A Gymless Workout
-Gee
Is working out in a gym not your style? Or is the cost of paying for the gym membership too much? The good news is that working out is simply about discipline more than anything else. The gym may have all the equipment you think you need, but in reality all you need to do is be creative. If you pay attention to the movements and exercises that personal trainers use for their clients, these can all be duplicated in your home.
Just last week on “The Biggest Loser” the last four contestants ran a 26-mile marathon. Now I’m not saying running is your only choice, but it is an option just as much as walking is. Everyone is different; some people will lose weight easier than others. It really is about finding what works for you and how you can fit it in your lifestyle. Just like the reality T.V. show, the contestants still have to find ways to incorporate exercise into their everyday life without personal trainers. So what can you do? There are some basic exercises you need to know and how to correctly perform them. Here are some creative ways to work out in your own home:
All of these items are easily obtainable and most are probably already in your home. A routine should last 30 minutes for beginners and gradually work your way up to one-hour workouts, four to five days a week. The best way to work these movement exercises into a workout is to alternate through each exercise and then repeat the set at least three times. Below are some free weight exercises you can easily learn to do.
Just last week on “The Biggest Loser” the last four contestants ran a 26-mile marathon. Now I’m not saying running is your only choice, but it is an option just as much as walking is. Everyone is different; some people will lose weight easier than others. It really is about finding what works for you and how you can fit it in your lifestyle. Just like the reality T.V. show, the contestants still have to find ways to incorporate exercise into their everyday life without personal trainers. So what can you do? There are some basic exercises you need to know and how to correctly perform them. Here are some creative ways to work out in your own home:
- If you have stairs, use them! Perform three consistent sets of stairs, while alternating other exercises in between your sets.
- Invest in a jump rope. You can burn tons of calories and increase your endurance.
- You need a stepper, a bench, sturdy step stool or short sturdy ladder (any item that is safe to step up and down from).
- Free weights can be substituted with: canned foods, gallon water bottles, paint cans, detergent bottles, etc. Any item that is safe to use as free weights for bicep curls, tricep extensions and even overhead press. If it’s too light, find a heavier item. You need to do 15 repetitions of each exercise.
- Squats and lunges are great exercises that require no equipment.
- Do push-ups! No excuses. If they are too hard, perform them on your knees.
- Do sit-ups to help tighten your core muscles.
- Masking Tape. Apply tape in stacked one-foot boxes on the ground, similar to hop scotch. Use these boxes to jump in and out of, and move in all directions—it will help increase strength and balance. Remember to jump forward, backward, left and right.
- Use a rolling chair or office chair to pile weight on and push that heavy chair around the house.
- Invest in a pull-up bar and attach it to a doorway for pull-ups. Some may not be able to perform pull-ups, so balance the bar on two sturdy chairs of the same height. You can lay on the ground under the bar and pull yourself up to the bar from the ground.
- Gardening work is a great workout! If you have a shovel, rake, lawnmower, or any other work to do on the yard…get busy!
- Do not park in conveniently close parking spaces—do some extra walking.
- Elevators are also too easy—use stairs when possible!
All of these items are easily obtainable and most are probably already in your home. A routine should last 30 minutes for beginners and gradually work your way up to one-hour workouts, four to five days a week. The best way to work these movement exercises into a workout is to alternate through each exercise and then repeat the set at least three times. Below are some free weight exercises you can easily learn to do.
BICEP CURL:
TRICEP EXTENSION:
OVERHEAD PRESS:
So don’t get out to the gym, when you can get out in your own home!
Upcoming fitness events in Long Beach:
Upcoming fitness events in Long Beach:
- Holiday Hike – Parks, Recreation and Marine (Nature Center)
- Urbanfitnesschallenge.com – sign up before June 10th
