Strength Training at Homedon't forget to take your protein right after!
- So you know that strength training at home has a wide range of benefits. From increased
and maintained bone density to the increase in the ratio of muscle to fat. You know that your body will become not only more efficient but also that your joints will be under less pressure. But, perhaps your schedule, for whatever reason does not allow you to go to the gym regularly or at all. Whether work travel or childcare limit your ability to get to a gym five days a week, you can still make sure that you get a fair amount of strength training at home or in a hotel room. Doing just five simple strength exercises will work most of your major muscles and quite a few auxiliary muscles as well, with minimal equipment and space.
- You Have Options
- The standard for strength training exercises is to do three sets of 8-12 reps each with a brief rest period in between. The beauty of doing strength training at home is that just a few spare minutes in an hour can be enough time to do a set of wall push-ups. Then perhaps an hour later you have time to do some squats. If you are actually able to have a block of time to yourself that is long enough to do all of them you have two options. Either working through each exercise individually, or doing them as a series in a circuit training style, this gives a little more of a cardio workout factored in as well.
- Focus on Quality NOT Quantity
- One thing that helps is if you have a full-length mirror to watch yourself in. This is not so you can do body builder impressions and flex at your own reflection but so you can watch yourself, your posture and your form. If you watch personal trainers and well-trained athletes you can always see them looking in the mirror, it’s not just because they look so good. Remember to make each motion slowly and deliberately, you want your muscles to be doing the work, not centrifugal force. And of course, a brief warm-up and cool-down period in addition to stretching all those muscles should be something you do every time as well. So with just a little space, a small amount of time and minimal cash outlay you can begin your strength training at home, improve your health and your appearance. Those cans of Campbell’s can make you look, “mmm, mmm, good.”
Pushups
They use all the arm muscles, pectorals, deltoids and latimus dorsi. For most men and some women standard floor pushups will work. If you do not yet have the strength for floor push-ups, you can do them against the wall. Just place your feet shoulder width apart(while standing up), six inches or more from a wall and do them that way. Or you can do them on your knees.
Curls
If you do not have a set of dumbbells, head to your pantry for weights, two cans of soup or a couple bottles of water will start you off well. The water bottles in a hotel mini-bar work great for this as well.
Squats
Can be done with or without weights depending on your fitness level. Squats work the hamstrings, quads, glutes and auxiliary muscles. Always place your feet about shoulder width apart, keep your back straight and if you have any issues with your knees do not bend your legs beyond a 90 degree angle.
Lunges
Like squats, lunges can be done with or without weights. Your legs should form right angles as you lunge forward each time, going past that can hyper-extend your muscles.
Calf Raises
Work the often neglected muscles of the lower half of your legs. Placing the balls of your feet on the edge of stairs, slowly lower your heels and then raise your heels, a few inches below, then a few inches above the stair.