Our Top Tips for Keeping Fit at Home

Whether you are a seasoned gym goer who needs to get their daily workout fix whilst self-isolating, or you are simply looking for an inexpensive and private method of getting in shape, learning how to work out at home is a fantastic skill to learn.

It’s common knowledge that working out regularly  is great for relieving stress  and can help keep your energy levels up. There is no time like the present, so let’s dust off your favourite Lycra unitard (or whatever else you feel comfortable in) and get active.

Here are some of our top tips which will help you get the most from your no-gym workout.

Set up your work out space

It sounds like a bit of a 'no-brainer' but designating a space in your home as your ‘gym’ area can help make it easier to work out regularly. Having your equipment setup and ready to go makes it easier to start a workout, saves time and can reduce the amount of distractions, keeping you focused.

For many, it simply isn’t practical having a whole room dedicated as a home-gym, however you can try to apportion part your bedroom or living room for this sort of activity if there is space. Having a designated work out spot also helps to get you in the right frame of mind for when it is time to exercise.

Wear your gym clothes

Whilst you may be tempted to do your workout in your PJ’s, you’ll find it much easier to get down to the serious business of feeling the burn if you are dressed just the same as if you were going to the gym or out for a run. If you haven’t been working out regularly before, now is a good time to invest in some appropriate shoes and clothes – the initial commitment can be a good way of motivating yourself to keep up the hard work.

Keep to a strict schedule

The home-gym is always open which is great when you need the flexibility to make your fitness work around a busy schedule. Conversely, it can also lead to missed sessions and distractions which you otherwise wouldn’t have when out of the house. For this reason, it’s important to draw up a weekly schedule and stick to it.

Be open to learning some new moves          

You may find that if you are transitioning from regular gym workouts to home workouts it is difficult or impossible to complete some of the moves you were previously able to due to lack of equipment or space. Fear not, however, as for years people have been achieving great fitness results in small spaces with no real gym equipment. Read up on new moves or even try making your own.

Start using in-home sports fitness apps

Technology can be your friend here. Apps can be great for tracking your goals, keeping on task and making you part of a supportive home-fitness community. Here are some of our favourite apps you can try. All are available on iOS & Android operating systems:

Pear personal fitness coach - Free (with in-app purchases available)

Pear provides users with a huge range of workouts making it suitable for beginners and pro’s alike. Nice touches include seamless integration with plenty of fitness apps and devices so you can easily track your progress with your favourite gadgets.

The app is free to download and comes with a limited selection of sessions, although you will probably need to purchase in-app addons to get the most out of your workouts with Pear. Addons range from £0.99 - £48.99.

Workout Trainer from Skimble - 'Freemium' (in-app subscription plans available)

This little app starts with a quick questionnaire to evaluate your skill level and tailor a workout package accordingly, making it ideal for those who are unsure where to start. It comes with all the features you’d expect from a modern app such as stat trackers and notifications to keep your goals within reach. Another standout feature is that Work Trainer gives users the option to hire one-on-one personal trainers.

Premium packages are available from £4.99/month, giving users the opportunity to access and customise more workouts and integrate the app with fitness devices.

FitOn - Free

FitOn takes a modern approach to work out videos, providing users with vast library of HIIT, Pilates and dance sessions designed for different age groups and levels of fitness. As you’d expect videos contain full voice and video instruction, and as it’s completely free you can explore all its videos to see what suits you best without having to pay for add-ons.

Daily Burn - £14.99/month

Daily burn takes a different approach to the other apps mentioned in so much as it leverages the energy you get with group sessions by providing live streamed daily workouts hosted by a personal instructor. The app is interactive with a chat function, and if you do miss the live stream version you can still catch up with video on demand.

Freeletics - Free (with in-app purchases available)

Much like the other apps mentioned here Freeletics gives users a range of exercises to try, organised by different fitness levels and muscle groups and requires no other additional equipment to achieve a full body workout. A cool feature which is made available to premium subscribers is a “2x2” area specific workout mode, helping out users who have very little space to work with.

Wrapping it up

Working out at home can be both in-expensive and incredibly fun, you just need to find the motivation to push yourself in what is usually a space designated for relaxation. There are lots of apps on the market which can help you along the way, and if you join group sessions either remotely or with family members in the house you may find the support from others pushes you to surpass your goals.

Everyone is different, so make an effort to give some or all of the above a try and find out what works best for you!