here are some suggestions for your home gym.

  • A yoga mat for yoga, stretching or other exercises on the floor
  • Dumbbells for strength training 
  • Resistance bands for strength training and stretching
  • Glider disc for strength and cardio
  • A foam roller for recovery, massaging tight muscles and stretching

     

# 3 Set your inspirations and goals

Is your goal to improve your health? Feel strong? Reduce anxiety and stress? Lose some pounds? Keep up with your kids? Or, does it just make you happier? Whatever your why is, write it down and place it somewhere you can see easily so that inspires you on a daily basis.

Creating small attainable short term goals can also help. When you set and reach your short-term realistic goals, you will feel and see you are making progress toward your ultimate goal, which will motivate you to stick with your plan. For example, a short term goal can be adding 10-15 minutes workouts in your week, increasing the number of push ups you can do or completing your first ever 5K run, the world is your limit!

You can also apply the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) for example, “I want to be stronger” is a good place to start but what does that mean? Does it mean increasing the number of squats from 15 to 20 over 6 weeks? Make your goals more specific so you can see your progress as you go. Check out this link for more information about this method: Setting goals using the SMART method here.

      

# 4 Plan your workouts and fitness style

Now that you have set your goals or your why, it’s time to plan your workouts. CDC recommends 150 minute of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity and at least two strength-training sessions per week. When planning out your workouts, it is important to get specific about:

  • What time you will workout
  • What days you will workout (realistically)
  • What workouts you will do 
  • Rest days are important too

 

Making a simple schedule can helping stick in your plan, we have plenty of workouts to choose from on the virtual studio. For example your schedule could look like:

 

Day  Plan Type of Workout
Monday  Workout Strength
Tuesday Workout Cardio
Wednesday  Active recovering  Stretch/Yoga
Thursday Workout Cardio or Strength training
Friday  Workout Strength
Saturday Active recovery Swimming, walk, or Yoga
Sunday  Rest

 

Remember this is only a example, you can accommodate your days depending on your availability and goals. For example, if you only have three days a week to workout your try:

 

 

Day  Plan Type
Monday  Keep moving Short walk
Tuesday  Workout  Cardio 
Wednesday Active recovery  10 minutes stretching or yoga
Thursday  Workout Strength
Friday Keep moving Short walk,
Saturday Workout Strength

Always keep in mind your fitness level when building your schedule.

 

# 5 Track your progress and goals

Sometimes it is hard to notice progress if you aren’t paying attention to it, no matter what your fitness goal is, find measurable progress. For instance, noticing your clothes fitting differently, having more energy, feeling stronger, feeling more relaxed, more flexible or your body more agile. Take notice of the little steps, focusing on progress instead of perfection can make it much easier and enjoyable to reach your goals. So give yourself a pat on the back, you made it through this blog post, and that my friend is progress! 

 

There you have it, a guide to your at home workout space! Remember, another great advantage of working out at home is that you can add as much variety as you want! On our virtual studio you can filter by class style, body focus, length and equipment to find exactly what you’re looking for. With dedication, the right mix of exercise, and keeping your nutrition in check (remember the 80/20 rule), you will be on the path (or continue on the path) to feeling and looking your best!