Top Tips For Training At Home

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Quarantine restrictions have resulted in many people having to move their exercise programs into their own lounge rooms. With a few simple ideas, it’s possible to train at home in a way that is safe, effective and fun.

Obviously the closure of gyms has meant that hundreds of thousands of people have lost access to weights, fitness classes and cardio machines that were central to their fitness programs. Swimming pools are shut leaving lap swimmers and aqua aerobics enthusiasts without their training venue. Bootcamps are out, tennis courts padlocked, the soccer season didn’t even get started, dance classes, spin classes - gone, gone, gone.

There are still many options available to us, and with a little bit of knowledge and some simple tips you can take this opportunity to come out the other side of this time feeling fit, strong and healthy.

How To Make Your Walk / Run Effective

Thankfully in Australia we still have the option of going for a walk or run which I encourage everyone to do daily. Here are a few things to try next time you head out.

Include intervals - Always start with a warm up of 5-10 minutes. Then decide on a time or distance (e.g. 1 minute or to the end of the road) and go hard. Whether it’s a power walk or an all out sprint, the goal is to increase your heart rate for a short period of time, then slow down and recover. Do this 3-4 times during your walk / run.
Hit the hills - Another option is to find a hill or a set of stairs and power walk or sprint up them as fast as you can. Walk down slowly to recover and go again. 3-4 times is enough to get your heart pumping.
Change the terrain - Uneven surfaces are fantastic for improving your stability and strengthening ankles and knees. If you’re lucky enough to live near the bush or the beach, rocky paths and sand are perfect surfaces to challenge your stability. Of course, be careful and sensible on these surfaces as a twisted ankle will be of no use to anyone!

How To Train At Home Effectively

Training at home can be really fun if you set yourself up well and follow a balanced program.

Start with a safety check - I know it sounds simple, but always check that your training area is clear of sharp edged coffee tables, pieces of lego and hot cups of coffee. Keep your eye out for animals and small children that may come across your path.
Follow a professional program - It’s helpful to follow a program designed by a fitness professional for both safety and variety. Variety of movement will lead to less chance of injury as well as an improved fitness outcome.
Exercise more often and for less time - Sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day and then smashing our bodies at the gym for an hour is not at all how our bodies are intended to move. With more flexibility in our days, we are able to weave in exercise in smaller, more regular increments (who’s going to judge us if we’re in our active wear all day?). Start the day with an online Fit My Day training session, at lunchtime do 10 minutes of stretches, then in the afternoon take the dog / kids / yourself for a walk. Weaving movement throughout the day in small increments of time is fantastic for both our physical and mental health.
Increase your padding - (And I don’t mean the padding on your body, so step away from the cookie!) I am referring to the padding you have under you when you exercise at home. Jumping up and down on a hard surface can be tough on the joints. Consider piling up a couple of rugs in your training area, or train outside on the grass to help absorb some of the shock. If you have the space, you could consider purchasing some rubber tiles (these are the ones I purchased) and line a corner of the garage or back deck. Placing a folded towel under your hands for push ups, under your elbows for planks, or under your back for sit ups is a simple way to reduce the impact on your joints when training at home.
Be creative - I know many of us are missing our training equipment such as battle ropes, medicine balls and boxing gloves. But with a little creativity you can come up with some of your own training tools. Fill your shopping bags with heavy books and do some bicep curls or run up and down the stairs with them in hand. Modify push ups with your hands on a chair, or put your feet on a chair to increase the challenge. If you have a pool, jump in and tread water for 5 minutes. Fill bottles of milk with sand and press them overhead. Keep an eye out for things around the house that you can add to your program to challenge you and keep you interested.

Training at home is not only possible, but can be highly effective and really fun. Keep focussed on what you can do rather than what you can’t do and keep moving each and every day.

by Angie Black