Home Fitness

Across the country, people spend tons of money every year on gym memberships and workout equipment. It may seem like if you cannot afford a gym membership that you will not be able to meet your workout goals, but that is not the case. You can exercise at home, and you do not even need fancy equipment to do it.

Before you start a home workout routine, you will need to find a way to keep yourself motivated. If you go to a gym, you are going to workout. However, if you come home from work, it is very easy just to sit on the couch and watch TV instead. Decide what will help you stay on track. Try scheduling your workout in your calendar at a specific time, or setting goals with friends or family that will help you stay accountable.

Once you have a basic plan, you need to set more specific goals. Decide what kind of exercise you are going to do, how long you are going do do it, and how often you are going to do it. Write your goals down. Make your goals simple and easy to follow. Don't try to turn yourself into a workout guru overnight. If you want the best results in the long term, you will make your goals small so that you can stick to them. It wont help to set huge goals that make you frustrated and give up altogether.

You might have the determination and motivation to get started but not know what kinds of exercise you can do at home. If you like to be outside, consider walking, jogging or biking. Also, in many cities in the summer you can take free yoga classes in various parks. If you prefer to exercise inside, consider doing your basic push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, or jump rope. Other options are pilates mat exercises, yoga, dancing or tai chi. If you are having trouble figuring out what to do, try using workout videos. You can order them online, or if you do not want to spend the money, there are many free workout videos online or you can get apps on your smart phone. If you can afford it, consider making a single appointment with a personal trainer or taking a class in the form of exercise you chose so that you can get some tips on alignment and safety.

If you are used to working in the weight room at the gym, you can continue your resistance training at home. You wont even need to buy a full set of weights. Your body can provide most of the weight you need for resistance training, but you can purchase a few dumbbells or resistance bands if you want to add an even greater challenge. If you are just beginning but are interested in building muscle, it is highly advisable to start using just your body weight or very light weights. It is easy to injure yourself by exercising using too much weight too soon.

You can get a great workout from going to the gym or attending various fitness classes, but those aren't the only ways to get into shape. You can do almost any form of exercising without a gym and with very minimal equipment. All you need is some workout clothes and maybe a mat, and you can get started!