40 MAY 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
Tips for Making Home Workouts
Even Better Than the Gym
BY RACHEL TROTTA
As a personal trainer, I have become an expert at helping
people meet their goals in the comfort and ease of
their own homes. In fact, clients are often surprised to
discover how easy it can be meet their fitness goals from the
convenience of their own living rooms or basements!
It’s a common misconception that you need specialized
equipment or a specific environment in order to stay in
shape, lose weight or get stronger. In today’s article, I’m going
to break down three common myths about home exercise
and provide solutions to common problems.
Whether you are a seasoned fitness buff or new to exercise,
these three tips will give you the tools you need to get
started on your fitness goals!
Myth #1: “I don’t have any exercise equipment,
therefore, I can’t work out.”
First of all, keep in mind that bodyweight exercises are fantastic
for building strength, endurance and speed, and for burning fat, too!
Moves like mountain climbers, variations on the classic plank and side
plank, and hip exercises like bridges require zero equipment but can
make a significant difference in your fitness.
Furthermore, people often forget that common household items
can make effective substitutions for standard fitness equipment. For
example, most of my in-home clients use a chair instead of an exercise
bench.
Finally, I do often collaborate with my clients to choose which
equipment purchases will pack the biggest punch for them. For some
people, it’s incredibly helpful to have a cardio machine like an exercise
bike or a treadmill. For clients with bigger strength goals, one barbell
with plates can work wonders. But for the vast majority of my clients,
it’s perfectly sufficient to stock up on a few simple dumbbells, exercise
bands, and other pieces of lightweight, storage-friendly equipment.
In other words, the right pieces of equipment for you will go a
long way.
Myth #2: “I don’t have the space to exercise.”
Ever since I started my business training clients in their New York
City apartments (prior to relocating to Monmouth County), I learned
that you don’t need much more room than an exercise mat will occupy.
I have trained in-home clients in their basements, backyards,
living rooms, guest rooms, and even on the extra floor space of their
bedrooms!
It’s fantastic if you have a space that can be dedicated to fitness,
but for most people, it makes more sense to have a spot that can multitask.
Do you have a part of your basement or garage where you could
lay down rubber tiles? Do you have extra floor space in your bedroom
that’s not used? Do you have space in your family room or sunroom if
a coffee table is pushed out of the way? On nice weather days, can you
roll out an exercise mat on your back deck? Do you have a closet near
your exercise spot where you can store your essential equipment?
Also think about what kinds of workouts you would like to do. Jumping
rope or high-intensity cardio is better done outside, for example, while a
yoga flow can be done almost anywhere!
Myth #3: “I might be too distracted by kids, dishes, responsibilities,
etc. to focus on exercising at home.”
Set a routine and make workouts short and achievable. I have solutions
for you to focus on, enjoy and accomplish your workouts, even if distractions
are abundant:
Set aside a specific time and/or place for exercise, and make it sacred.
For that period of time, tell yourself that you’re going to purposefully (and
temporarily) ignore undone chores and other things you “should” be doing.
If applicable, make sure your kids are entertained or supervised by someone
else, and make this time yours!
Keep your workouts short. When working out at home, you may not
have the bandwidth to do a 90-minute strength training workout. Instead,
focus on shorter, more intense workouts that you can do more often. For my
clients with busy families, I often give them 10- to 20-minute workouts that
can be completed quickly (and stress-free!) before the day starts or between
other activities.
Get accountability. Make a fitness goal in tandem with a friend, so that
you can check in with each other and be each other’s cheerleader! I am often
my clients’ main “accountability buddy” – I help to ensure that they get
workouts done, both with me and without me. Knowing that someone else
is on your team and is going to hold you accountable is extremely powerful
for getting in the zone and getting it done!
Rachel Trotta is a Certified Personal Trainer who helps women and couples
get in the best shape of their lives with in-home personal training and
nutrition coaching. Whether your goal is to lose 10 pounds or to run a 10K
(or both!), check out her website to get tips and tricks for sticking with
exercise and getting great results.
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