My life has been pretty crazy lately. Between being a new homeowner (way more work than I anticipated), busy work schedule, and working on a few new projects to build my online business, my proverbial cup is about to runneth over. The last month I have been lucky to make it to the gym 1-2 times per week, so I have had to train more at home.
You might be thinking "Wait, this dude is a trainer. How can getting to the gym be hard when he WORKS in a gym?" Well, I don't train where I work. There are too many distractions and I need to get away to a place where I can focus on myself.
Additionally, I enjoy training around other people. I work in a private training facility, so its not the typical gym environment where you see 50 other people working out. There is just something more motivating about being in the presence of others. That's why I believe group training is so much more powerful than one-on-one training. The energy and camaraderie developed when training around other like-minded individuals is a powerful stimulus. The one-on-one model is certainly beneficial, but I think it can foster a relationship where the client is completely dependent on their trainer. For example, maybe a client misses their regularly scheduled training session and they are unable to re-schedule that week due to work or a family obligation. Instead of doing some type of workout on their own they just skip it and do nothing. WTF? Doesn't it make sense to do SOMETHING? Looks like I found another topic to write about in a future post.
Making the commute to the gym takes time you might not have. I don't know about you, but if I am going to take the time to drive to the gym, I'm going to take the time to do work when I get there.
If I don't have the necessary time to devote to getting in the gym, I know I have the tools at home to get it in regardless.When life gets in the way you need to have a plan B. This is where having a few implements of destruction in your garage or basement comes in handy. If you only have 30 minutes to spare, you need some efficient equipment you can use to get it in quickly. Here are 6 of my essentials and a couple sample workouts you can do for starters.
1. Yourself
Your own bodyweight is a powerful tool. Things like push ups, squats, lunges, and burpees will never go out of style. There are plenty of variations of each you can use to get a great training effect.
2. Kettlebells
I've written extensively about kettlebells before, so I won't get too in depth. They take up very little space and can be used anywhere in a ton of different ways. All you need is one to get started. For more extensive info on kettlebells check out previous posts Mastering the Kettlebell parts 1 and 2.
3. Suspension Trainer
There are a few popular suspension trainers out there now. The best ones are the TRX, Jungle Gym, and Rings. All you need is an anchor point and you are ready to go. Again, tons of possibilities here.
4. Continuously Looped Resistance Bands
Dave Schmitz aka "The Band Man" has created a whole system around the use of continuously looped resistance bands. They are incredibly versatile and can also be used anywhere. Check out his website here. Go to the store and click "training packages". I would recommend purchasing the total fitness package. The package comes with a full training manual and training programs.
5. Pull Up Bar
A pull up bar is a must have for any home gym. You can make your own or buy one online. When combined with the equipment above, you have even more options.
6. Foam Roller
Soft tissue work should be an essential part of your warm up and daily recovery routine. I prefer The Grid.
All of these things together should cost you around 400 bucks total, which is not bad for a home gym set up. If you are on a budget, take your time and buy one item every month. A barbell with weights, dumbbells, and a power rack would be other great additions, but they are pretty pricey and take up a lot of space. The goal here is to keep things simple and practical.
Now for what most of you skipped to anyway, the workouts.
Workout 1
Equipment Needed - Kettlebell, Suspension Trainer, Foam Roller
Foam roll and dynamic warm up - 5-10 mins
Resistance Training: 20 minutes
As many sets as possible in 20:
10 Goblet Squats
10 Suspension Rows
10 Reverse Lunges (hold KB for resistance)
10 Feet Elevated or Resistance Band Push Ups
10 Suspension Fallouts
Workout 2
Equipment Needed - Kettlebell, Foam Roller
Foam roll and dynamic warm up - 5-10 mins
Resistance Training: 20 minutes
5 sets:
10 KB Swings
5 KB Overhead Presses each arm
KB Suitcase Carry - 40 yds each arm
Squat/Burpee Countdown: perform as quickly as possible
10 squats, 1 burpee
9 squats, 2 burpees
8 squats, 3 burpees
...all the way to 1 squat, 10 burpees
You don't always need to have access to all the equipment to achieve your goals. Get to the gym and get under the bar when you can, but when life gets crazy try to have the necessary tools available to keep making progress.
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