Hello everyone. Today’s guest post comes from the health enthusiast and martial artist Rahim Samuel aka The Homebody. He runs the highly informative website Homefitness 360 which is a valuable resource for people who want to learn more about training in their own home.
—–
Nowadays, with the economy being in the condition that it’s in, people have cut back on the gym memberships and taken their fitness routines right into the confines of their homes. Unfortunately, not everybody has access or the resources to a state of the art gym. If that is not an option for you, do not fret because there are always alternatives to these expensive gym memberships. If you’re looking to have great abs, toned buns and an overall physique straight from Gold’s Gym, here are 7 tips on good home fitness training using simple and quality methods.
1. Set Goals. Imagine getting a new job that you’re really excited about. You wake up on the morning of your first day, hop out of bed, get dressed, eat a good breakfast and sprint out the door. You start the engine, pull out of your driveway and you suddenly realize that you don’t even know where the job is. That’s pretty much what you face when you decide you wanna workout and you don’t set any goals. It’s almost impossible to gauge any improvement if you don’t have anything to measure it with. Setting goals ensures that you’re on the right track with your routine and keeps you motivated. Writing your goals down makes them real. A good strategy is to put them on a clipboard in your workout room so you can mark them off as soon as you accomplish one.
2. Have variety in your routine. The one thing that can be agreed across the board is that there’s no growth with stagnation. When your routine consist of the same exercises day in and day out, that’s when your muscles stop growing and you stop seeing results. This is what you don’t want, so it’s important to have a variety of challenges in your home fitness routine. An example would be to do calisthenics and weight training one day, followed by cardio and core the next. Within that basic switch you can incorporate a wide variety of push ups, pullups, dips, upright exercise bicycle, free weights and stability ball training to your workout. It’s ALL about variety.
3. Get good quality free weights. If you’re a runner, you need good running shoes. If you’re a plumber, you need good tools. It’s the same with free weight training. In order for you to get the best out of your routine, you need to get good quality free weights. When I say quality, I mean safe and efficient. There are several good brands of free weights on the market so you just have to try out a few and decide what suits your situation the best. Gold’s Gym, PowerBlock, Weider and Bowflex SelectTech are some of the premier brands on the market. A lot of consumers are going with PowerBlock and Bowflex SelectTech because of their dial up systems. They save you space and allow you to change your weight more quickly.
4. Get a Personal Trainer. A big reason why more people haven’t gotten on the home fitness kick is motivation. I will admit that working out in a gym around others is great for motivation. The more the merrier. However, if you need that extra push and you can’t find it within yourself, then a personal trainer can be just what you need. In these times, personal trainers have very affordable rates and they’re more than happy to come to your home and train you if you’d like. My brother (a personal trainer) actually makes this option available to his clients. Another benefit of a personal trainer is where your knowledge of fitness ends, theirs often begins. A good trainer can help you make a program for yourself that will help you achieve your fitness goals very efficiently.
5. Take your workout outside once in a while. Home fitness is not limited to your home. It’s not like you’re on 23 hour lock down in a jail cell and you can’t leave. If the weather’s right, take your workout outside. There’s nothing like going for a run on a nice 72 degree day and letting the wind hit your face. When the weather’s right, I take my calisthenics and weight training to the backyard. The fresh air’s great and it’s a change of scenery. Not to mention the benefit of fresh air and sunshine for my immune system.
6. Take up a home fitness course. If a trainer is not in your budget, there are other alternatives. Since the turn of the century, there have been some high octane, no nonsense home fitness programs to hit the market. These programs are serious, tough and get you just what you’re looking for. RESULTS. Programs like Insanity, The Spartan Workout and P90X are just a few of what’s out there. I’m sure you’ve heard of at least one of these and here’s a P90X review to get an idea. Serious dedication is required for these home fitness programs to work for you but the results are definitely worth it.
7. Keep a good eating plan. What you eat is half of the battle when it comes to health and fitness. There’s no getting around it. Sure you can always eat what you want, just in MODERATION. But that’s just the thing. Most people don’t eat in moderation. Most people eat what they want, when they want and look baffled when they don’t see any results. I absolutely love food, and I know it’s hard to walk past a Krispy Kreme without wanting a taste especially when the “Hot” sign is on. But if you want to look good and feel good, it takes dedication. Again, I’m not saying you should completely forsake the donut. Just save it for the weekend. And don’t inhale a half a dozen. If you follow tip 4, a good personal trainer can help you make a meal plan that will go right along with your exercise plan.
When we see someone who’s in shape, we always wonder what that person did to get that way. When we start our own journey, we often want to be what we see without actually knowing the best route to take that suites us, the individual. That’s why you have some people who take up weight training and quit. Or some who get into body weight training and quit. It’s ok to try different things as long as you don’t get frustrated and quit altogether. I tried many different things before I found out what worked for me, what I liked and what I could stick with. Everything is not for everybody so if you’re just starting out, you might want to try a few things to make sure you like it and you can stick with it. Don’t like the free weights? Try calisthenics. Don’t like running, try an upright exercise bike instead. It’s all about what’s gonna work for YOU. Good luck and don’t forget to monitor your goals!
About the Author:
Rahim Samuel is a person who definitely knows fitness. As a martial artist and health enthusiast he understands the importance of being able to have your personal setup for training at home.
Rahim Samuel has had a very eclectic journey working in and around the fitness industry.
Having trained in Shaolin Kung Fu and Chi Gong for internal fitness, the Homebody definitely understands what it means to have the proper equipment and facility for working out at home.
A space as simple as your backyard or your sun porch is perfect for setting up your home fitness environment.