At Home Fitness Answers From the Experts

At Home Fitness the Way the Pros Do It

At-home fitness can be hard, especially if we are just starting out. For many of us, that means we bust out workouts where ever we can – especially at home! What better way to develop your own program and get killer results than to learn about at-home fitness from the actual health professionals out there?

You know our mindset about DIY fitness (love our DIY Nation) so I figured it would be a great time to bring in other at-home fitness perspectives as well! We have a pretty amazing article that involves our expert panel of fitness pros to discuss at-home fitness. We loved all their answers but you will only find the best of the best below. Check out this at-home fitness advice!

At Home Fitness at Its Finest

What’s the hardest part of actually exercising at home?

At Home Fitness Answers From the expertsCreating a designated workout zone.  The gym doesn’t come to you, you go to the gym.  By having a designated “gym area” (it only needs to be 4’X8′) in your home, you’ll have a much more productive workout because you’re going to the area consistently.

The space from the end of the bed to the wall is often best.  It’s a high traffic area so it has the least amount of clutter to deal with…” – Ron Achenbach

The hardest part of exercising at home is staying focused.  When you’re at home, there are endless distractions.  Eliminate distractions by turning off electronics (you can still listen to music!) and clearing out any clutter from your workout space.

If your family is around, tell them that you’re going to be exercising and ask them to kindly give you some time alone.  Got dogs? Put them in another room so that they don’t plop down on your workout mat.

If you wouldn’t be distracted by it at the gym, you shouldn’t be distracted by it at home!” – Dempsey Marks

Less accountability.  You are depending solely on your own self will and motivation to push hard from start to finish.

Also, without a trainer or fitness instructor to check your technique, there is always the concern that you’re not performing optimally to get the most out of your fitness regime.

But both of these concerns can be solved with the right understanding and mindset about the effectiveness of a good home workout. – Chef Robert Irvine


What’s the best approach to getting fitness results at home?

“The best approach to getting at-home fitness results is to start with easy, enjoyable things, then progress to harder moves if you like it.

I encourage my clients to start by limbering up for 4 mins in bed or doing 8 minutes of upright calisthenics in the living room.  Even if you are working out at home, it’s still important to move yourself a daily distance of 1-2 miles…” – Matthew Carney

1. Scheduling your exercise into your day, as you would do for an appointment.
2. Having access to portable exercise equipment like resistance bands.
3. Having a variety of exercise routines to keep you interested.

4. A change of scenery ( going outside) can do wonders for your state of mind. – Shane McLean

“First, understand the difference between physical activity and planned exercise and making them work for you. Physical activity in general and many household chores and other sustained movements fall under that heading…can burn significant calories.

Planned exercise is time you set aside to devote to specific movements for health benefit and even 10 minutes is incredibly helpful both physically and mentally…”  – Stacey Grant


How can you stay motivated?

“Motivation begins from setting very small goals and remembering what embarrasses you.

If you have a schedule at home, and a picture of the body parts that you KNOW you need to improve, the lack of embarrassment and the great results from reaching your previous smaller goals will motivate anyone to keep going.” – Zach Tate

To stay motivated, it’s best if you can assign goals to your workout plan.

Ask yourself what you want to accomplish each week and then use your support group, friends, family, online communities and/or your blog or journal to hold yourself accountable to those goals… ” – Jamie King

“Get a workout buddy that joins you each day that makes you accountable to not only yourself but to your buddy.” – Juetta West

mobility“There are three keys to staying motivated.  The first key is the goal.  You got to know why you’re doing it.

There’s a difference between setting an end result goal like losing 20 pounds, and a lifestyle goal like weighing 165 pounds for the next 20 years.

The second key is time.  For most, keeping the workouts short is a major factor.

Today, people are busier than ever.  Unless you’re a professional athlete or marathoner/triathlete, long training sessions are not necessary to get great results.

The third key is variety.  Most people need it on some level, especially if they are training at home.  It is part of the reason I created 30 workouts for my program.” – Ron Achenbach


Any other tricks or tips for at-home fitness?

