Home workouts are the way forward
As we continue in lockdown, you may be feeling more than a little restless and longing to be back in your normal routine. Work; eating out; socialising with friends and heading to the gym! Consider this though, as we are allowed to exercise as much as we want now out of the house, why not look at the opportunity to focus on home workouts?
One thing that lockdown has taught us, is that you don’t need a gym membership to stay fit and healthy. Of course, here at The Six Pack Revolution we already knew that.
Today we are sharing with you our ideas and suggestions about how you can build a great health and fitness routine at home.
MUST HAVE WORKOUT EQUIPMENT FOR THE HOME
One of the best investments you can make if you want to work out at home is to purchase a set of battle ropes.
Perfect for both low-impact and high-impact workouts, making them a great choice for beginners and fitness fanatics alike.
Mix up your home workout even more by adding dumbbells to your routine to help you build overall muscular strength.
GOOD TO KNOW
Free weights activate more muscles within your body so are great for building muscle. Here at The Six Pack Revolution, we use Battle Ropes in our training programme; they offer a full body workout as well as a good blast of cardio and can be done anywhere from your back garden to the local park!
THE BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR RUNNING
If you are still a little undecided as to whether you should start outdoor running then let us try and help you get motivated.
Running outdoors has so many benefits and not just for improving your fitness levels and stamina.
The benefits to running outdoors is the positive mental impact it has. There is just something truly special about being outside in nature whatever the weather. In fact, any regular runner will tell you that running in rain is euphoric. Most of us are drawn to being outside from our early experiences of climbing trees and jumping in muddy puddles. Even from an evolutionary perspective, this makes perfect sense.
Running outside helps you feel free and provides some well-needed time out from our everyday environment.
GOOD TO KNOW
Running against wind or on uneven terrain engages more of your muscles; it requires more energy and ends up burning about 10 percent more calories than running the same distance on a treadmill.
WORKOUT BUDDIES AND ONLINE GROUPS
It’s no surprise that working out with friends is more fun, but research proves that friends also have a majorly positive impact on both performance and motivation.
Working out together can help you push yourself harder, burn more calories and encourage you to try some new moves. In fact, exercising at home as part of a wider group who all have similar goals to you, can really give you a sense of community and help you stick to your routine.
GOOD TO KNOW
One of the key elements all our participants say when they finish a wave from The Six Pack Revolution is that they feel a high level of comradery and part of a fitness community like nothing else within their individual groups which keeps everyone motivated. Life-long friendships are born; making working out seem less like a chore.
SPEND YOUR TIME WISELY
Just 30 minutes working out at home, a couple of times a week, with a combination of cardio and strengthening exercises including weights and battle rope training will start to improve your fitness. You will start to feel stronger physically and mentally and will be taking positive steps towards your goals. Perseverance is key so finding 30 minutes a couple of times a week is a great simple routine to get in to.
GOOD TO KNOW
Remember, nutrition plays a huge part in fat loss and muscle building so at The Six Pack Revolution, we recommend a good balanced diet for optimum results. Eating 6 healthy balanced meals a day fuels the body correctly, speeds up metabolism and burns fat efficiently. With over 100 delicious recipes in our book, Eat Your Way To A Six Pack there are plenty of meals and snacks to choose from to get you started eating healthily.
How to stay motivated to workout at home
Here is our guide to help you stay fit and active from home:
Setting your goals:
Defining ‘why’ you want to exercise is extremely important to sticking to a regular fitness programme. By defining a clear purpose and setting realistic goals, you are well on your way to staying motivated. Here are a few examples:
- Feel better in your clothes
- Improve sleep patterns
- Feel happier and healthier
- Be more in control of your weight.
Make a plan:
Now you need to define your schedule of ‘how’.
Write down what activities you are going to do and stick it on the fridge. You could even add a picture of who you want to look like as the end result. Both will keep you motivated and your head out of the fridge. Here are some examples of the activities you could do:
- 10 minute strengthening exercises
- Full workout for 30 minutes two times a week
- Go for a run
- Set a personal best on plank holds or press ups increase x 10 each week
- Finding an online programme is a great way to follow a routine
Define your time and space:
A key thing we have noticed within our programme, is that our participants stay more motivated when they workout the same time every day, so by picking your perfect time of day creates a great routine!
It is also really important that you allocate a designated workout space that you use every time to help create an environment which supports your activity/goals, if you can. Define an area and make sure there is enough space for you to safely and comfortably work out without distractions. It’s also a good idea to keep your home gym equipment like your weights; kettlebell; resistance bands and your yoga mat in that room. Garden workouts are great when the weather is good so take your workouts outside.
Create your playlist:
A workout playlist packed full of your favourite upbeat tracks is definitely a massive motivator. Who doesn’t want to get their trainers on and run to their top tunes!
Improve your performance:
If one of your goals is to build muscle or get stronger, remember to apply progressive overload! In simple terms, this means making your workouts more challenging. For example you could:
- Increase the number of repetitions
- Using heavier weights or include resistance bands
- Hold each exercise for longer – aim to make your 30 second plank a minute and so on
- Up the tempo! To include interval training within your running will help to improve run times
- Check up on your form. Always make sure you are fully completing each exercise correctly; remember form wins every time . As ultimately it is your responsibility to look after yourself.
Hold yourself accountable:
Only you can make a better you! Ditch the scales and instead take a ‘before’ photo. Revisit after a period of time – it is the perfect positive motivator for you to keep going!
One final thought
When you are looking to get fit and healthy there are no short cuts. It takes dedication; time and effort to get your body into the best shape possible. It also takes courage and determination to stick with what ever exercise programme you choose.
By planning to be the best possible you, you will only ever become the best version of yourself. Good luck!
The Six Pack Revolution is a 75 day transformation programme, where we coach you on fitness, mind-set and nutrition.
Founded by Scott Harrison, the programme includes everything you need to get you into the best shape of your life. You’ll learn how to cook delicious recipes, and complete daily and weekly fitness challenges within a group of like-minded people, all looking to achieve the same outcome as YOU!
All our Six Pack Revolution coaches have been through the programme. They started where you are today and are proof that the programme works, and proof that anyone can do it too!
One of the best things about The Six Pack Revolution is the support network. You’ll get to know your new fitness family through a private Facebook Group. This is ‘The Hub’ where others in the group share their experiences, results and tips on overcoming obstacles.
We believe in you, and can’t wait to welcome you to the revolution!