Given the events of the past few months, many Quebec households have started focusing on their health, and our members are no exception. For those who train regularly, the lockdown is no excuse to see a year’s worth of progress go to waste, and for others, it’s the ideal opportunity to start new fitness habits. They say it takes three months to form a new habit. After several weeks of lockdown, you should have made the most of it.
If you look on the bright side, training at home has numerous benefits! Firstly, you don’t have to go out! It’s easier to shorten a session at home rather than not train at all due to the travel required. And the shiest among you will love the stress-free environment of home. You can sweat and get red in the face all you like—no one’s watching. There’s also a huge range of exercises you can do at home with minimal equipment. A bit of creativity will work wonders.
Recently, I was asked what the ideal accessories for home training are. Since everyone’s budgets are different, I decided to prepare a small list of suggested accessories based on their value for money and versatility.
Attached to a door, tree or post, these suspension straps use your body weight to offer a multitude of muscle-strengthening exercises.
This type of exercise works on your balance, with most of the movements engaging core muscles that will bring long-lasting results to the abdominal area. Whether static or dynamic, exercises with straps have a lower impact than using weights.
While it may not seem that important, the floor mat is one home accessory that you’ll use a lot more than you think. It’s well worth getting one! It’s a must for fans of yoga and muscle stretching as well as those keen to improve strength and endurance in their abdominal and back muscles. The foam roller is ultimately a “self-massager” that aids muscle relaxation. The roller is said to be the equivalent of a deep-tissue massage. Simply roll over the desired area and hold the position when you find comfort points.
With kettlebells, there’s no need to worry about whether you want a cardio or muscle workout, because they provide both! These weights are great fitness tools for building both stamina and muscle strength. They target muscle mobility as well as coordination (especially in movements where you transfer the kettlebell from hand to hand). So you’ll improve your motor skills and balance more than with regularweights. In addition, it’s notalways easy to fit a weight bench, bars and weights in your home, while kettlebells are easily stored. Their size and versatility mean they can fit anywhere.
They are the perfect low-cost accessory for training all your muscle groups. Elastic bands come in many resistance levels and offer great versatility with different grip techniques providing a wide range of resistance.
The skipping rope is not just for the schoolyard, you know! Skipping has many benefits. Toning up while having fun is possible with regular practice that combines cardio and muscle strengthening exercises. Plus, skipping ropes are cheap!
I hope these suggestions will help you with your shopping. Ideally, a complete gym should be equipped for cardiovascular and muscle workouts. Remember that a good technique and a training plan tailored to your goals will still be the best aids for getting back into shape and achieving any goal.
