At Home Workout: Are They As Effective?
Many of us now opt to workout from home in order to save time, money and perhaps because we feel more comfortable – but is it as effective as going to the gym?
We’re going to cover several different things you need to consider if you are planning to take your workouts to the living room…
Do you get easily distracted?
It’s very easy when working from home to lose attention and focus, maybe you see some ironing that needs doing, maybe you quickly put the dishwasher on or prep the dinner. Whilst we applaud the effort to multi-task, really If you are going to do a workout, you need to be solely focused on the session for it to be effective. If you find it hard to focus at home then a gym is probably better for you in order to be 100% invested in the exercises.
Can you take time out of work?
Trying to answer emails and messages whilst doing your ab exercises is probably not the best way to be exercising at home. Similar to our point above about distraction, if you are going to workout from home you need to have that time free from work calls or team meetings if you are going to do it effectively. We recommend blocking time out in your work calendar so that you won’t be bothered during that period in order for you to switch off.
Do you have what you need for an effective workout?
Thanks to the pandemic, lots of us do now have weights at home that we can use – but it’s important to think about if they are the correct weights for you to be using. It became common to have a set of 1-3kg weights at home which is great, unless you need something stronger to push yourself. If you don’t have the right equipment at home then you will struggle to see development in your training as your body will not be pushing to the correct level. Simple things like kettlebells/resistance bands/pilates balls/skipping ropes are all easy and relatively cheap things to have at home!
Are you confident in technique?
Good technique is essential and if you are unsure about whether you are doing exercises correctly, particularly if you have been injured previously then a gym would be a better setting for you. When working out from home it is vital that you are doing exercises correctly and with good technique to avoid injury or strain. If you lack confidence with exercise then we highly suggest a 1-1 or class setting where an instructor can check your form.
Do you need accountability for your fitness?
If you are someone who knows that you will skip a session, or find a reason not to do a workout, then a gym or class setting is probably the better choice. Accountability is very important when it comes to consistency in fitness and sometimes being booked in with a trainer or a class can make sure that you turn up and take time for yourself. If you do decide to workout from home, a good tip is to create a workout calendar or planner where you can tick off your sessions, this will help you to keep track of your consistency.
To summarise, there are a number of benefits to working out from home, particularly if you are pressed for time or want to save money.
However, we urge everyone to consider the above points especially when thinking about form and technique as this is the best way to exercise safely and effectively.
If you know you get distracted easily then it would probably be best for you to come into a space where you can fully switch off from work rather than trying to multi-task!
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