Essential tips for home workouts
How to create a space to relieve stress and get active
Working out in the gym can be fun and make you feel more productive- but it can also limit your freedom and feel more challenging. New research shows that 3 in 4 people prefer to exercise in the comfort of their own home, rather than head to the gym, writes Christine Emelone.
Furthermore, more than half of UK consumers have purchased home workout products as they feel it is more personalised and suited to their needs.
Here are some essential tips to work out from home and keep fit in comfort.
1 Get your heart pumping with cardiovascular fitness
This aims to increase blood circulation and bump up your heart rate.
If your goals are to improve your health, lose weight or remove stress from your mind, then cardio is the best way to start.
Before you begin your exercise, make sure to warm up.
This helps you prepare physically and mentally before your chosen activity.
It also works to avoid injury and pain during your workout routine.
Exercises such as swimming, dancing and cycling are highly effective in strengthening your heart and blood vessels.
This also promotes good health overall.
2 Create a space at home to work on your flexibility and balance
To develop your strength and posture, you could add flexibility and balance to your home workout routine.
Examples of flexibility exercises include tai chi, pilates and light forms of yoga.
Without taking a gym class, you can stretch your body and muscles with these exercises.
This can help you build a more confident, upright posture and reduce the risk of falls.
3 Find a corner to pick up the dumbbells and push those reps
You can use dumbbells to work your arms and engage your upper body and core.
They can also promote coordination and stability for muscles and joints.
There are many useful exercises involving dumbbells such as lateral lunge and hammer curl.
To get started with dumbbells, choose a light, comfortable weight to avoid injury before doing your chosen exercise.
Then, gradually increase the weight to make the exercise more challenging. Be sure to stop if you start to feel pain or it becomes too heavy.
And remember to take breaks as working out too long can cause burnout.