Though gym membership traditionally increases in January, February can find many of us
wanting to stay out of the cold and work out at home. For those who do stay home, the
television is often our “trainer” through the use of streaming services,exercise DVDs and
gaming systems that offer fitness programs (e.g., the Wii, XBox and Playstation). With more
and more people having access to these at-home workout programs, it’s important to look
at the pros and cons of using your television as your personal trainer.
Pros:
• Working out at home can give you
more time with your family. For those
who are working long days, time with
family can be at a premium. Eliminating
the drive to and from the gym and
working out with or near your family
can offer you some much needed time
together.
• Working out at home offers you
flexibility of schedule. Rather than
having to take a certain fitness class at
a certain time, you can choose when
to work out, based on your schedule.
Whether it’s early morning or late at
night, you are in charge.
• Working out at home offers you
privacy. Some people are uncomfortable
exercising in front of others and would
prefer to work out alone. Working out
at home can offer you a wide variety
of exercises. You can customize your
workout on many of the gaming systems,
take advantage of live stream workouts,
or rent/buy a variety of different fitness
DVDs. You are not stuck taking a certain
exercise class just because it fits the time
you can exercise.
• Weather is not an issue when you
work out at home. No matter if it’s cold,
snowy, windy or just plain awful outside,
you can work out without having to
bundle up and brave the roads.
Cons:
• Working out at home can suffer from
many distractions. The phone rings; the
laundry is piled up; the kids are arguing.
All of these can distract you from the
most important task at hand – improving
your health.
• It can be easy to skip your workout
when you exercise at home. Without
accountability to a class, trainer or even
a workout buddy, it can be easy to skip
your workout just this once. And again.
And again.
• Some people don’t work out as
intensely as they need to when
working out at home. For some, having
a teacher, trainer or classmates to push
you a little, increases your intensity and
results!
• Your exercise form can suffer when
working out at home. Having the
proper form when lifting a weight or
doing aerobics is important both for the
results you wish to achieve as well as for
preventing injury. Having a teacher or
trainer can help you maintain the proper
form while exercising.
So, what to do? If you work out at home, to prevent injury. Make exercise a priority and commitment. Use a heart rate monitor to help you stay in your training zone. If you find it too hard to keep your commitment to better fitness by exercising at home, get to the gym regularly, letting your family know that you are giving them the best gift possible – a healthier you! No matter what you choose, make exercise a habit you will keep for the rest of your life.
Source: Complete Wellness Solutions. Completely Well Newsletter, February 2023.