Training at home and the necessary equipment for success

Have a preference to train at home opposed to going to a crowded gym? Or perhaps not by choice but need? Reasons the train at home could include having small children, privacy, a disability, or time restraints that may be compromised with having to drive to the gym, and potentially have to wait to use the equipment needed to train. The first and most necessary step is having a plan to understand what exercises, nutrition, and goals should be set to get you where you need to be. Below are some suggestions of what is needed depending on what your goals and purposes are for having to train at home:

• Training for strength/mass at home: When training at home for building muscle mass and strength, it's key that at minimum you have a bench, full length bar, and adequate weights (both plates and adjustable dumbbells) to push limits of strength. Adjustable dumbbells are key as you gain strength. Training at home can be challenging when the goal is to build strength considering many of the ranges of motion involve squats or deadlifts that may require a large amount of space available to execute these movements. Even without the ability to complete these ranges of motion, having the resources to push limits and increase the challenge through weight resistance is necessary for consistent improvement as your strength improves.

• Weight loss training at home: The first and most important step in regards to having the right equipment for weight loss at home is understanding that you'll need to be able to create a calorie deficit through exercise. This would involve a "cardio-related" training plan. Equipment such as a treadmill, recumbent bike, jump rope, elliptical, stair stepper are all great options. This equipment allows you to stay stationary and create a calorie deficit through cardio training. In addition, weights would also be necessary however with the expectation for a high rep training plan. A set of adjustable dumbbells and a basic flat bench should suffice.

• Building core strength at home: A bosu, ab roller wheels, balance balls, weighted medicine balls, and a flat bench are all great options to get started. It's important to remember that core strength is also built with heavy weight resistance with range of motion such as lunges, dead lifts, and squats. At home, having the space for these exercises can be challenging, so the alternatives mentioned earlier serve better ways and are also more affordable options. 

• Conditioning and endurance training at home: A treadmill is the first necessity for conditioning training, whether its for a marathon, iron man, tough mudder, etc. This will help with building stamina and the ability to track it on the treadmill. Some form of a tracker for heart rate and steps also necessary either on the fitness equipment or on a personal fitness tracker is also necessary. A wearable weight vest, leg or wrist weights are also useful tools for training at home. A minor to moderate amount of weights necessary to build endurance and break plateaus of strength simultaneously 

• Training for increased flexibility at home: Resistance bands, foam roller, yoga mats, misc stretching machines. Flexibility can help with overall strength and preventing injury regardless of where you are training. Even if you primarily train at a gym, having the equipment needed for improving your flexibility through stretching and warming up at home can be helpful. Stretching at home prior to going to the gym to train is a common practice and helps shorten the duration of time at the gym, and help remove any uncomfortability with stretching in a crowded, full packed gym. 

Here's some perspective of my own personal gym at home and it's contents:

• Adjustable weight bench (incline/decline)
• Over 350 lbs of olympic weights
• Pulldown cable
• Ab roller 
• Preacher curl 
• Clips
• EZ curl bar
• Dumbbells (50 lb)

Majority of my choices for my own home gym are due to wanting to build and maintain strength as well as having the resources needed to conditioning when it's time to cut weight for competition as well. A variety of weights ranging from light to heavy is necessary for these goals. 

It's very important to remember that all of this equipment is useless without direction and a plan to use with it. Understanding how the equipment works and to get the most out of your training at home through a regimented plan is possibly the most important step in the process. Any of the training, training+nutrition, or NFE-VIP plans on NFE4ALL.com include a personalized breakdown of the equipment that works best for you based on your goals.

CLICK HERE for our training and nutrition plan with limited equipment and/or resources!

There’s more where that came from! Interested in becoming an NFE-VIP? Get tips such as this one DAILY, along with personalized caloric and macro breakdown and training suggestions monthly for just $8/month. Shoot an email to NFE4U@Bellsouth.net to learn more, titled “NFE-VIP” in the subject line.

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