How To Start Working Out At Home

As we emerge from lockdown and try and go back to some sort of normality the gym landscape and personal training landscape has changed dramatically, and more and more people are trying to work out at home.

Working out from home can be very effective, and there is no reason why you can’t achieve the results you desire once you set yourself up for success.
This post gives ten tips to do just that and help you to start working out from home.

Whilst starting is the most crucial part, there is no guarantee that it will turn into a routine you can stick to. 

When it comes to working out from home, it is more important to set yourself up for success and create a manageable, lasting habit that keeps you engaged, happy and fit. 

Now let’s go into each point in detail to have you working out from home in no time.

Have A Goal

It is imperative before you start any training or exercise routine that you have a goal and that the goals you set are SMART goals.

Training and exercise programs are very specific and structured, and your goals need to be the same to give you the best chance to succeed.

This topic is a post in itself, but luckily I have already created it with a free PDF template which you can check out here: https://raisingthebar.fitness/setting-fitness-goals-and-keeping-them

Know Your Why

Similar to goal setting, you also need to know your WHY.
Why do you want to work out from home? Why do you want to achieve this goal?
Knowing your Why is what is going to keep you pushing yourself and sticking to the program.

Without it, it is very easy to drift and lose focus.
Just like goal setting establishing you’re why takes a bit of thought and inward reflection.

You can find a full post with free PDF on knowing you’re why here:
https://raisingthebar.fitness/know-your-fitness-why

Find The Right Program

Once you have established your goal and your why now you need to find and chose the right training program for you.

When selecting the right training program, there are a few points you need to establish:

1) Is the program designed to achieve your specific goal?
If your goal is to lose weight, then purchasing a bulk up program is not for you.
Find a program that is in line with goals and designed to achieve the same outcome.
Don’t forget that working out from home is part of your goal so the training program needs to one that you can follow from home. 

2) Will you have the space and equipment required in the program?
Now that we have limited access to gyms and more of us are training from home, the programs we chose are limited to the space and equipment that you have available.
Make sure you check the specific program requirements before you start and if you do not have the equipment required find one that fits in with what you have available, to begin with.

3) Is this program achievable and created for you?
If you are new to working out, you need to ensure that the program is designed for beginners. Likewise, if you are an avid trainer, you don’t want to end up with an at-home training program aimed at beginners.
Chose a program that is challenging but that you believe is achievable and aimed at your starting fitness level.

4) Will you enjoy it?
So with this point, I know that a lot of people at first don’t enjoy pushing their body to the max and exerting themselves so don’t let that be a determining factor here.
What I am really asking and what you need to ask yourself is “is this training something that you will enjoy and stick at?”
A decent program will be tough and challenging at the start but should be enjoyable enough to you that you stick with it, don’t pick something you detest just because of the results that are promised because if you don’t stick to it, you won’t get the results.

5) Find one plan and stick to it for its entirety!
Once you have ensured the first four points and found the plan, you want.
Stick to that plan and stop googling or looking for more plans after that.
Follow it exactly, as it is laid out and believe in the process.
Stick to it for its entirety all plans are (or at least should be) created to achieve the goal they specify, but the plan/program will only do that if you complete it exactly as it is laid out and finish it.

For more of a deep dive into fitness plans and how to progress them give https://raisingthebar.fitness/body-transformation-plan a read

Free Up Your Calendar And Eliminate Distractions

Now that you have your base locked down its time to start work!

First, you want to ensure that all training sessions specified on your plan have been blocked out on your calendar and that you free and uncontactable for those periods.

If you use a calendar app such as google calendar not only should you plug in your workout periods but set reminders for pre-workout meal, and any prep you need.

You also need to eliminate distractions, especially if you live with family or are in a shared environment.

Make sure everyone knows what you are doing and that you are not to be disturbed during these times, or better still get them to join in with you (as long as it is not going to distract you from your workout)

Create A Space

Regardless of the home workout, you have chosen, you are going to need a certain amount of space to perform all the exercises effectively and safely.

And while you don’t need a spare garage or a gym ensure before beginning that you have the adequate space required before starting.

Acquire The Equipment You Need

There are more and more no equipment required workouts out there, but let’s face it by adding in even the simplest of equipment you get an extra bang for your buck. 

And some muscle groups are more challenging than others to hit effectively without equipment (like back), so the chances are that your chosen plan will have some equipment or you will need to purchase some when it comes to progressing the program.

Make sure you have what you need ready before you start to avoid delays and disruptions to your training.

Check out: Best Home Gym Setup for Lifting Weights at Home

Dress The Part

I am a firm believer in dressing for the occasion, and over the last few months during the lock-down, social life, work-life, family life, and training life have all merged into one.

Just by changing your clothes, you change your mindset, and you shift out of what whatever mode you were in and into workout mode.

I like to get changed into my workout gear about fifteen minutes before the workout to get my head in the game and fire up beast mode.

Make Yourself Accountable And Track Progress

Accountability is vital to succeed when it comes to building a training habit.
If you try to go it entirely alone who is going to let know when your off track? who is going to motivate you when you’re talking yourself out of a training session? and who is going to congratulate you when you’re smashing it?
Unfortunately, no one!
Which is why you need to find an accountability buddy.

Whether its a friend or family member you need to chose someone who is honest blunt and you know isn’t going to allow you to cheat yourself.

With any program, you need to track your results as you go.
Tracking starts building the mindset of being accountable to yourself.
Tracking shows you what’s working and how you are progressing and tracking alone can help motivate you and keep you on track.

Check out the consumersadvocate.org post on The Best Fitness Trackers based on in-depth reviews

As always if you need help please let me know and I can guide you through the process.
Contact Me: Click Here

Don’t Cheat Yourself

If you are training at home, the chances are you are going it alone with the exception of your accountability partner so what’s to stop you taking multiple breaks or missing a session or everyone’s favourites making excuses to why you can’t train. 

This is where a lot of the other techniques I coach come into play like knowing you’re why, having a goal, tracking your progress and being accountable.

You need to adopt and develop what I like to call a “whatever it takes attitude.”

You created your goals you know you’re WHY now you are going to do whatever it takes to achieve that, and your accountability partner should be someone who is going to let you know when you stray. 

The only person you are going to be cheating at this stage by not sticking to the program is yourself, so don’t be that person don’t cheat yourself.

Stick To The Plan – Create The Habit

When you adopt that whatever it takes mindset, then this step becomes easy. 

All you have to do is stick to the plan!

Your program will have every little step laid out for you all you need to do is show up and follow it, the only way to build a habit is to do it consistently and do it over time.

The 21/90 rule states that it takes 21 days to make a habit and 90 days to make it a permanent lifestyle change. 

Whether you are going to continue working out from home or go back to the gym at some point, you need to make training a permanent lifestyle change, so stick to the plan and don’t stop!