Yesterday I spoke about some fun classes you can attend at a local gym. What if you don't live close to a gym? There is still lots you can do from home. Now that I have moved further from my rec center, I find that the 1 hour round trip can be better spent at home working out. Here are some things I use to help me stay on task at home.
Try some free online video's. There are ton's of videos on You Tube of just about every kind of work out. Cross Fit, Zumba, Turbo Kick, Weight Training, Yoga and many others. One of my favorite videos is this Jillian Michale's video from Be Fit. It is a combo of short cardio exercises, strength training and abs all in one single video. She uses some light weights in it. If you don't have any weights try a heavy soup can or fill a gallon jug. Growing up we didn't have weights yet that didn't stop my brother. He would rinse and fill empty milk jugs with water. I'm sure if you look hard enough you can find something to use or buy some really inexpensive weights off Craig's List.
Try the app Nike Training Plus. My cousin showed this to me over the holidays, and it was an instant love/hate relationship. The training app has tons of workouts to do. You start out by picking a goal. For instance you can choose to get lean, to get tone or to develop muscle strength. There is also a list of 15 minute workouts each targeting different parts of your body. You can then choose an intensity level for your work out. They kick my butt, quite literally sometimes. I suggest downloading the app and at least giving it a try. What's the worst that could happen, you burn calories and look silly?
Near me are a lot of running trails. This makes biking and running close and easy. Well not easy, but easier then driving to a gym. It's the time of year where, 5K's, 10K's, half and full marathons are everywhere. I recommend just scheduling one. Once you have paid the money you won't want it to go to waste, and you'll start running. There are lots of running training guides on pinterest, the internet and even the app I mentioned, NTC. Another app I love for running is Time Keeper. Not only will it track your running distance and time, it also has training plans and target paces. For more on running check back tomorrow when I dive into this topic a lot more.
When working out from home sometimes it's ok to not go crazy and just stick to the basics. Simple exercises like jumping jacks, lunges, squats, jump rope, sit ups and push ups. I recommend a mixture of cardio and strength for the fastest results. Try doing 3 minutes of cardio, then 3 minutes of strength at least 3 times, that's a total of 18 minutes. Plus with 4 minutes before and after of stretching you are at 24 minutes. That's like watching a half hour episode of your choice.
Some great cardio that can tire you out (which is the point) are burpees. Here is a one minute clip on burpees and how to modify them.
Try doing stair runs if you have stairs. Do them in intervals like up one, and down, up two and down, up three and back down, and so on. Or just run up and down for 3 minutes straight. Alternate jumping jacks and jumping rope.
Some of my favorite strength training exercises from home are sit ups, squats, and planks. Squats can be done while waiting for some water to boil, or for an independent kid to finish getting dressed. Planks are also one of the best exercises, because they work so much of your body. Here is a video clip of me doing some of my favorite planks and sit-ups. Keep in mind I am not an expert and either is my help on making the video. You should get the general idea though.
These are some tips and idea's to help you work out from home. I recommend mixing it up every now and then. Keep your body guessing. Come back tomorrow for more on running.
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