Whether you have obligations to tend to, or you simply want to save some time and money, working out from home is a great choice. It’s clean, comfortable, convenient and gives you the freedom to exercise the way you want to. You can also blast your own music instead of having to listen to the same hit songs being played over and over at the gym.
That said, having a couch and television just a few feet away can make things a little challenging. But with the right mindset and a few simple hacks, you can exercise effectively and achieve your workout goals. Read on to learn about five simple hacks that’ll help you maximize your home workout.
1) Eliminate Distractions
It goes without saying that the most effective way to ensure that you stick to your workout routine is to eliminate any surrounding distractions. This will help you focus on the task at hand and not stop halfway through to check your phone or tune into your favorite series. Put on some high-tempo tracks to create a more productive environment.
2) Plan Ahead and Record Your Progress
Working out at home will inevitably make you feel freer to just wing it and figure things out as you go along, but this is obviously not beneficial to your progress. Write up a plan for the day or week ahead and record what you did and didn’t achieve after each session. This will build accountability and help you figure out where you can improve.
You can use apps such as Nike Training Club, Freeletics (click here for a discount) or Dailyburn to find a variety of workout plans based on your goals. These apps will also help you keep track of your progress and get an overview of how much time and effort you put in each day.
3) Stretch
There are a number of reasons why it’s important to stretch before and after exercise. Stretching helps increase your flexibility, thus reducing risk of injury, pain and muscle strain. People often experience back problems and joint strain by going full-blast on their workouts. Stretching also helps increase body awareness and blood circulation in your muscles.
4) Dress for the Occasion
Wearing appropriate workout attire will get you in the mindset to exercise, as your brain will associate that clothing with its respective task. Form-fitting clothing such as compression tights will help you get a better feel for the movement of your muscles, while the importance of wearing the right shoes for running goes without saying.
Another great type of working clothing is the sauna vest. It helps improve your posture by providing abdominal and lumbar support, while the neoprene makes you sweat more. By increasing your body temperature and making you sweat, you’ll lose weight faster, making it especially effective if you weight loss is your goal.
5) Focus on Efficiency
If you haven’t exercised in a while, then it’ll be better to start slow with some stretches and eventually move on to cardio or something slightly less intense than a full-blown workout. But if you’re already fairly fit, then it’s important to focus on working at a higher intensity for shorter periods of time, as your gains tend to diminish after long sessions anyway.
Another way to get the most out of every minute you spend working out is to focus on compound exercises that target more than one muscle group. In doing so, you’ll be able to get a full-body workout with just a few different exercises. Popular compound exercises include lunges, push-ups, dips, rows, squats, and bench presses. However, if you feel any issues with your muscles, seeing an expert in orthopedics and resting up is a must.
By following these simple hacks, you’ll be able to get the most out of your workouts, helping you stay on track and reach your goals in record time.
