It can be hard to get into strength training at home if you are used to working out at the gym. You will find all the equipment you need in your gym: dumbbells and kettlebells, weight machines, resistance bands, cardio machines, and barbells.
Your house is probably not as impressive. You might have a resistance band or mini-band. You may find an old kettlebell if you look hard enough in the garage. You might also have some gear, such as a couple of dumbbells. But they are lighter than the ones you use at the gym.
As with most other aspects of your life, your workout routine has been affected by the spread of the coronavirus. It's natural to feel stressed.
However, don't worry if your fitness will suffer because you won't have your usual equipment. Strength and endurance are two things that tend to stay for a while.
He says, "Even though we may not be training at the same intensity and frequency as we used to, any activity we can do within this time frame to keep active and remind our muscles/nerve system what physical activity feels and feels like is going help us to maintain quite a bit of these qualities."
If you have been stressed about maintaining your fitness, it is time to relax. You can work out at home and still maintain your health. You might not feel as difficult at home if they have stressed you out. We also cover this.
Here are 10 tips you should try to do strength training at home. Feel way more effective, regardless of what equipment you may (or may not) have.
1.Your range of motion can be increased.
Gentilcore says that increasing your range and motion can make it more difficult to do exercises without adding weight.
He says, "When your muscles are doing more work, they have a longer range in motion."
This is an easy way: Instead of doing a traditional split squat, which is a stationary lunge, you can raise your front foot on a step or a book.
Will bring your leg down and up a greater distance.
This will allow you to feel your leg working with less weight, which means you'll do fewer reps. Sumo squats can also be done by elevating your feet.
The weight of the sumo squats will travel further if you have one. The same principle applies to push-ups. Your range of motion can be increased by elevating your feet on a coffee table or stool.
2.Perform your reps slower.
It may seem counterintuitive, but slowing down an exercise can make it more difficult, according to Dane Miklaus C.S.C.S.S., C.E.O. of Work training center in Irvine, California.
Won't you believe this? The next time you do bodyweight squats, spend 4 to 5-seconds on the lowering phase and then stop at the bottom. After that, take 4 or 5-second breaks before coming up.
Gentilcore explains that when you pause in the hold for 1, 2, 3, or even 5 seconds, you are mechanically in the weaker position. You must maintain tension and keep your body weight there. "You're putting your muscles under strain longer than necessary."
This technique works well for exercises where you'd generally use weight, such as dumbbell rows. But, the weight is not as heavy. Pause at the end to allow you to return to your starting position. This would mean holding it for two seconds at the top position until your elbow is above your back.
Gentilcore states that these pauses also have an added benefit. "It keeps people accountable with technique." "You can't cheat," which means you shouldn't jerk any weight through the reps.
3.Try unfamiliar movements.
Miklaus explains that when you learn a new move, there's a delay from the moment your brain attempts to understand it to the time it masters it. It's a great way to improve your workout by trying new things a lot.
It can also mean learning new movements, like a lateral lunch instead of a traditional forward or backward lunge. You won't smoke if you don't do Pilates. Similar applies to barre, yoga, and HIIT.
"Just step outside your comfort zone in your home workout. Stream a video about something you've never tried before, he suggests. These free home workout apps are a great way to get started.
4.Use new rep schemes.
Different reps can be used to challenge your brain and body. It doesn't have always to be straight up-down.
Gentilcore prefers "1-1/2" reps. This is where you add a half-rep to the end.
He explains that if you do a kettlebell deadlift from the floor, you will go up, lockout at the top, then go halfway down and lock it again. Then, you will go back to the ground. You can make lighter loads appear heavier by increasing the time under tension.
Miklaus also suggests the start-stop rep. You'll have to use more force to make it move again, unlike with a pause.
This can be done with a push-up. You can do this by pulling your shoulders together until your palms touch the floor. You're preventing momentum from allowing you to push up into a plank by lifting your hands off of the ground.
This makes the start-stop reps harder. It would also work if you squat to a low, sturdy stool or bench. Then, stand up from the bench.
5.Supersets can be used to create new ideas.
Straight-sets weightlifter. I like to complete my set, then take at least 2 minutes of rest before starting again. This keeps me more energised to lift heavier weights in each group.
