Did you know that performing strength exercises on a regular basis can increase metabolism by 10-15 percent? That’s right! In fact, just by incorporating 2-4 days of strength exercises weekly is all it takes to see this benefit with metabolism!
Gyms come equipped with all of the weights and machines that one could possibly ever need. Your house probably doesn’t come close to having that type of equipment—but don’t let this deter you from working out. Now is the time to adapt your workout and find creative ways to keep up your strength training routine. Here are 5 tips to help make strength training at home feel doable and effective:
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Be Creative with Equipment: You don’t need a ton of equipment to get a good strength workout. See what you have on hand: small dumbbells, resistance bands, soup cans, water bottles, laundry detergent containers, milk jugs, fill jugs or bottles with sand or rocks! Anything that gives you some resistance can work.
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Do Reps More Slowly: Performing an exercise slower, can make it feel much harder and adds an extra challenge to your muscle. If doing squats, take 4-5 seconds for lowering…pause at the bottom…and then take another 4-5 seconds coming back up. This technique can work with any exercises you add weight to as well: bicep curls, bench press/push ups, shoulder press, etc.
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Do More Reps: If you don’t have the capability to add more weight to your workouts, simply do more reps. You can still make your muscles work hard using light weights, or no weights at all. Increasing reps to 15-20 can help muscle endurance. When you reach a fatigue level of 70-90 percent, end your set.
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Try New Movements: Switch things up! When you do the same type of exercise over and over again for a long period of time, you may stop seeing results. Challenge yourself by adding new types of exercises.
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Use Technology: Take advantage of all of the free workouts online. You can find a huge selection at your fingertips. Whether you are looking for High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) routine, yoga, Pilates, or just general strength training guidelines and routines, you can find a huge variety of resources online.
If maintaining your exercise routine is something you have been concerned about, you can rest a little easier knowing that working out from home can still keep your fitness level moving along.
Blue Sky MD has an excellent Blog that contains a wide array of strength and cardio workout routines. We post a variety of exercise options ranging in intensity from beginner to more advanced levels. So, what are you waiting for? Plan out your home strength training routine and get started today!