“Don’t let lack of time be your excuse for not getting your workout in.  If your schedule only allows for a 30-minute workout in the morning, and a 30-minute workout in the evening, split the workload.

Break the exercise into a cardio session and a weights session.  You’ll be less likely to skip training altogether for the day.” – Chef Robert Irvine

“Keep your exercise clothes and tools visible, post your fitness schedule on the fridge, and always have a backup activity plan for those days you simply can’t be bothered to do a long exercise routine.

You can work wonders for heart health with a few minutes of jumping rope and core work!

Also, 10 minutes of moderate exercise will always trump a day of no exercise or low physical activity.  – Stacey Grant

“If you don’t have much fitness equipment or a fancy in-home gym, you can use items around the house for your workouts, like:

  • Towels: great for glider yoga workouts, HIIT workouts, and even strength training and stretching.
  • Soup cans (or other heavy canned goods): Heavy objects around the house that are easy to grip can make great weights!
  • Furniture: Use chairs (or other sturdy furniture) as props for things like lunges, tricep dips, and even push-ups.” – Jamie King

What’s your all-time favorite on-the-go exercise and why?

at-home fitness“The I, Y, and T raise on TRX as demonstrated here. TRX is portable and can be hung almost anywhere. For example, I do this in my bathroom.

This exercise hits my shoulders from every angle and really helps my movement and strength throughout that entire region…” – Shane McLean

“My all-time favorite on-the-go move is a traditional sidekick.  There is nothing like the leg strength, muscle, and balance I get when I am regularly doing my side-kicks…we can only be good at the things we do, and we can only get better with focus and consistent effort.”  – Matthew Carney

“Jump rope: Great cardio, great agility, and coordination and great for core and large muscle group strength building.” – Juetta West

“My ALL time favorite, on-the-go exercise is the push-up and squats because they work your entire body. If the person is a beginner they can perform push-ups while on their knees or put their hands against a wall and push.

A squat with a chair under them is great for a beginner and they can do a squat anywhere on the go at any time…” – Zach Tate

My absolute favorite on-the-go exercise is a burpee. It is a total-body exercise, targeting nearly every muscle in your body. And it gets your heart rate up so that you’re burning calories.  The burpee is the perfect combination of strength and cardio.

It’s guaranteed to give you a good workout regardless of where you’re exercising! – Dempsey Marks


Our Expert At Home Fitness Panel:

Matthew Carney – B.S., Kinesiology; ACE Certified, Balanced Body Level III Pilates Reformer Instructor at Mecca Gym & Spa in Austin, TX.

Ron Achenbach – Ron is a 5th Degree Black Belt in Karate, owner of Karate America De Pere, Inc., and creator of the Fusion 360pss program.

Chef Robert Irvine – Previous host of Food Network’s Dinner: Impossible and author of the upcoming book, Fit Fuel: A Chef’s Guide to Eating Well and Living Your Best Life.

Zach Tate – Credentialed fitness expert with over 20 years of experience. He has transformed the lives of many with his nutrition counseling and personal training.

Stacey Grant – MS in Clinical Nutrition & Co-founder and “Chief Executive Maven” of MavenStrong.

Juetta West – Former NFL cheerleader for the Cincinnati Bengals, high fashion runway model, and founder of “Turn It On” Fitness.

Jamie King – Co-founder of Fit Approach (home of the #SweatPink community), CEO, and founder of SweatGuru.

Dempsey Marks – fitness trainer, yoga instructor, competitor, and founder of DempseyFit.com

Shane McLean – Shane “The Balance Guy” McLean, is Personal Trainer at the T. Boone Pickens YMCA Dallas, Texas.


Wrap-Up

That’s it, folks! Hope you enjoyed this awesome at-home fitness insight they all provided!

Now go out and implement and live it!

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Josh is the founder of DIY Active - your at home fitness source! He enjoys blending the latest science and expert advice with health practices to help you exercise smarter at home!
Josh Anderson
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At Home Fitness Answers From the Experts