Tips for Working Out at Home

So, I usually work out at the gym, but sometimes that's not possible. For instance, my car broke down the other morning (darn you, 14 year old alternator!), so I can't hit up the gym until we get it fixed. What to do until then? WORK OUT AT HOME!!!

Lots of people work out at home, for various reasons. Sometimes they're too embarrassed to go to the gym, or they can't afford a gym membership, or getting to the gym is just too difficult because they work long hours or don't have a car and would have to rely on the bus. Well, luckily, there are lots of things out there that can help you get in shape at home, and if you make good use of your time and use the proper equipment, you'll be quite successful! These are the things you may need:

Space
Well, this one is obvious. You can't be doing jumping jacks or lunges or pushups if you don't have enough room. Make sure you have a space big enough so that you're not running into your furniture or catching your limbs/clothing on corners of things. To ensure you don't get injured, clear a big enough space.

Weights
If you work hard enough and do the right moves, you don't really need the machines at the gym. The key is to use heavier weights to challenge yourself. I see trainers at my gym giving their ladies 5 pound dumbbells, and I think it's quite a shame. Sure, 5 pounds is enough if you're just starting out, but you should be consistently increasing those weights over time. The thing is that people think that the more reps you do, the stronger you'll get. But the truth is that the more power and strength you demand from your muscles, the quicker they'll adapt. So instead of curling 5 pounds for 12 reps, do 10 for 6-8. You want to use a weight heavy enough that you can use it for 6-8 reps of what you're doing, but can't do more than 10 reps maximum with it. The key to making working out at home successful is to push yourself.

A Plan
Anyone who doesn't go into the gym with a plan is probably going to waste a lot of time. I write out all of my workouts in a notebook before the gym, and I take that notebook with me. When I'm done with something, I check it off, and if I changed my planned weights, I make a note.
Having a plan when working out at home can be a little difficult if you don't know what to do for what your goals are. Luckily, there are tons of plans out there already! Look on bodybuilding.com and you can find tons. Oxygen magazine puts workout plans in each new issue, and you can look up exercises on their website (oxygenmag.com). I actually started working with weights because of the workout in their January issue (I can scan it and email it to you if you let me know you want it...it's awesome!). Oxygen also releases guides every few months that are sold on magazine racks and they're all focused on a certain body part or goal. I also like the Women's Health Big Book of Exercises. It's literally full of hundreds of exercises with good instructions, and there are workout plans in the back. It's pretty sweet!

Other Aids
If you don't want to put much thought into planning your own workout for doing at home, you can always rely on video workouts. The type of equipment you'll need varies on what you pick. Most of them will require some kind of weights and maybe a workout mat. Pilates based ones may require more equipment. The great thing about workout videos is that you can always find one for your level and goal. If you're a new exerciser, you could try a Biggest Loser video ( I have a few, and they're pretty low-impact/easy). Or if you're more advanced or want more intense workouts, you could try P90X or Insanity, which are both made by Beachbody. Beachbody also makes TurboJam, which is a fun, dance-type workout (which I have also tried). A lot of people start out with Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred, which is what I did when I started working out way back when. It's a good starting point, because it's designed to be 30 days, and it's pretty well rounded.
For more advanced exercisers, there are two things I'd like to point out. If you have a smartphone, there are TONS of apps related to exercising. Some are even free. The Nike Training Club app is free and unfortunately only for iPhone so far. I tried it for the first time yesterday, doubting it's difficulty at first. That is, until my arms were jelly, my quads were on fire (and that's not easy to do to my beast legs), and I was literally dripping sweat off my face. What I like best about it is that it doesn't cop out on the weights. It had you select your fitness level and type of exercise you want to do, and then it tells you how much weight to use within a range. It told me to use 12-20lb weights for my workout, and that's great! No more telling women they need puny weights! The only thing I didn't like is they don't give you a pause between exercises to get set up for the next one, so that eats into your time a bit.
And for people who don't have an iPhone, but have the interwebz, another great resource is bodyrock.tv. You do need extra equipment for their workouts, but not for all of them, and you can modify some of the moves to work with what you have if you don't want to buy the extra equipment. They've also started doing real time workout videos and posting them on their website, so you can do the workout with them and follow their timing and see them struggle right along with you. Their workouts are short, intense, and don't waste your time.

Extras
There are lots of other things you can incorporate into your home workouts. Bosu balls, stability balls, skipping ropes, a TRX system or other resistance band workout system, pull-up bars...all are things easy to use at home. And for when you're not strength training and want to do some cardio, well just go outside! Go for a speed walk, go for a run, go swimming, go biking. The possibilities are endless!

There's not a lot you need to work out at home, and the monetary investment is definitely doable for most people on a budget. You can slowly accumulate what you need and will use over time. And of course, there are tons of bodyweight only exercises that are great for beginners to get started, and then they can move up to equipment when they're ready.

The one sticking point about working out at home is finding the motivation. I don't know about you, but if I have to work out at home, it's difficult to get going. The drive to the gym is something that really mentally prepares me. So make sure you're finding the proper motivation. Maybe taking a walk around the block will help clear your mind and focus you. Maybe it's best that you get your work out in before you ever turn the tv on for the day. Maybe getting dressed in your work out clothes as soon as you get up will help you focus. Whatever you do, make sure you find a strategy to block out all the distractions that home can offer so you can really focus. A focused work out will do wonders for you, even if you can't use fancy gym equipment.

Do you work out at home? Do you have tips to share or questions to ask? Leave a comment!
<3 Amanda