There is no one to see you at home, except maybe that stalking neighbour. Source: financialtimes
- Your equipment should be small but highly functional
- All the wonderful things you can do with a yoga mat
- A television? Seriously?
- Skipping is ideal for a full-body workout
- Swing that kettlebell
Sometimes I wonder how people deal with the pressure inside the gym. Girls in tight yoga pants and slim hourglass bodies. Hunky guys who deadlift 100kg.
There’s so much competition in there, or am I just imagining this myself.
Regardless, whenever I twist my body to see my dry, deflated bum in the gym mirror, my confidence level just tanks.
Enough is enough, so I have decided to shred my gym membership card and build my own gym at home, where my only audience is my three-legged cat, Queen Elizabeth.
Now how do we do that? It’s easy! Everything is easy when you are motivated. What’s your motivation? Mine’s insecurity.
We don’t do big here
They say go big or go home. That’s why I am home. Get it? Get it? Source: architecturaldigest
Remember all those huge clunky metal contraptions in the gym that look more like cranes and pulleys than exercise machines? We won’t be needing any of them.
Yes, I cannot deny that they are helpful, but those things cannot fit inside unless you are staying in a spacious bungalow Even if they do, these machines are not cheap and they require a lot of maintenance, making them suitable for commercial purposes instead of private usage.
When it comes to a home gym, the theme is small but functional. Hence we are going to utilise some of the most basic equipment to bring up our workout space.
The humble yoga mat
Just so you know, I am writing this article upside down with my head between my legs. Source: youworkforthem
And who would have thought that a simple layer of mattress could be so useful? Just as its name suggests, you can perform all your yoga exercises on it, which is huge, since yoga is itself a full-body exercise.
Yoga is but one of the many exercises you can do. How about pilates or any other form of body exercise that requires a soft but flat surface. The best part is that you can easily roll it up to be stowed in a drawer or simply allow it to lie there. And it is super cheap too!
Looking for a high-quality yoga mat? Look no further because they are here.
TV and a nice collection of gym exercise tapes
Why do they all look so happy? What is going on here? I’m scared! Source: dabble.co
Exercising yourself can be very boring, so I have decided to install a flat-screen television. I also downloaded videos of people from the 1980s exercising because I find them really amusing, dancing about in super tight leotards with exaggeratedly cheerful moods.
If you are young at heart, or just young, then go for the Kim Kardashian workout videos. Nothing beats a sweaty workout and comedy all at once. Kill two birds with one dumbbell.
If you find the TV a little distracting, then get a rechargeable speaker instead. Yes, you heard me right. A rechargeable speaker, because radios are no longer in vogue. Time to fill up the living space with Era The Mass and The Ameno Cat!
Get the exercise vibe going with these choice speakers.
A jump rope
Skipping my way towards the perfect bum. Source: rappler
Who needs a thousand-dollars treadmill when a jump rope could accomplish the same thing. It is fun, portable and really useful for your fitness sessions.
And of course, we will use it for skipping, which is also a full-body workout.
Why is that so? It uses your abdominal muscles to stabilise your body, your legs for jumping, and your shoulders and arms for turning the rope.
It provides an all-over workout rather than just isolating one portion of the body. Unlike the yoga mat, you can easily coil up the skipping rope for storage purposes. Now compare that with a bulky treadmill, and you can see the huge difference in space usage.
Start skipping with any of these wonderfully durable ropes.
Kettlebell
Swing it like you mean it. Source: nohat
Another piece of equipment that requires mention is the kettlebell. Highly versatile, it can be incorporated into various forms of workout, not forgetting that it is small and easily tucked away.
Don’t know how to use it? Just grab the kettlebell and swing away. Similar to the skipping rope, the training doesn’t require a lot of space for movement.
And the benefits are manifold, such as improving your gripping strength and enhancing your forearms. By manoeuvring the kettlebell, you are forced to utilise your hips and glutes, further improving your core strength and stability.
The home improvement must go on
The yoga mat is on the floor and music is blasting from your speaker. You are sweaty from a nice long hour of workout and the challenges of the world suddenly feel puny. Yes, we know that vibe and we are just beginning. So stay tuned because we still have plenty to talk about making a home gym!
