Working out at home has become one of the fastest-growing global trends in recent years. A home gym setup gives us the freedom to choose when to work out, when to rest, and allows us to manage our precious time and money, all in one neat package.
Not only that, but studies show that keeping fit reduces your rate of mortality and boosts your mental well-being at the same time.
If you’re looking to better your own health, keep reading. In this article, we’ll take you through some things to consider to avoid making mistakes with home workouts—something worth considering before outfitting your home gym setup.
Home Gym Equipment
You can find a plethora of products designed to suit your workout needs and space constraints, like multi-functional home gyms, but maybe your budget doesn’t allow for that comprehensive, full-body workout machine, so what can you do?
Several hacks are available to fill your toolbox and still get a decent workout. For example, bottles filled with sand or water can be an excellent substitute for smaller weights, and compact rigs that attach to door frames and staircases, like pull-up bars, take up less space. Additionally, they can be packed away when you’re not using them.
Cardio at Home
We’re all aware cardio burns calories, which is one of the main reasons to include it in your weekly workout routine. But another important factor for cardiovascular training is heart health, which is a great way to prevent cardiovascular disease.
All too often, we focus too much on building physical muscle because, let’s get real, cardio is hard work. But if you really want to get fit, you should understand that the heart is the most important muscle in the body. And it needs a good workout, too.
Investing in a decent heart rate monitor will ensure you don’t overexert or undertrain yourself. Breathing is also important. You want to keep your breath even and not labored.
Common Mistakes With Home Workouts
It’s easy to think that you have everything covered once you’ve set up your home gym, but let’s explore some of the most common pitfalls newbies, and seasoned enthusiasts make when starting a weekly workout routine at home.
1. Doing the Same Routine Every Day
Our bodies are built for acclimating, so having a varied program ensures you don’t run the risk of training the same muscle groups over and over again at the expense of others that get little to no attention.
2. Not Resting Enough
While resting between sets is vital, it’s essential to take a day or two off to give your muscles a chance to grow and repair. Too much exercise puts stress on the body by increasing the risk of injuries and ultimately reducing the effectiveness of your workout.
Additionally, getting enough sleep at night reduces overall fatigue (think about how amped you won’t be to work out if you’re tired). It also helps maintain a healthy appetite and your weight, by extension.
3. Overdoing It on the Cardio
We all want to lose that annoying belly fat, and while cardio is one of the fastest ways to burn calories, it isn’t the only way to push up your metabolism.
Muscle burns more calories, pound for pound, so improving your strength gains with weight training will see you reaching your goals in record time.
4. Lifting Too Much, or Too Little
By lifting too little, you may never see the results you want when it comes to strength and muscle growth, while lifting too much can lead to a loss in form and put a strain on your posture.
An honest approach to weight training, by leveling up appropriately, will give you the desired results and keep you from accruing injuries that need time off to heal.
5. Having an Improper Diet
Balancing your diet is a critical component when it comes to keeping your muscle cells healthy and strong. An improperly balanced diet leads to nutrient and mineral deficiencies and won’t allow adequate repair to take place.
Including protein in your diet helps build and repair your muscle tissue, while carbohydrates give you the necessary energy required to crush that high-intensity workout.
6. Not Stretching Enough
It is important to stretch and lengthen your muscles after a workout. This will keep your muscles flexible, reduce future injuries, and help reduce tension in the affected areas after they’ve been targeted.
A good stretching session will also help you iron out all those kinks you get from sitting at a desk all day.
7. Having the Incorrect Form
Proper form is key. Without the appropriate form, you run the risk of hurting yourself and destroying your hard-won gains. It’s essential that no matter what workout you’re doing, whether it’s yoga, weight training, or circuit training, you find out what the correct form is by doing all the research you can.
Mirrors can be a great tool for observing your form in action. When in doubt, don’t be afraid to consult a professional like brighterfitness.net, fitnesstown.ca, or crunch.com.au.
8. Not Having a Committed Plan
The hardest part of any workout is showing up, and the first few weeks of adapting to your routine will be the toughest. If you want to stick to a workout schedule, make sure to set aside time to be there for yourself.
Remember, habits are formed over time, and expecting them to kick in from the start is not the best way to set yourself up for greatness.
Start Working Out Today
Everyone makes mistakes with home workouts, but if you do your research, you can save yourself the pain that comes with working out incorrectly. Also, with all this information at your fingertips, it’s hard to find an excuse not to exercise.
If you have a spare room to outfit as a gym, that’s great, but just keep it real if that isn’t possible. Use what’s available to you. Just make sure you have adequate room to move. And don’t forget to hydrate!
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