Working out at home can be no less effective than working out in the gym. But still, many beginners give up after a few months and buy a gym membership. Below, we’ll discuss why homeschooling can be frustrating and tell you how to fix it.
1. You chose the wrong program
As a rule, home workouts consist of simple exercises such as push-ups, squats and lunges, flyes and presses with light fitness dumbbells. This program is suitable for those who want to maintain health, strengthen muscles and slightly increase overall endurance.
If your goals relate to losing weight, building muscle mass or developing strength, you need a specific program.
How to fix it
Take some time to find the training format that suits you:
- For muscle building choose exercises that will push them almost to failure. If this is not so difficult with the upper body (pull-ups and push-ups will help you), then problems with the legs may arise. Buy resistance bands, do exercises on one leg, use drop sets with two different movements to “finish off” the muscles. If they don’t get tired, they won’t grow.
- For weight loss choose a combination of strength and cardio exercises, try high-intensity interval training (HIIT) – they don’t last long, but they really help you burn a lot of calories. And don’t forget about nutrition: it matters more than exercise.
- To correct your figure, look for the best exercises to pump up the desired part of the body. For example, if you dream of a gorgeous butt, it is better to do chair steps rather than squats. And also buy an expander band and finish off the gluteal muscles by lifting the pelvis and other effective movements. Any part of the body has exercises that pump it up better than others – find out them right away so you don’t waste time.
2. You don’t increase the load.
Often people find some kind of training program, get used to it and do not want to change anything.
At first, the exercises seem difficult. You have difficulty completing sets, the next morning you suffer from muscle pain and enjoy small positive changes, be it bigger biceps or minus an inch in your waist.
Over time, the body adapts, and for further progress you need to increase the volume of training, but you are already accustomed to the program and perform it automatically, without thinking about more.
The body is comfortable and good, but progress stops.
How to fix it
Follow a simple rule: as soon as you finish the approach without difficulty, increase the load. Add more reps, pick up some weights, try a more challenging variation of the movement.
When it comes to cardio, you can always vary the program by adding intensity. For example, if we are talking about running, alternate calm sessions with interval training.
If you’re doing HIIT, you can always change your work and rest times or increase your speed.
3. You don’t have the right equipment
At first you will be able to exercise without any equipment, but over time it will become more and more difficult to properly load your body. Moreover, you will not be able to pump up some muscle groups at all without sports equipment. For example, you won’t be able to load your back without a horizontal bar, or your legs without weights.
How to fix it
If you want to progress, buy a minimum set of equipment for home training: a horizontal bar, collapsible dumbbells and a 16 kg kettlebell, a jump rope, a set of expander bands with different resistance, training loops.
All this equipment can fit in a small bedside table. At the same time, training will be many times more effective – no worse than in the gym.
4. You don’t have a workout schedule.
As a rule, people go to the gym at the same time – for example, after work or before it. Training is built into a routine, a person gets used to it and does it “automatically”.
Home exercises save time and give you more freedom. At the same time, a flexible class schedule and a relaxed environment make it difficult to form a habit and make fitness part of your routine.
As a result, you miss training, and this affects your performance.
How to fix it
Do a few important things that will help create the right atmosphere and get you in the mood for activity:
- set a clear time for classes in your schedule and do not violate the schedule;
- Determine the place in the apartment or house where you will study. Choose an area where there is enough free space and you can easily open the window;
- swap household items for workout clothes;
- ask your family not to interfere;
- Prepare a bottle of water so you don’t have to run to the kitchen every time.
5. You don’t watch your diet
Most people start home workouts to get rid of excess fat. In this case, the results directly depend on nutrition. Much more than exercise.
So, in review 15 studies found that training creates a deficit of less than 500 kcal per day – the “gold standard” for rapid weight loss.
Moreover, even regular intense exercise will not necessarily make you slim. In one experiment people spent 20 kcal per 1 kg of weight per week for six months to lose weight. It’s like a 70kg person running for 30 minutes five days a week. As a result, the participants lost about 2 kg – much less than they expected.
Due to exercise, their energy expenditure per day increased by 4%, but when the scientists tested their metabolism in the respiratory chamber, it turned out that energy expenditure in 24 hours was reduced by the same 4% compared to the original. They spent more on activities, but at the same time spent less on living expenses overall.
In a different experiment overweight participants exercised for six months for 72, 136 or 194 minutes per week. Scientists predicted how much weight they should lose based on 7,700 kcal per 1 kg of fat.
As a result, women from the 72 and 136 minutes per week groups lost exactly that much – 1 and 2 kg. But those who worked out 194 hours a week lost only 1.5 kg, while according to calculations they should have lost 2.7 kg.
Thus, you won’t be able to lose a lot of weight through physical activity alone. You will have to either change your diet, or prepare to lose a maximum of 2 kg in six months and stop there.
How to fix it
Review your eating habits. It is not necessary to thoroughly calculate calories and go on a strict diet, but it will not hurt to roughly imagine the energy balance.
Try to exclude sources of fast carbohydrates: flour and sweets, soda, alcohol and fast food, try to consume more vegetables, lean meat and fish.
Strive to get used not only to exercise, but also to healthy eating without excess calories and constant snacking. This approach is more likely to help you get rid of extra pounds, and training will help you avoid gaining them again.
How to train at home 💪
