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Make Home Workouts Work for You

Home workouts seem so convenient, and can be remarkably effective! So why is it so darn hard to actually get started and make it work?

Routine and Accountability

The first key to a good home workout is actually pretty much the same as in a gym: routine with accountability. It’s always easier to do something when it becomes a habit, and habits are often built on routine. Getting started with a new habit is challenging, which is where the accountability comes in. Having someone – like a coach, partner, or friend – to help you get started and stay on track is hugely helpful in setting those early foundations.

Programming: What You Choose Matters

We can think about programming in a couple contexts;

  • Do you enjoy the program?
  • Does the program reflect your goals?
  • Can you adjust the program to meet your needs and mirror your growth? 

Enjoyment is the most important thing! If you don’t like it, you’re unlikely to stick with it for any meaningful amount of time, and certainly not long enough to see lasting results. To be clear, your movement should regularly push the boundaries of your comfort zone, and it won’t be the *most* enjoyable thing 100% of the time. But you should look forward to your movement sessions, and you should feel good when you finish them. If you find yourself dreading every session or feeling crappy afterwards, it’s time to try something new.

Remember that there is something out there for everyone! Just because you don’t like one mode of fitness doesn’t mean you don’t like *all* modes of fitness. Keep trying new things, and eventually you’ll find one (or a bunch!) that you love.

Your program should also reflect your goals. This one sounds obvious, but you’d  be surprised how many people are working on fitness that has nothing to do with what they actually want to achieve. The most common example here is running. For whatever reason, people associate fitness with running. So when someone wants to “get fit” or start a new fitness routine, they’ll start with running. But here’s the reality: not everyone likes to run. And, as we just talked about, if you don’t like something, you’re not going to stick with it.

This often results in someone giving up completely on fitness, which is a major bummer because there are plenty of ways to improve your overall health and fitness that involve zero running. For some examples, you can check out our free guide, “Fitness Without Cardio.”

If your goals involve strength, train for strength. If your goals involve cardio, train for cardio. If your goals involve flexibility, train for flexibility. This also ties into enjoyment and consistency; when we can see progress toward our goals, we are *much* more likely to stick to the program.

Your Program Should Grow with You

Being able to adjust the program is also important. As you gain new skills and improve toward your goals, your program needs to grow with you. You can’t expect to do the same thing over and over and keep making progress. This is where the art and science of programming comes in. A good program should increase in volume and/or intensity over time, fluctuate through different phases, and continue to push you just to the edge of your abilities. 

Getting started on your own is pretty easy. There are plenty of resources online (like this one), and all movement is good to get started. But you’ll hit a certain point where you need some additional guidance. You’ll hit a plateau, or run out of ideas, or just start having more questions.

That’s where a coach will come in handy. You don’t have to go to a physical gym location to get a great workout with guidance from a coach. Online programming is super convenient and will help with everything we’ve already talked about in this post.

If you’ve hit this point in your own training, we can help! Just hit the “Free Intro” button on this page, or click here to book a free coaching call.

Equipment

The last thing to remember about home workouts is that you don’t have to have a bunch of fancy equipment to get a great workout. If you’re limited on space or budget, here are 3 things we recommend to get started:

  1. Resistance Bands – Bands are *super* versatile, add a ton of variety to a home workout, are inexpensive, and take up almost no space. We like these bands from eliteFTS.
  2. Small Kettlebell – Kettlebells can be used to train your whole body in a variety of ways, so they’re a good bang for your buck. If you’re just starting out, we recommend something in the 18-25lbs range. If you have more experience, go for 35-53lbs. We recommend these kettlebells from Rogue.
  3. Foam Roller – These are great for warm-up, recovery, and workout movements! We recommend this roller from Perform Better.

With a fun program that reflects your interests and helps you work toward your goals, you can absolutely get a great workout at home! 

Not sure where to start? We can help! Grab the free guide from the top of this page, hit the “Free Intro” button on this page, or shoot us an email at [email protected].

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