Health & Wellness Wednesdays

“When working out, length is not a substitute for intensity.” ― Bill Loguidice

Looking to improve your fitness? You don’t need a fancy gym membership to get a good workout. You can get great exercise at home — on your terms!

The importance of exercise is well known. It’s good for your heart, strengthens your muscles, reduces stress, and so much more. But finding the time and energy to workout is often much easier said than done, especially when you have to make your way to the gym. Luckily, there’s an easier way to get the fitness you need: exercising at home.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, like a brisk walk, weekly. The CDC also says that intense workouts, like jogging and running, should be done for 75 minutes each week. If you want to improve your fitness even more, you can add two hours of strength training to your workouts weekly. While those numbers may seem daunting at first, with some planning and a minimal investment in equipment, these fitness goals can be accomplished in the comfort of your own home. In fact, it’s likely that once you realize the benefits of home exercise, you may never go back to the gym again.

The top five benefits of exercising at home

Still undecided about starting an exercise program at home? These five benefits will give you the motivation to begin your journey to better health. Home exercise:

Fits into your schedule. Joining a gym means abiding by their hours. But what if you’re running late and can’t make it to the gym before they close? Or what if you don’t have time for a full workout because you had some extra meetings that made you run late? With a home workout, you can fit exercise into your schedule — and you don’t have to set aside an hour or two for exercise. If you work at home, you can take short breaks at your convenience to slip in a quick workout. You’ll be surprised how quickly those short breaks add up into a real workout!

Is less expensive. You don’t need pricey equipment to stock your home gym. An exercise mat, a pair of dumbbells, and a resistance band are all you really need, and they don’t cost much. And there are plenty of free online exercise videos you can follow at home to get guidance. However, if you’re serious about creating a home gym, you may want to buy an exercise bike, treadmill, or other equipment. While the initial purchase price for one of these devices may be high, it’s a one-time investment. Compare that to a gym membership with monthly fees that add up over time — especially if you aren’t taking advantage of it regularly. 

Lets you set the pace. Unlike signing up for a gym class, you can choose the exercises you want to do and go at your own pace. You can tailor an exercise program to your strengths and limitations, and vary the intensity, building up over time instead of potentially pushing yourself too far and risking injury. Best of all, you’re not “competing” against other gym members. You can set a goal for yourself, whether it be losing weight or improving flexibility, and work toward it.

Is private. For many, the best part of working out at home is the privacy. While it’s unlikely that people are watching you exercise at the gym, knowing that there are no potentially prying eyes around often helps people feel more comfortable.

Keeps you moving year-round. Exercising outdoors is great — except when it rains or snows. And working out in extreme cold or hot can be dangerous. An indoor workout can be done anytime of year, no matter the weather. That means fewer excuses and a more consistent exercise schedule. 

Start your home exercise program today!

Now that you know the benefits of home exercise, it’s time to create your own workout. Whether you’re interested in strength training exercises that can easily be done at home, like planks, lunges, pushups or even weightlifting, or if you’re more focused on cardio based on virtual classes, there are plenty of different ways to get your workout in at home.

Do you want to start working out, but you’re worried about orthopedic injury? At New York Bone & Joint Specialists, our experts can help you design an at-home workout customized to your needs so you can stay safe and fit. Contact us today for a consultation.

Activity, Fitness & Sport

What is your favorite way to get strength training into your workout routine?