Lack of gym access has been a problem for a very large percentage of people for almost a year now. Some people have lost muscle, endurance, motivation, or just gave up entirely over the course of the lockdown. Access to equipment online has been limited, with everything being either out of stock or doubled in price. So today I'm going to take you through a few things that you can do to make training at home effective until you can get back in the gym.
Bodyweight Exercises:
Bodyweight training may be seen as ineffective to some more experienced people because its easy for them, or to less experienced people who may find it too difficult, but it's really much more effective than you might think when done correctly for your skill level.
A prime example is the pushup. If you find pushups to be too difficult for you, there are a few things you can do.
1. Do knee pushups, or find an inclined surface to perform them on like a bench or table. These will lighten the load you need to move in order to complete the movement.
2. Correct your form! Many people who struggle with pushups are executing them improperly.
On the other hand, if you find pushups to be too easy for you, there are things you can do as well.
1. Slow down! Focus on time under tension and perform the movement at half the speed you normally would (I personally like to pause for a second in the middle of each rep).
2. Add some variation! If normal pushups are easy for you, start incorporating pushup variations like decline, diamond, clap, or weighted if possible.
Weight Creativity:
While exercise equipment is hard to come by these days, not all of your equipment needs to be "real" workout equipment. Plenty of things can be done with items around your house, or even things you can buy for a couple dollars. Some examples include:
Cinderblocks: My personal favorite. You can grab some cinderblocks for pretty cheap from most home improvement stores, and they work well for adding to your makeshift home gym. (I recommend using gloves and working with a partner for this one.)
Gallons: Gallons of water are also helpful in adding weight, and you can find gallons with different types of handles to meet your personal requirements.
Backpacks: Find an old backpack and fill it up with books, rocks, water bottles, or whatever else meets your needs for weight.
Additional Items: Furniture, Clothes Baskets, Buckets
Motivation:
When it comes to training at home, not everything can be optimal. One big thing that is hardest to maintain when training from home is motivation. You may feel low energy, lack of enthusiasm, and just a general feeling that you may be wasting time and energy without making progress. This is something that can change. Following the previous steps is a good place to start, and following that, finding what will personally motivate you is key.
For some, that may be a physical goal such as hitting a certain bodyweight or maybe performing a certain amount of consecutive pushups. For others, motivation may come from something like watching their inspirations. This may be youtubers, professional athletes, or even movies (I mean come on, drink some pre-workout and watch a Rocky training montage and tell me you don't get absolutely hyped to go get a good workout in).
It's all about knowing yourself, and knowing what to do. One of biggest things that can help you maximize your training at home is to have a plan to follow, and someone to help you follow it. Click right here, and help us help you get where you know you want to be.
-Hunter W