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About seven months ago I quit my gym membership and started working out at home. In a nut shell, the logistics of getting to and from the gym had just become too burdensome and time consuming, so I decided to give working out at home another chance.
I previously tried working out at home instead of the gym. However, on my first attempt I had half as many kids and no legitimate space to work out in at my house, so that experiment ended with me going back to the gym.
Fast forward several years, and there I was again desiring to shift to working out at home. Whereas the first attempt was more of an experiment (in fact, I only froze my membership rather than quit), this time around needed to be a more permanent change. I really wanted to create a legitimate workout experience at home without breaking the bank.
A Couple of Disclaimers…
First of all, I am not currently a personal trainer or certified fitness instructor. I am simply a mom with four kids who loves to work out, and I am just sharing what products I have purchased that have helped me sustain a challenging and satisfying workout routine at home. I am not offering legal or medical advice. This is not a review or a sponsored post either.
Secondly, I am also not offering advice on how to set up a home gym, per se. I am a group fitness class enthusiast. I have always spent the majority of my time at the gym in a variety of group fitness classes. These classes tend to be focused on high intensity interval training, high calorie burn, high reps, and high energy rather than building bulk through heavy lifting. Keep this backdrop in mind as you read through what has worked for me and what I recommend for working out at home.
#1 Workout Appropriate Flooring
This may not apply to you depending on your home, but during my first attempt of working out at home, I did not have a legitimate safe space to do my workouts. I tried working out in our basement, but since it is unfinished, I quickly realized our concrete floor was way too slippery (dangerous) and way too hard (painful) for all the high impact and agility moves I like to do.
Thanks to a Christmas gift from my dad, we now have foam workout tiles in our basement, allowing for a very large space for me to work out and for our kids to play. There are a TON of brands to choose from on Amazon, and I’m not here to compare brands to tell you which one is the very best. However, I can tell you all about the type we have, and why I would highly recommend it.
Simple Flooring Solution for Working Out at Home
We’ve had the foam tiles in our basement for a year and a half, and they’re holding up really well. They were SUPER EASY to install, and it didn’t take us very long at all. My husband trimmed a few pieces to go around a pipe and the stairs, but other than that, it’s like putting a big floor puzzle together, and you’re up and running! They also look great visually. We did half blue and half gray tiles and made a pattern. They really brighten up our otherwise pretty dark basement.
I also have greater peace of mind when my kids are down there running around, jumping and being active because the foam tiles are so much safer than the concrete floor (obviously). Also, the tiles stay in place really well, and even if they break apart, all you do is push them back down back into place.
We have found foam tiles to be a very simple option for creating a safe workout space. So if you don’t have flooring in your home that is conducive to the type of workouts you plan to do, installing some sort of workout appropriate flooring is the first step you’ll need to take to set you up for success.
#2 App for Working Out at Home
Let’s be honest. Home workout programs fail for a lot of people. Why? I think most people don’t have a good plan for working out or else they get really bored of doing the same workout over and over again.
Long gone are the days of boring yourself with repetitive workout DVDs, or even VHS tapes for that matter. Streaming workouts is not only widely available these days, but it is a very affordable option too. There is a plethora of workout apps to choose from, some that are even free.
Fortunately for me, LES MILLS (whom you may have heard of) now offers their programs on demand. I can do all the same programs I was doing at the gym, but now I can do them on my own schedule rather than working around the gym class schedule.
Why I Love the LES MILLS On Demand App
The LES MILLS On Demand subscription costs considerably less than our gym membership, and now I have access to all of their programs, including Born to Move, which is a series of super fun kid workouts that my kids (even my 2 year-olds) beg me to turn on for them.
With the app, you get access to 1000+ workouts, and they add new workouts every month. You don’t have to purchase any equipment to get started as there are plenty of workouts that don’t require equipment, but in time, you’ll want to make a few purchases (as I discuss below) in order to get the most out of your subscription and fitness routine.
What’s also really awesome is that you can do a free 14-day trial to try it out first before committing to anything. And from there, you have options on how often you want to be billed. Like most subscriptions, the more months you pay for at a time, the better deal you get. Subscriptions range from $10-15 per month as of 7/2/20.
No, LES MILLS is not the only fitness streaming app out there, but it is unbelievably awesome. The quality, variety, and sheer volume of workouts available on the app makes it an insanely good deal, especially when compared to a gym membership.
Just trust me, you’ll love it.
