Gyms are closed, fitness classes are cancelled, and you may be thinking about pushing your summer body goals to 2021, but we’re here to tell you that there are ways to progress and reach your fitness goals at home!
Increase Volume
This can look like increasing the number of reps or sets you are doing for each exercise. Another way is to increase the frequency of your workouts, which could be in the form of simple change of working out 4x rather than 3x per week. This is especially useful when you have limited or no equipment at home!
Shorter Rest Times
Try decreasing rest times between sets. This can be done between days or weeks! Whether it’s a decrease by 5 seconds or 10, this small change will surely increase the intensity of your workouts!
Change the Tempo
Another key concept to keep your workouts interesting is to change or slow the tempo of your exercises. In particular, try slowing down exercise movements, such as squats and pushups, to achieve greater time under tension and greater control. This tension can contribute to higher muscle growth.
Stronger Mindset
As you go through your workout, try focusing on the muscles you are working to get more out of the movements. This will help to gain mind-muscle connection for higher quality movement, leading to better results. Additionally, staying positive and focusing on improvement is exceptionally important when it comes to reaching your goals and progressing.
Better Form
Try perfecting your form or increasing the range of motion of your exercises. For instance, try deeper squats or decline pushups! If you are unsure how to complete a movement properly, try looking up the correct form on YouTube.
Get Creative!
No equipment, no problem! You can use everyday items as such backpacks, books, water bottles, or jugs of water to substitute as weights and add resistance. It’s also important to note that body weight workouts are harder than you think… Whether you decide to leg press your couch or squat your house mate is up to you, but I can assure you that you CAN get a good workout in at home.
Keep it Fun!
It is undoubtedly difficult to stay motivated at times, so we encourage you to explore try new activities or styles of training such as yoga or HIIT. Get outside of your comfort zone! There are also tons of online resources from live classes to home workouts that will definitely spice up your regular routine of jumping jacks and pushups.