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How to Prep for Your Best Ever Home Workout

Today’s post is written by core performance guru, Linda LaRue. Linda is the creator of Crunchless Abs and the constant resistance, 3-dimensional workout, The CORE TRANSFORMER, which burns nearly 1,000 calories per hour.

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Whether it is a newborn baby, feeling “too big” to want to step onto a gym floor or a 24/7 work-day/work-week schedule, sometimes making it to the gym is out of the question. The idea of working out in your living room sounds ideal. No commute, no waiting for machines, no fighting for blow dryers in the locker room, your own private shower.

But when push comes to shove, many of us end up with stationary bikes that become clothes hangers, dumbbells as doorstops or stability balls that only serve as back-up desk chairs. Make Healthy a Lifestyle wants to make sure you start off right by listing for you the perfect setup for your best ever home workout.

5 Steps for a Great Home Workout

Step 1: At-Home Exercise Equipment Must-Haves. While you can get a workout without gear, if you’re really committed to exercising at home, it’s good to invest in the basics.

  • Anti-Burst Stability Ball. The average women will require the 55-cm stability ball. (If you are of a petite stature purchase the 45-cm ball.) If you’re on the taller end of average, try the 65-cm ball.
  • Pump Rubber. I recommend my Core Transformer Specialty Resistance Bands, because resistance equals results and bands/tubes take up no space. Available for purchase here.
  • Dumbbells. Get dumbbells that are 5 to 10 pounds.
  • Yoga Mat. Yoga mats roll away, store easily and serve dual purposes as stretching surfaces and areas to perform resistance exercises.

Step 2: Mark Your Territory.A solid 5-foot-by-5-foot space that pets and children will not run through should do the trick. Carpeted or wood flooring is preferable. Avoid slick surfaces in case you break a sweat! If you can find a time when your house is empty and the space is all yours, this will be your real chance to pretend you’re somewhere else. If that’s not possible, try working out with an iPod because it will help you get in your workout zone and distract you from your routine.

Step 3: Load Up the Tunes. The only competition you’ll have with your at-home workout is yourself! Make sure to amp up the energy in the room by making a killer workout playlist. A few, good songs can truly transform your workout from routine to inspirational. The first song is the most important. Find a song you look forward to hearing, then start every workout with it.

Step 4: Start Small. Commit to 20 minutes of exercise in your living three times a week. Start with a warm-up, then follow with your favorite exercise video for a 15-minute workout. Try adding 5 minutes to your overall routine every week until you build up to an hour of stamina. Choose workout videos that feature compound total-body core moves so that you’ll engage the most muscles maximally.

Step 5: Build An Exercise Video Library. CollageVideo.com and TotalFitnessDVDs.com are great online stores that feature 3-minute montages of each video. This means you’ll know exactly kind of workout you’ll get from the trainer and if he or she vibes right with you. More good news is that you’ll get to work out with some of the top trainers on this planet for the cost of a video—no expensive personal training fees or gym memberships required!

Do you do home workouts? What other steps have you taken to make home workouts awesome and fun? —Linda LaRue

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