However, if you are strength training at home and don't have large weights to lift, supersets (when you don't rest between two exercises) can be a lot more appealing. Supersets that target the same muscle groups can help pre-exhaust muscles, so you feel the challenge but don't need to do tons of reps.
Walking lunges (or regular lungs, depending on your space) are one of his favourite exercises. You do three reps and then move into tempo squats (either with bodyweight or light dumbbells). A pause and 5 seconds follow a five-second down phase to get back up.
He says that you can apply the same principle to upper-body exercises, such as pushing in push-ups, chest presses, overhead press, or pushing in push-ups instead of lunges and sit-ups. This is the approach I use with my workouts. I love that my muscles still work hard, but I don't have as many reps to get there.
6. Focus on single-leg work.
Unilateral exercises involve working one side at a time. For example, a split squat or lunge. These exercises are more complex than those for bilateral moves and require lower weights.
She suggests focusing on unilateral movements when you don’t have access or the ability to lift heavier weights. It is also good to slow down during the eccentric (or lowering) phase.
7. Perform more reps.
You can make exercise more challenging by adding weight. Do you strength train at home, and that is not an option? Doing more reps is another option.
Miklaus says that you can still make your muscles work harder by using lighter weights or no weights. However, Miklaus suggests increasing the number of reps. Miklaus says that you should stop the set when you feel 70-90 percent fatigued. It's like having a few reps in your reserve so that you don't fail on every set.
Gentilcore says that higher rep counts (e.g., 15 to 20) can help increase your muscular endurance. This can be an excellent chance for those who lift heavier weights at the gym.
Although increasing your rep count can make exercises seem harder, it is important to be cautious about high-rep workouts popping up on social media. For example, 100 squats and 100 push-ups. 100 crunches could also be a great option.
Gentilcore warns that if your body isn't used to performing in such high-rep levels – and let's face it, who is? – your form may suffer. It can also stress your joints and expose you to injury.
Real talk: Although doing more reps can be more effective, it can bore you if you do this for every exercise. You might also want to consider these alternative options as a welcome change.
8.Mini-bands can be used for all aspects of your workout, not just the warm-up.
Mini-bands and resistance bands are great tools for stretching or warming up. Now is the perfect time to make them double their usefulness.
Miklaus states that mini-bands can elevate a lot of things. Miklaus says that it is pulling your legs together when the band is around your ankles or shins. This makes squats and deadlifts more difficult.
The result? The exact amount of muscular fatigue, but with less weight and fewer reps.
9. Create your own "weights," using what you have in your house.
If you can look with an open mind, your home could be a treasure chest of resistance. If you only need to eat soup, the standard cans can be used. However, if your eyes are open, you may weigh a lot more.
Water and milk jugs tend to be slightly heavier than water, while bottles are somewhat lighter. You can also use the handles to move, such as rows with the jars.
Miklaus states that you can fill the jugs other than water to increase their weight. You could also use sand or a mixture between pebbles, water, or both. Miklaus' client even created his own set of "dumbbells" using concrete from different sizes of bottles. We appreciate the effort, though it is a bit more expensive.
Bags of cat food and cat litter can add a lot of weight. He suggests that if your experience lifting is good and you know how much weight you should feel on the back, such as doing a barbell back squat or barbell lunge, you can fill up a backpack and carry the books around to do the exercises.
Non-weight equipment can be mimicked slides or gliders. These can be used for leg curls and abs exercises. Miklaus suggests that you can use towels on hardwood floors and disposable plates or Tupperware lids on the carpet.
You can DIY your weights by taking some time to adjust to them. Do some practice reps slowly and ensure your form is consistent before starting your first work set.
10. Combining these tips will result in a more intense workout.
These tips are not meant to be taken in isolation. Many of them work in happy harmony together and can help you face even more challenges.
If you create a superset that targets the same muscle groups as your previous exercise, you can ensure your first exercise has a different range of motion.
You do split-squat with one foot raised and your other hand holding a water bottle. You can then follow up by doing a bodyweight push-up with a mini band around your knees.
Fagan says you can also choose a single-leg exercise and play with the tempo.
Fagan suggests that you do Bulgarian splits squats. This involves putting one foot up on your back and doing it for 5 seconds. After you're done, you should pause for 2 seconds at the bottom and quickly get back up. Imagine if I said that you could do the same exercise at a slower pace but with 15 pounds each.
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