Fitness Friday| What you need for a simple home gym

 

I don’t know about you but I’m not a massive fan of the gym. I don’t mind it every now and again but I see no point in paying to run on a treadmill when there are roads and fields to run in. Yes the weight machines are great as are the classes, but there are so many workouts you can do at home without the need for an expensive gym membership or expensive gym equipment.

So today I thought I would share with you my tips for creating a simple home gym. The first thing you need is a sports bra and running trainers, at home the road is your treadmill! If you don’t run already summer is the best time to start. Head out early morning or in the evening so it is cooler. If you start in the summer you have very few elements you have to fight such as the wind, rain and cold, and by the time winter comes round you’ll already be a seasoned runner so the rain and snow won’t faze you!

Above are pictures of my home gym. I’ll talk you through what I recommend to get you started for working out in the comfort of your own home.

• Space- Space is vital! However you don’t need loads. I used to workout in my university hall room which was about the width of me, so under 6 feet wide! I used to do sit-ups and push-ups on the tiny rectangle of my floor, so believe me as long as you have space to lie down and spread your arms out you have room to workout. Like many of you I workout in my living room. I push back the matt in my living room and push the sofa to one side to ensure I can get as much space to jump around as possible.
• Yoga Matt- Again very important! If like me you have wooden, hard floors you need to ensure you have a matt to cushion you back and your landing when jumping around. You cannot do sit-ups on a hard wooden floor you will severely damage your back! Even if you have a carpet a yoga matt is still recommended s its that extra support plus its easier to hold onto when doing the plank than a carpet which can be slippy.
• Towel- For me a towel is a must! I admit that when I workout I sweat, it’s not attractive but I don’t aim to look good while I workout. However sweating and yoga matts do not mix very well! So I use my ebody Gym Towel from ecloth* its very compact and super drying! I love this towel as I place it on my yoga matt and place my hands on it when doing the plank, mountain climber, burpees etc and the sweat from my hands is absorbed super quickly.
• Water- Again a must for ever workout! I use my CamelBak Water Bottle everyday throughout the whole day. However a simple resealable plastic bottle is just fine. Just make sure you are guzzling at least 2 litres of water a day.
• YouTube- YouTube is a life savour for us girls who workout at home as it gives you everything you need for a great workout for free! There are so many amazing fitness, health and workout channels on YouTube that post sometimes daily workouts! There is no need to pay for classes or pay a subscription for websites when there are free services. All you need to do is find a channel you love and try their videos. To help you out I have 4 playlists on my YouTube channel that are purely full of all the workouts that I have done and love.
• Weights- Weights are a must, they help you tone up, built sexy sculpted muscles and burn fat fast! I bought mine from Argos for around £20 for three weights of different sizes. If you don’t have money for weights, grab a tine of beans, or get water bottles and fill them with stones or sand. Tis is a good place to start for those who haven’t used weights before.
• Heart Rate Monitor- Not a must but something I recommend to those who already workout often and want something to help them track their result or push them further. I love my Polar Heart Rate Monitor it really does spur me on and pushes me harder. You can read my full review on it here.

What do you think of my home gym? Does yours look similar or am I missing something vital in your eyes? Are you a gym bunny, or a make it up as you go along girl like me?