The benefits of exercise are well documented and enticing: weight maintenance, disease prevention and even mood improvement are just a few of the perks that physical movement offers, according to the Mayo Clinic. Yet regular exercise can pose a challenge--especially if you don't have a gym membership and the weather's too fickle to slip on your running shoes and hit the pavement. Fortunately, you can get an effective, heart-pumping workout in your own home and reap the rewards of physical activity in a convenient and affordable way.
Step 1
Designate an area of your home as your workout space. You may need to temporarily move furniture to create enough room. To prevent soreness when stretching and performing floor exercises, consider laying out an exercise mat--especially if your workout area has an unyielding surface like hardwood or tile.
Step 2
Warm up by performing light cardiovascular activity for five to 10 minutes. As the Mayo Clinic explains, warming up prepares your body for more intense activity and may help prevent injury. To raise your heart rate and increase blood flow to your muscles, jog in place, briskly pace the room or perform a series of jumping jacks in your workout space.
Step 3
Spend several minutes stretching, putting extra focus on muscles that are particularly tight or that you've previously injured. Avoid bouncing or straining, and hold each stretch for 30 seconds.
Step 4
Perform strength-training and resistance exercises. Common body-weight exercises like pushups and sit-ups--as well as less familiar movements like lunges and squats--require no equipment and can be modified for any level of fitness.
To perform a lunge, start in a standing position with your feet together. Take a large step forward, bending your leading leg to a 90-degree angle. Repeat with your other leg.
To perform a squat, start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart; bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Raise yourself back up by straightening your knees and repeat.
If you own free weights, you can perform standard exercises such as bicep curls, shoulder presses and lateral raises to work your upper body. Shoulder presses involve holding a weight at the height of your shoulder and raising it until your arms are extended overhead; lateral raises involve holding a weight at your side--approximately mid-thigh--and raising away from your body until your arm is parallel to the floor. The American Council on Exercise recommends targeting all major muscle groups during your workout, including your arms, back, chest, hips, stomach and legs.
Step 5
Engage in sustained aerobic exercise--such as running in place, performing stepups on a box or stair, jumping rope, performing jumping jacks or participating in other activities that keep your heart rate elevated. If you have home exercise equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical trainer or recumbent bike, use these machines at an intensity appropriate to your fitness level.
Step 6
Cool down for five to 10 minutes at the end of your workout. Pace your workout room or walk through your house while your body cools off and your heart rate returns to normal. Cooling down helps reduce the muscle soreness and stiffness you may experience after a workout.
Tips and Warnings
- Assess your fitness goals--including whether you want to gain muscle, lose weight, increase flexibility or improve your cardiovascular endurance--before designing a home workout. Your goals will determine what types of exercises to perform and how much time you should allot to resistance training versus aerobic activity. Listening to music while you exercise can make your workout more enjoyable.
- If you live in an apartment, keep in mind that jumping and other high-impact exercises will be audible for anyone living below you. Be considerate of your neighbors when scheduling your home workouts, and avoid late-night and early-morning exercise sessions if people live beneath you. Consult your physician before starting a new exercise program--particularly if you have a chronic health condition such as heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Things You'll Need
- Exercise mat (optional)
References
- Mayo Clinic: 7 Benefits of Regular Exercise
- Health Services at Columbia: Is There a Proper Workout Order Routine?
- American Council on Exercise: Three Things Every Exercise Program Should Have
- Mayo Clinic: Aerobic Exercise: How to Warm Up and Cool Down
- AskMen.com: Create an Effective Home Workout Program
Member Comments