#3 Digital AV Adapter
Depending on what app you select for your workouts and what kind of devices you have available, you might not need this life-simplifying, amazing little product from Apple. However, we purchased one of these Apple Lighting to Digital AV Adapters, so that I could stream my workouts on my phone using the app and then simply project them onto our infrequently-used, older television in our basement. All I have to do is plug one end into my phone and then use an HDMI cable from the TV, and voila, my phone becomes a giant screen!
Seriously, I love the ease of being able to stream my workouts this way. Not only that, but we have used the cord countless times to project images or videos from my phone onto our living room TV. It has been especially helpful during Quarantine for streaming our kids’ church lessons and also for school events online. It is such a handy and practical product to have on hand.
There are many other methods and devices you can use for your workouts, such as a Roku Streaming Stick, but if you have a smart phone (pretty safe assumption) and an available TV (doesn’t even have to be that new), then using the adapter is a very simple way to get up and running for home workouts.
If you have an android, then you should be able to use a similar type of adapter and achieve the same result.
#4 Weight and Barbell Set
Now that you’ve got appropriate flooring, an awesome workout app, and a device to watch it on, you will want to buy some weights so you can mix in some strength training with your cardio workouts. If you decide to go with LES MILLS On Demand, you will need weights for BODYPUMP and LES MILLS GRIT Strength since these are weights-based classes.
Unless you are trying to build bulk, then you just need a basic weight and barbell set. You can find decent sets at major retailers, sporting goods stores, or Amazon. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to score a good deal on a used set on Craigslist. If buying from a large retailer, make sure to check online because there seems to be much greater selection online than what they carry in the stores.
We tried to be pretty frugal with the equipment we purchased when I transitioned to working out at home, so we chose an economical option for the weight set. Although I have been very pleased with it and it is certainly adequate for my workouts, if you don’t have budget restrictions, I would suggest considering the SMART BAR & WEIGHT SET available through LES MILLS.
Because of its design, you can quickly and easily swap out weights, and the weights themselves offer more versatility for different exercises. I have not personally tried them out, but I can tell you this weight system is at the top of my wish list for sure!!
How to Decide Which One To Buy
Whatever set you decide on, you’ll want to consider at least two things. First, do the weights have a grip cut out in them so you’re able to use them as hand weights? This is important for workouts with high reps that use both barbells and hand weights.
Secondly, check the sizes of the weights and the type of material that the weights and barbell are made out of. I initially bought a set that was really better suited for a home gym and heavy lifting rather than high rep endurance training. I realized after lugging it all down to the basement that the barbell and weights were considerably too heavy for what I needed, so we returned that set and got this one instead.
#5 Adjustable Aerobic Exercise Platform (“Step”)
With an adjustable aerobic exercise platform, commonly referred to as a “step,” you open yourself up to many more types of workouts with this one purchase. These are not just for step aerobics anymore, although that is one of the options.
You can do plyometric and athletic training, as well as use it as a benchtop for weight exercises. Specifically for LES MILLS On Demand (as referenced above), you will need a step for BODYSTEP (cardio step aerobics), BODYPUMP (high repetition strength training), and GRIT (high intensity interval training). Steps are incredibly versatile and practical, which is why I think they are an essential piece of equipment to have when starting your home workout program.
I purchased my step about seven months ago, but it is currently out of stock on Amazon (as of 7/14/20). This one appears nearly identical in size and design. I have been pleased with my step and have probably used it for half of my workouts since buying it. It’s holding up well and has sufficient grip. However, if you have the money to invest, then I think the LES MILLS SMART STEP is worth considering.
I have not done extensive research on this, but what seems to set it apart from other brands of exercise platforms is that the risers stay attached to the step when you need to move or rotate it. With traditional exercise platforms, you have to move the platform and risers individually whenever you need to reorient the step for certain exercise moves. Every time I do a BODYSTEP workout, I wish my step had this feature because that would be incredibly helpful and convenient since you don’t have a lot of time for transitions!
Words of Encouragement to Begin Working Out at Home
With just a few purchases, you can easily be up and running with your new home workout program. Whether you are transitioning from a gym membership or just trying to start working out, I truly believe these five products can provide you with a high-quality “gym experience” and fitness program at home. I love that I can workout on my schedule, doing the workout program I want to, without even having to leave my house. I’m saving time, money, and my sanity, and I’m getting fit along the way!
Please feel free to contact me at nicole@pursuitofsimple.com with any questions about anything I have recommended above, and I wish you the best in your fitness journey!
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