The pandemic may have made you question whether or not heading back to the gym is worthwhile once it’s over. If you’ve been working out at home, you’ve almost certainly noticed that you have a substantial amount of extra time due to not having to commute, and you might have decided that you don’t want to give that up. However, you may be wondering whether or not the workout you’ve been performing is as adequate and comprehensive as what you may get in a gym. Well here’s a check list of a minimal amount of equipment that you’ll need if you want to keep working out at home without sacrificing the comprehensiveness of your workout..
Space
Space is definitely the most important thing that your going to need. This isn’t meant to imply that you need an entire garage gym, but you need a place that isn’t in the way and everybody in your household regards as a workout space. This means that it shouldn’t be a place where people are going to leave a lot of stuff that will be in your way.
Mats
You’ll want one or more mats to protect your floor. Ideally, that mat will sit on a solid surface. Hopefully, your house isn’t wall to wall carpet. You can workout on carpet, but your probably going to sweat on it, and it’s probably going to smell,
Dumbbells
Ideally, you should get two sets of dumbbells: a lighter set and a heavier set. You’ll have to decide what weights work for you. You can get a single set that allows you to change the weight, but you’re not going to want to change the weight in the middle of a workout. You can start with a changeable set that changes between five and twenty pounds.
Pulling Bar
Technically, you can exercise your back using just weights, but my experience has been that that leads to a back workout that is not comprehensive. You should probably get something that you can use to pull from the ground like an inverted row bar or a pull up bar that you can hang off of a doorframe.
Exercise List
Now you can try this starter workout using the equipment you just bought. Try doing it twice a week:
- Goblet squats (1 x 15)
- Push Ups (1 x 8)
- Lunges (1 x 20 10 reps each leg)
- Pull Ups (1 x 5) or Inverted Row (1 x 8)
- Sit Ups (1 x 10)
- Bent Over Row (1 x 8)
Rest two to four minutes in between each exercise. Repeat this exercise series three times and perform it twice a week with two to three days rest in between each workout. You can also substitute this workout one day per week with a long four to six mile walk or hike.