Many of us have this mentality that home workouts won't do much for our bodies.
They don't feel difficult enough, they might not give you that "pump" and they can get boring.
But is relying on the next time you can head to the gym really going to benefit you? Having to adjust to a new routine and a new schedule with everything going on is difficult enough, you really want to add the pressure of going to the gym?
Don't get us wrong, we love the gym, but we love and support something that is manageable and supports our current lifestyle.
So WHY do we sometimes encourage home workouts?
1. Less stress
Right now with all the changes happening and routines constantly changing, the last thing you need to do is add more pressure and stress to yourself by adding another change. If you're already doing home workouts, stick to this and make it a very solid habit.
2. Consistency
Are you consistent right now? Be honest, because we will lay down the truth now and say that if you can't be consistent with home workouts, that you won't be able to be consistent at the gym either. Focus on consistency right now over perfection. Make this a part of your routine.
3. Time efficiency
With your new routine, do you find yourself shorter on time? If your answer is along the lines of "yes", then adding going to the gym wouldn't be beneficial for you. Doing the workout from home would save you travel time, and allow you to do more workouts throughout the week, over only doing one or two throughout the week if you were going to the gym - which, trust us, won't result in any changes for you. On top of that, you can make a 15 min workout SUPER sweaty and effective... Just keep reading to find out how!
4. Saves you money
Think about it... Do you really need to spend money? You don't need a gym membership then. You save money on gas. You don't even need equipment. If you truly want equipment, you can buy basic resistance bands and you would be good to go. There are so many free resources out there like YouTube workouts, and workouts on Instagram, to help get you moving. And if you really need a plan to follow, then there are inexpensive plans like our Online PRO Wellness Program which you can try out the 7-day trial for HERE.
So now the next question that is probably boggling your mind is...
HOW DO WE MAKE HOME WORKOUTS MORE EFFECTIVE AND DIFFICULT?
To be clear, home workouts can be difficult... we sometimes die during our online bodyweight Bootcamps. We get such a good sweat, and we aren't just saying that because we are running them.
On top of that, you can build quite a bit of strength during home workouts, and for the most part, they are very effective because they help you save time, burn quite some calories, and help you stay consistent. All the things you need in order to see changes in your endurance and if you want, in your body. So let's get to it...
HOW TO MAKE HOME WORKOUTS LESS BORING AND MORE DIFFICULT:
1. Lower resting time between exercises
Think about how much time you're giving yourself to rest between exercises. Try cutting it shorter, and you'll definitely make it more challenging
2. Incorporate supersets
In line with lowering resting time, you can start putting together two or three exercises with no rest in between and only rest after those exercises are done, which is defined as a superset. Then after that rest repeat for two to three more sets.
3. Change the tempo of the exercise
The tempo in an exercise is the speed that an exercise is done at. Some exercises can be more difficult by increasing the tempo, like high knees, jumping jacks, burpees. But some can become more difficult by slowing down the tempo, like squats, lunges, push-ups, and even ab exercises. Slowing down the going down portion will require to use a lot more strength, and will far sooner fatigue your muscles. You can also add holds at the bottom of the exercise (not resting but keeping the tension still), which can add additional difficulty to an exercise. Think of slowing down the tempo, as another form of resistance without using the equipment.
4. Adding explosiveness
Do you do any exercises that require you to jump? Maybe burpees, jumping lunges, or jump squats? If not, try adding in those exercises. If you are already doing them, focus on making the jumps bigger and expending more energy during the jumps. There are so many more advanced bodyweight exercises that require a greater amount of explosiveness that will surely get you sweating and raise your heart rate.
5. Final resort... some equipment
Your last resort should be adding equipment. And even then, you don't need to spend much money. Consider buying some resistance bands and maybe a pair of dumbbells. There's so much more variation you can add with dumbbells and resistance bands.
So can you progress with home workouts?
YES.
By incorporating the above slowly, and making your workouts more difficult slowly, you will see your body getting stronger, and your cardio and strength endurance improving... which all means your body is also slowly changing.
Consider the above options whenever the workouts start to feel boring or get too easy. Boredom comes from not challenging oneself enough, and these methods will definitely help with the boredom.
If you found this blog helpful, definitely let us know by liking the blog and checking out the other blogs we have posted lately.
And if you feel like you still need help with your workouts at home, then we highly encourage you to try out our 7-day trial of our Online PRO Wellness Program where we create your workouts for you and advance them according to your progress. Next to that we also help you match up your nutritional habits to your overall health goal. If you want to try out our program for FREE for 7 days, then click HERE.
Comments