There’s no need to travel abroad to find a workout buddy or to join a gym membership; all you need for these exercises is your own home.
While it’s important to have fun and enjoy your workout sessions, letting your body warm up between sets is vital to give your muscles the best chance of growing and strengthening (and sometimes, this means adding an extra set or two).
If you’re looking for ways to lose weight fast and effectively, this article will help you figure out which home exercises are the right fit for you.
Sets
This refers to the number of times you perform an exercise before moving on to the next one. If you’re doing a traditional workout regime, it’s recommended that you do not do more than three sets of 10 reps each, or six reps per set (doing more will just increase your workout time without adding any real value).
If you’re looking to lose weight, you could choose to do fewer sets (or more circuit training sessions). For instance, doing just one set of 10 reps will burn roughly the same amount of calories as a typical workout at the gym.
Reps (repetitions)
This refers to the number of times you perform an exercise during one session. If you’re doing a traditional workout, it’s important to concentrate on increasing your reps rather than your weight (if you increase your weight too quickly, you’ll risk injury).
If you want to lose weight, it’s recommended that you keep your reps in the 10s or fewer (remembering to concentrate on form rather than trying to hit specific numbers). As you get stronger, you can increase your reps (up to a point), but you should still be mindful of your form.
Weight
This refers to the amount of weight you use when performing an exercise. If you’re not sure how to start, use the same weight as you normally use for jumping jacks or walking lunges (around 10 pounds should suffice).
As you get stronger, you can begin adding weight (up to an extent), but again, it’s important to remember to keep your form perfect.
Cardios
This refers to the amount of energy you spend while performing an exercise. If you want to lose weight, it’s recommended that you try to increase your cardios (or heart rate) during your workouts. For instance, if you want to perform jumping jacks, work on performing them with speed rather than simply going through the motions.
If possible, you could try adding a bit of an incline to your workout routine to increase your cardios. Additionally, you could choose to perform your workouts while listening to music—research shows that people who work out to music tend to do so for longer and are more motivated to work harder than those who workout to silence (or at least, music that they find motivating).
Incline
This refers to the steepness of the incline you use when performing an exercise. If you need help figuring out the right incline for your home gym, start with a flat surface and raise it gradually until you reach the point where you feel you’re improving your form (or if you have a spot that’s not flat, like a staircase or an outdoor area, it might be a good idea to do a little homework first to make sure your form is correct on the incline).
Once you’re confident that you’re improving your form, you can begin to add an incline, but still, be mindful of your body position and always check your form before continuing (as you get fitter and stronger, you’ll need to adjust your form in response to the change in the incline).
Travel Chairs
This refers to the types of chairs you’ll need to use when doing the exercises described in this article. If you have a treadmill, you can use the moving walkway instead—it helps keep your body in motion while also working your muscles. If not, you could use the steps or even the floor, as long as you do not have steps leading up to a door (unless, of course, that’s what you intend on using the exercise area for).
If you have stairs, you could use them to get to the roof (or the ground, if your gym does not have a flat surface). Just remember to bring your workout clothes and equipment with you when you use the stairs (in case you accidentally end up in the next room).
Once you’ve accessed the roof, there are a variety of exercises you could perform there (running, jumping, walking—you name it), so long as you stay within the limits of what’s safe (if you’re unfamiliar with any of these movements, research their risks before trying them).
Risks
“Risks” are something you need to consider before engaging in any form of exercise. If you’re not sure whether or not an exercise is safe for you, look it up online or ask your doctor (if you have one).
Additionally, if you have any pre-existing conditions, like heart disease or asthma, you need to know that participating in physical activity can aggravate these conditions (unless, of course, you are trained for that activity or have a condition that benefits from it).
Benefits
“Benefits” are the things you get from exercising (or participating in any physical activity, for that matter). You can lose weight, get fit, and have fun doing it (at least, you should be able to—if you can’t, your body might not be prepared for physical activity yet; consult your physician for more information).
If you follow the guidelines laid out above, you’ll be able to choose a workout routine that’s suitable for you and help you reach your goals (lose weight, get fit, etc.). And if you happen to be following the routine properly, you may find your doctor or personal trainer at the end of the day congratulating you for your hard work—it’s not uncommon for people who undergo rigorous training regimens to gain a lot of weight before their bodies are ready for it (usually around the middle age bracket). But if you’re still in that bracket, try not to worry about the weight too much—just focus on getting back to a healthy weight and enjoying the process.