We’ve all been on vacation, packed gym clothes in our suitcase with the best of intentions…but we never actually make it to the hotel gym, do we? If we hit the pool, there are no laps to be had, unless we’re talking about lapping up poolside margaritas, amirite? A run? No. That can wait ‘til we get home.
Sometimes this even happens at home. We just don’t have the motivation to leave the house and hit the gym. We’ve got no equipment or weights at home, so we slack off entirely. Well, guess what? You don’t have to pick up the Cheetos and do nothing.
You don’t need a gym or any fancy equipment to get in a solid workout. You just need yourself, a floor, maybe a chair and your willpower.
Get Pumped, Get Creative
We can really work out anywhere if we put our minds to it. It’s usually just a lack of motivation that keeps us from committing. So be a homebody, if you must, but make that home body rock. While many might suggest that a gym motivates them for myriad reasons, others can argue that working without weights is better than using free weights because bodyweight workouts don’t damage our joints the way traditional weight training can.
Of course, you can do pushups, pullups, sit-ups, and bodyweight squats, but these can become tedious and boring. So, how do you keep yourself inspired when relying on body-weight exercises alone? Finding ways to mix up the mundane when you’re at home, can help—so challenge yourself by upping the ante. When push-ups get boring, try one-armed push-ups. Sure, you may only be able to do half of one, but now you have a new goal!
Think of everyday exercises—like the classic burpee, for instance—and then shoot your legs back behind so you land in push-up position. Then do that one-handed push-up! Think of variations to standard exercises that push you… without pulling any muscles, of course.
Above All: Stick to a Plan
Whether it’s toning, slimming or building muscle, you’ll want to stay the course with exercises that will keep you committed and on track for your fitness goals. As an example, to build muscle mass without weights, you’ll have to push yourself and your muscles by completing increasingly more difficult bodyweight exercises as you go.
Working towards advanced exercises like the one-armed push-up will ensure that you are constantly pushing yourself. These types of advanced bodyweight exercises require higher levels of full body tension and this can lead to solid strength and muscle gains over time.
And remember: Just because you can’t make it to a gym, doesn’t mean you should skip your fitness altogether.
Chuze Fitness has multiple locations from California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. Whether you’re looking for gyms in Sacramento, San Bernardino, Garden Grove, or elsewhere, explore our nearby gym locations today!