Exercising at Home

I think it's time I let you in on my exercise plan. It's really nothing fancy or exciting, but it's what works for me. 

I used to have a gym membership and would make it there maybe once a week if I really tried. But it was always a process. Pack up my gym bag and then drag myself to the gym to be there for only a half hour or 45 minutes. Working out among big beefy men wasn't my style, either. Add in freezing temps in the winter and a 10 minute drive, it got to be such a chore. So, I decided to invest in a few pieces of equipment of my own. 

Working out at home comes with its limitations. I'm not able, or really aiming for, big personal records. I don't have a barbell (yet!) for heavy lifts or cool machines to use. But I actually workout because all of the equipment is staring me in the face every day.  

My home gym is conveniently in my basement, just steps away from my napping baby.  

I started out with a few dumbbells, a kettlebell, and a yoga mat 

Then I added a stability ball, resistance bands and my $50 treadmill off Craigslist. (Funny story... this treadmill was used by the previous owner to walk their dog. Great find for me!) 

My newest addition to my home gym are my [knock-off] TRX bands! They cost $30 from Target compared to $300 for the real TRX set - winning! If you have limited space and money I recommend these bad boys. Great for beginners and for the more advanced folk. I wanted them so that I could progress towards being able to do a pull-up, but you can do a bunch of things with these to work your whole body. Easy to get creative. Which, I do have a pull up bar that can go in the doorway, but these have replaced that for now since I can't quite do a pull-up yet... Soon. I hope. 

All of this equipment was pretty cheap to purchase, and I didn't buy it all at once. Start with a few things and build from there. Places like Marshalls or TJ Maxx are great to find cheap pieces of equipment for beginners. Target has the stability bands and other great equipment. 

You may already have a good start to a home gym with things around the house! Some of my favorite things to use are just ordinary items. 

I bet you have a coffee table in your living room... 

You know you like my Friends poster

Triceps dips, modified pushups, single leg squats are just a few exercises you can do with a coffee table.

Or a chair...

Ab lifts, glute bridge and box squats are great with a chair. 

Or a couple pieces of paper... 

You don't need these fancy sliders that seem to be everywhere these days. Just use a couple pieces of cardstock if you're on carpet, or a towel if you're on a hard surface! 

And a staircase.

Box jumps, step-ups or a good cardio sprint up and down the stairs can do the body good. 

So, now that you have an idea of what I use, what do I do with all of this stuff? 

I usually workout 3-4 days a week, depending on what life allows. My workouts are usually around 30 minutes total; sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. On rest days I try to walk on the treadmill or outside. Using what time you have, is really what it comes down to. 

Day One: 
Upper body lift // 3 Rounds, 10-12 reps
Bench Press
Inverted row
Push up
Upright row
Cable face pulls

Day Two:
Lower body lift // 3 Rounds, 10-12 reps
Back squat
Split squat
Straight-legged DB deadlift
DB Hip thrusts
Plank

Day Three: 
Upper body lift // 3 Rounds, 10-12 reps
Military Press
Assisted Chin-up
DB Chest press
Bent over row
DB lateral raise
DB Pullover

Day Four: 
Lower body lift // 3 rounds, 10-12 reps
Deadlift
Goblet squat
Lunges
Single leg hip thrust
Back extension on stability ball
Pallof press
Ab roll out on stability ball 


There you have it. I don't do any jumping around, cardio nonsense or any complicated moves. I lift weights and I walk. Simple as that!