Welcome back, or just welcome, wellness warrior! We find ourselves in January once more. A time of resolutions and promises. And for most of us, those new plans probably include starting some sort of exercise. Today I’d like to tackle a question that a lot of clients have voiced over the years. A question, that if properly answered, will also set you up for success with those resolutions.
What stuff do you need to start exercising? The answers to this question really require you to look at what you want and how you want to do it. I’ve said before that one of the biggest problems people run in to with regards to keeping their exercise momentum is a lack of planning. For most, it’s not self sabotage or anything close. It is just a lack of preparation and knowing how to actually answer the right questions.
Gym memberships have gotten crazy expensive. If the gym you are looking at is an all inclusive, those can easily run more than $70 a month, depending on where you live. If you are more of a niche exerciser, boutique clubs are where it’s at. But you join two of those (one to satisfy your CrossFit needs and another for some yoga, say) and you are dropping some serious coin.
In addition to memberships being expensive, there are just more options. Again, way back when, most people didn’t strength train beyond some push ups or pull ups unless their name was Arnold. That has seriously changed. And the types of different equipment that have evolved with the changes is massive. Gyms are well equipped to offer us what we need, but the time and money commitment can be huge cons.
Which is why many more of us are turning to home based exercise. Most of us feel plenty comfortable in our own homes. But there is no personal training staff at our beck and call. Well, unless you are my husband, in which case, you’re welcome dude! And because of the aforementioned changes in exercise offerings we feel like we need to outfit our homes like the nearest health club or why bother? It makes getting started difficult even before the delayed onset muscle soreness kicks in.
The first thing you need to decide is what type of exercise do you want to build a habit around? Key in on the pieces you need for the direction you want to go. There is no reason to invest in lifting gloves if you want to start a yoga habit. Also keep in mind that we live in the age of the internet. Free resources, like my much recommended Fitness Blender, can guide your workouts completely, fill in gaps, or provide change from boredom.
The second thing you need to decide is how much time you want to dedicate to this new endeavor. The benefit to exercise at home is, obviously, that you can do it any time you want. The downside to exercise at home is that there are a billion other things asking for your attention. So you have to carve out the time. And you need to be real about it.
I juggle part time stay at home parent duties with two part time jobs. Not to mention, I am usually the one meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking. When I am teaching, I have access to a pretty decent gym on campus. My little guy is also at child care those days. So I have the time and space to spend a bit more time on those days.
When I am at home with my son, I ain’t got time to waste. I don’t want to spend ten minutes dragging out a bunch of equipment and then another ten minutes cleaning up afterwards. I do that enough with Legos. I want to get to my workout, do it, then be done. I usually dedicate about a half hour to at home workouts. I can work up a pretty decent sweat in that time, while my son entertains himself (usually with said Legos).
Once the “what do I want to do?” and “how much time?” questions are answered you can start honing in on what you actually need. Only have 20 minutes for some quick strength work? You don’t need adjustable weight dumbbells and a bench. You need, say it with me… therabands. If you really want to start a yoga practice, don’t waste your money on new sneakers. Get yourself a nice mat and blocks or straps. Gonna do some cardio? New sneakers are tops of the list.
You have hopefully noticed that none of my recommendations have fallen around what type of clothing you need. Aside from a good pair of sneakers (stay tuned for a post all about those), clothing is personal. And you don’t need fancy stuff to work out in; I mean, the intent is for you to be sweating in these clothes, right? I know I am in the minority right now, but function before form should rule the day here. You want clothes that allow your body to move freely and that you don’t need to be constantly readjusting. If that’s some soccer shorts and a ratty promo T shirt, then rock it.
Fitness trackers are also big at holiday gift time, but there have been countless times I’ve seen them worn through January and then discarded. If you are a hard numbers person or have a strict goal (like a faster mile time) you are going to work towards, then go ahead with these. Otherwise, my advice is to concentrate on making exercise a do-able habit for several weeks before investing.
This time of year, the marketing gurus know we want a fresh start. And they are very keen on selling us ALL the things to jump start our workouts. Take a few minutes to figure out what you really want and concentrate on obtaining the gear you need to be successful. And don’t forget, the most important piece of equipment, your attitude, is free. If you are looking for specific recommendations, check out my How To Outfit a Home Gym Series here, here, and here .
What gear will you need to be successful? Tell us in the comments!
