Home Sweat Home

I was fooling myself. I thought buying a gym membership — a year-long agreement to hand over $75/month to the YMCA — was all the motivation I’d need to begin my new, healthy lifestyle. Yet despite being locked into a contract, I only went to the gym 10 times that year. Like the majority of people with fitness memberships, mine went to waste.

But I had to do something. I was feeling flabby, out of shape, and facing a growing pile of once-loved jeans that no longer fit. The gym, however, wasn’t a very inviting option. After a long day of work, the last thing I wanted to do was fight for time on sweat-drenched equipment I didn’t even know how to use. Besides, I didn’t feel like I belonged. Five short minutes on the stair machine had me sweating and a brisk walk on the treadmill left me out-of-breath and self-conscious, especially while those next to me ran hard. When it came to the weight machines, I would hope no one was watching as I surreptitiously moved the key from the 50 lb. mark to the lightest weight possible. Sometimes I just stared at the equipment wondering how to use it.

Out of desperation, I bought a yoga DVD. My only criteria was the word “beginner” in the title, so I chose the Yoga Zone’s Fat Burning: Beginner to Intermediate. As luck would have it, it was the perfect choice — easy enough to follow for a beginner but challenging enough to grow with. It was the ideal solution. I wouldn’t have to drag myself to the gym in the wee hours or even put on running shoes or a sports bra. It was exercise made effortless.

I began shopping for fitness DVDs with a passion once reserved for clothes and shoes. I branched out from yoga into Pilates, strength training and boot camp workouts (running shoes and sports bra definitely required). Although when I started buying kick-boxing DVDs, my cats had to run for cover and my boyfriend threatened to post my uncoordinated flailing on YouTube.

I began to accumulate exercise equipment. My small apartment is now full of dumbbells of various sizes, an exercise ball, a resistance band, and even an inflated rubber hemisphere known as a BOSU Balance Trainer.
Working out at home is ideal for both moms who can’t find time to get away to the gym and those who prefer their own space and pace. “Home gyms also offer convenience, privacy and ease of access since you never have to wait for equipment,” says Dr. E. Laura Cruz, a sport medicine physician and lecturer at the University of Toronto’s department of family and community medicine, and co-owner of Pivot Sport Medicine and Orthopaedics.

However there are some drawbacks. Equipment can take up too much living space and be difficult to install. And there’s no one to coach you on proper usage, which could lead to an increased risk of injury. Dr. Julia Alleyne, a medical director at Sport CARE clinic at Toronto’s Women’s College Hospital, says, “I think the concern about working out at home is that since some people think it’s a more casual environment, so they don’t wear gym shoes and then get injured. The same rules apply at home as in a gym.”

Before investing in equipment, decide what your goals are. There are solutions for everyone no matter what their budget. The top tip: Buy a piece of equipment you will actually use. “If you don’t like to cycle don’t buy a bike — it will be a clothes hanger,” Cruz says.
 

STRENGTH TRAINING

Vertical gyms: Upright home gyms with cables, weight plates, and benches to sit or lie down on as well as Pilates reformers are an option for those with the space and budget. “In general, these home gyms and reformers can be safer to use because they support the body. If used properly [you can] exercise with fewer risks of injury,” Cruz says.

Hand weights: Invest in both a heavy and light set to work both larger and smaller muscle groups.
Resistance bands: No space for hand weights? A resistance band is an outstanding strength training tool that’s easy to store both at home and while travelling.

Exercise balls: Exercise balls can be used for both flexibility and strength training. Also effective as a bench, the added stability challenge forces you to engage your deep core tissues, making for a fantastic ab workout no matter what exercises you’re doing. A dome-shaped BOSU (which stands for Both Sides Utilized) can be used as a step, a bench or an unstable surface, adding an extra challenge.

No equipment needed: Classic exercises that use your body weight, such as lunges, push-ups, wall sits, shoulder push-ups (think push-ups in the Downward Dog position), dips, calf raises and ab exercises, are all you need for a great, full body workout.
 

FLEXIBILITY

“Those looking to increase flexibility need only a yoga mat, a DVD and perhaps an exercise ball,” Alleyne says. Mats aren’t just about providing a softer surface to work on — they also provide a non-slip surface, which is important for safety.

CARDIO TRAINING

Treadmills: A treadmill is the most versatile piece of equipment available — it has a small learning curve and you can walk, then run while building your endurance. Treadmills usually take up about 8 ft. by 4 ft., but Cruz notes, “Equipment can be purchased in lighter weights and smaller sizes — the trade-off being speed, additional features and lifespan.”

Bikes & ellipticals: Bikes or elliptical trainers are good options for those with knee problems.
Skipping rope: If you can’t spend thousands or even hundreds of dollars on equipment, all you need for a great cardio workout is a skipping rope. It’s an excellent calorie burner and costs less than $10. •