Home Fitness Routine Essentials

Not all of us can spare a couple of hours each day to stay in shape, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up completely. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of home workout routines out there that range from a quick five or ten minute blast in the morning to an hour or so after work. These cut out the additional time and money spent going to a gym and can still improve your cardio, strength, conditioning and much more. In order to get started there are a few essentials you’ll require.

Gym Equipment

This may seem obvious, but depending on what area of fitness you want to focus on you will need to invest in the correct equipment. Dumbbells, other weights, treadmills and cycling/rowing machines are all popular options. Yet there are plenty of less considered pieces of home fitness equipment that can create a fun and unique routine. For a full body workout a simple skipping rope can suffice (advisable to use outside unless you have very high ceilings), while a punch bag will suit those focusing on strength and power or a small trampoline can improve your core.

DIY Options

If you’re setting up a home fitness routine to save on the pennies, then there are all sorts of ways you can make your own versions of such equipment. Light hand weights can be created from empty bottles filled with water, sandbags could be lifted and carried to improve strength and you can use the sofa or any ledge like a bench for tricep dips. Even a bit of rope can be tied around to form a good stepping exercise or used for skipping.

Sportswear

Especially if this is your gateway to getting into exercising, remember to purchase some proper sportswear. It can be tempting just to wear what you’ve got on as you’re in your own home and not visiting the gym, but sportswear is designed for a practical purpose. Anything too loose could easily knock over any items in your home. Plus, you will likely feel more ready to begin a workout when you’re wearing the proper gear, rather than an old band t-shirt and some swimming shorts.

Entertainment Systems

Gyms don’t pump out loud music to annoy their clients, it’s there to try and motivate everyone to really push themselves. You’ll need a decent sound system set up to do this at home (and at least you can choose the music). Remember your neighbours though, so watch the volume. If you’re using a workout DVD then you’ll need a TV of course, with a solid stand that will protect it from the vibrations of you exercising, which you can find here.

Food and Drink

Once your workout is over it’s important to refuel correctly. There are many healthy post-gym recipes out there, usually focusing on high protein. It’s essential you rehydrate as well. As you should be pretty tired it’s usually best to make sure you have all the ingredients you require in stock before exercising, or even prepare your meals in advance.

With all of the above you should now be ready to start your new home workout routine.