By Kylie Jordan

The idea of starting a workout regime can be scary, but there is an easy solution. Working out at home offers security, flexibility, and convenience in your routine that allows you to stay active. 

Brayden Marlowe, a sophomore Exercise and Nutrition Science student at the University of Montevallo, says working out at home is a good alternative to working out in a gym. “Especially [for] people with busy lives, who are gone at work all day,” Marlowe said, “and when they do find time to work out, it is at night or in the morning at home.”

Working out at home is also more flexible for certain lifestyles. You get to regulate what time you work out at, what regimen you want to do, and it’s cheaper. “Not everyone can afford a gym membership with certain lifestyles,” Marlowe said.

There is also security in working out in the comfort of your own home. “There is a majority of people that do not like to workout in open gyms,” Marlowe explained. “You can do small things to fit into your life. It’s very beneficial.” 

“You can do small things to fit into your life. It’s very beneficial.”

Brayden Marlowe

Learning proper form would be the biggest struggle working out by yourself at home. Marlowe said the best way to learn proper form is by repetition and dedication to your regimen at home until you get it right. 

“You also have to watch videos and follow the people on social media that make multiple posts and describe form,” Marlowe said. “Even on YouTube, there’s a lot of great things that people break down how to get form and how to keep form.” 

Here are the 5 ways to start working out at home.

1. Workout Challenges (Yoga/Pilates)

Workout challenges are a beginner’s guide to exercising at home. Workout challenges vary in length, whether you do a 14-day challenge, 30-day challenge, or 75-day challenge. 

Workout challenges are also diverse in their content. There are yoga challenges on YouTube, cardio challenges on Pinterest, and sculpting with pilates challenges on Instagram that give you a range of content to choose from to make your new workout regimen at home something you can stick with. 

Marlowe specifically mentions the Murph Challenge. It consists of a one-mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, ending in another one-mile run. “I’ve done it before at home. It’s a challenge definitely. You try to do it in a specific time, but you do it just to do it,” Marlowe said.

If you want to buy equipment to workout at home, a yoga mat is a versatile tool you can use for almost every home workout. 

2. Workout Videos

Without an instructor in a gym, you may seem lost when you begin. There are multiple workout videos online that you can follow to reach your fitness goals. 

One great way to get started working out at home is through Nike Fitness on Netflix, Marlowe said. Nike Fitness on Netflix is a great example of working out at home with something you might already have, a Netflix subscription.

If you don’t have a Netflix subscription, Marlowe said there are still great videos on YouTube to follow along with an instructor.

3. Smaller Weights

Smaller weights up to 25 pounds are available at almost any store, like Target or Walmart, and are still effective in your at-home workout routine. 

Marlowe says they’re still beneficial, especially if you are trying to stay in shape without getting stronger. “Even if you are trying to get stronger, you can just do more reps which will lead to strength at some point,” Marlowe said. “It will take longer than if you were to use heavier weights, but there is no problem with it because not everyone is strong, even genetically.”

“If you use small weights and they are benefiting you, there is no problem with it,” Marlowe said.

4. Use Body Weight in Movements

When done correctly with proper form, body weight movements can be as effective for beginners as lifting weights. Exercises like squats, lunges, planks and pull-ups are examples of ways you can exercise with just body weight.

“Body weight movements can be good, but at the same time, they can do nothing once you hit a certain strength capacity,” Marlowe said. “It can be a very good starting point.”

People who do calisthenics use all body weight in their exercises to build large muscle groups. “People who do that are insanely strong,” Marlowe said. 

Body weight movements, coupled with the smaller weights, is best for beginners working out at home. 

5. Cardio at Home

For weight loss, cardio is a valuable tool and very easy to do at home. You can run up flights of stairs in your apartment, go on an outdoor walk or run, or jump rope to perform cardio at home. 

“It can be something as simple as waking up in the morning and walking or going for a jog or even a run,” Marlowe said. “There’s no problem with that because that can start your day for you.”

Cardio is easiest to get into a routine, Marlowe said. “You wake up, run a mile, come back and shower, and then go to work.” 

Another easy way to incorporate cardio at home is an ab workout. “You’re watching your TV shows and lay down and do crunches or planks. Something like that.”