Though thousands of people hit the gym or sign up for fitness classes when they want a full body workout, neither is necessary. People who need to save time and money or prefer convenience and flexibility can exercise in their own homes whenever they would like. Each session has the potential to be just as powerful and effective as a professionally designed workout.
Benefits
With a balanced and comprehensive home workout plan, it's possible to get all the physical and health benefits that are accessible with more expensive equipment and classes. MayoClinic.com states that regular exercise has the potential to boost people's moods, improve their energy levels, help them sleep better and reduce their risk of diseases, such as diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer.
Components
The American Council on Exercise suggests that the most effective home workout programs will have three parts--aerobic activity, strength training and flexibility exercises. Aerobics or cardiovascular exercises raise the heart rate and burn more calories than other activities. Strength training builds muscle, and flexibility movements help improve balance, prevent injuries and prepare the body for more intense exercise.
Suggestions
Home exercise machines, such as a treadmill or elliptical, can make aerobic exercise convenient to do any time of year. Outdoor exercises, like jogging, sprinting, team sports and rollerblading or bicycling, are other helpful options during warm seasons. Some people also enjoy doing exercise DVDs or a series of pre-set movements. For strength training, try using dumbbells, resistance bands, a fitness ball or a medicine ball to gradually add extra weight to movements and challenge muscles more. At-home flexibility exercises can include yoga, Pilates and dynamic or static stretching to warm up and cooldown before and after workouts.
Guidelines
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, healthy adults should participate in strength training at least twice a week and exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes per day, five days per week. Some vigorous exercises can achieve the same health benefits and calorie burn in shorter periods of time, but in general, more activity is better for most people. The ACSM suggests doing eight strength training exercises at a time and trying to do eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise.
Considerations
A healthy lifestyle involves more than just regular workouts. Although being physically active at home results in significant health improvements for most people, following a well-balanced, healthy diet and getting enough sleep also have tremendous positive effects. To work toward better health, think of a home workout routine as a single piece of a full plan that will work best when it's complete.
Member Comments