Are You Thinking About Starting |
You can go to a class for exercise and take aerobics, jazzercise, pilates, yoga, ballet, or water aerobics. But then you have to get ready, pack up, drop-off the kids, drive somewhere, sweat with a bunch of people, pick-up the kids, drive home, and unpack. Your 30-60 minutes of exercise really took you 1 ½ - 2 hours!
Even with the best intentions, most people do not keep up an exercise program away from home. Another exercise tip is to be efficient with your time so that you have time to exercise. Otherwise you will experience too much stress. So, a home exercise plan is a great choice for busy people!
I am often asked to recommend the best home exercise plan. So, here is next exercise tip. The best exercise is the one you like, you can do, and you will actually do consistently!
You have lots of options.
Personally, my favorite exercise is walking. Walking has some terrific exercise benefits. You are less likely to become injured. All that you really need is a decent pair of shoes. It is available year round unless it is icy outside. And you can take your dog with you which is an excellent exercise tip for you and your dog.
You can also take some beautiful and terrific hiking vacations once you are in great condition. I love to hike in the Great Smoky Mountains.
You can also choose jogging or cross country running. You can find 5K events in most areas as a reward for your hard training.
Outdoor bicycling is another consideration, but make sure to wear a helmet. Some exceptional bicycling trips are available which not only help you to stay fit, but also create some rather terrific memories.
Pilates has become extremely popular. Pilates balls and pilates bands are available to enhance your workout. This home exercise plan is extremely effective at developing your core trunk muscles which help to stabilize your body and provide improved balance and posture.
The BOSU is also a terrific aid for this core training. This exercise tip tremendously benefits individuals with
sensory integration dysfunction.
One daughter, who is rather adept at ballet, does pilates exercises with pilates balls , pilates bands, and BOSU to improve her balance and to perform ballet better. She also has a ballet barre in her room so that she can maintain her flexibility.
The other daughter loves her mini-trampoline. She jumps during her study breaks. The mini-trampoline provides tremendous assistance to your lymphatic system which is the best benefit of exercise. You can obtain this benefit either with gentle bouncing or with very vigorous jumping.
I encourage my son to jump rope in order to improve his coordination as well as to maintain his fitness level between soccer and basketball seasons. He also performs home soccer drills in our yard and home
basketball
drills in our driveway when he does not have team practice.
All three of my children love our Woggler ! This equipment improves strength, balance, agility and control in a fun way. The Woggler is fantastic fitness for the entire family!
Then, there is the indoor exercise equipment.
Since I love walking and bicycling, I invested in a terrific Precor treadmill and a Schwinn stationary bicycle. I have them set up in the middle of the family room (with the mini-trampoline, the pilates balls, the Woggler, and the BOSU!). My home exercise plan is to use the treadmill or the stationary bicycle 5-7 days per week.
Other options for home exercise plans include ellipticals, stair steppers, and rowing machines.
You can often find used home exercise equipment that you can try out inexpensively. If you discover that you enjoy your work out, then you can upgrade to a more durable piece of equipment.
I like to use my treadmill and stationary bicycle with Christian music. I find that the combination of exercise with Christian music alleviates stress rather effectively.
You can also find all sorts of home exercise videos to guide you in your home exercise program. You may have to try out a few in order to get one that you like for your fitness level. Using home exercise videos is a great exercise tip for making sure to complete a thorough routine.
Cross-training by doing different activities throughout the week conditions various muscle groups and improves your overall fitness.
Before actually starting a home exercise plan, check with your physician to make sure that your overall health is satisfactory. Also, stop exercising if you develop significant physical discomfort and seek medical advice. A healthy diet with whole food supplementation and good sleep habits will increase the effectiveness of your home exercise plan.
The frequency of your exercise should be at least 3 times per week for cardiovascular improvement or at least 5 times per week for weight loss. Another exercise tip is that consistency is essential in order to realize the full benefits of your home exercise plan.
All sorts of heart rate formulas and heart rate monitors exist that can be used to decide the intensity of the workout. However, there is an easier, low budget, low-tech way to decide how hard to exercise.
The intensity of your workout should be just strenuous enough that it is impossible to sing, but it is possible to carry on a conversation. Simple!
The duration of your exercise should be at least 20 minutes for cardiovascular improvement, or at least 30-45 minutes for weight loss.
All home exercise plans should start slowly and gradually increase as tolerated to minimize sore muscles and to prevent injury. An exercise tip for those of you who like to write is to keep a journal of your progress as a way to improve motivation.
When I do not feel like exercising, I tell myself that I only have to exercise for a minute or two. Well, once I start to exercise, I continue for the full workout. However, this little exercise tip gets me started.
Exercise is a healthy endeavor, but it should also be fun. Expectations must be realistic. Accomplishments must be rewarded no matter how small. Safety should also be emphasized.
You will realize tremendous benefit from each and every exercise tip discussed above. I wish you well with your own home exercise plan.
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