Can you really get fit at home? Can you really ditch the gym membership, stop attending oversubscribed classes and cease slogging through treadmill sessions whilst still building your strength and fitness? YES! The answer here is most definitely, yes you can get fit at home, and here’s how!
Exercising without leaving your living room (or garden in the summer!) can be such a game changer when it comes to fitting everything into your day but, understandably, can be a little daunting if you’re not sure where to start, what equipment you need and which exercises are going to give you the results but that you can also do safely. Even for regular pre-pandemic gym goes the plethora of information and sheer volume of platforms available online is overwhelming, never mind if you’re new to the exercise game.
The rise of digital fitness
In 2020 as the global pandemic hit, a million people in the UK downloaded the “Couch to 5k” app whilst Strava (the popular running app) saw over 2 million downloads. Some on demand fitness services saw a 900% increase in sign-ups yet not everyone was feeling the burn with 50% of Britons claiming that they put on weight during the first national lockdown and 29% saying they drank more alcohol (KCL and Ipsos Mori poll) so what has changed since then? Alongside a boom in fitness apps and online classes, wearable technology – smartwatches, Garmins, FitBits etc. – sales soared and the research shows that after 6 weeks those using wearable tech were doing twice as much exercise as those relying on willpower alone. So suddenly all those sales of smart watches and sign-ups to online fitness is starting to pay off!
If you are starting from scratch it can be a daunting prospect but getting fit at home is achievable for everyone – all ages, fitness levels, salaries and all from the comfort of your living room.
First off – you don’t need any equipment at all. Yes, that’s right, none at all. You might see me using dumbbells but a couple of water bottles can be just as effective, especially if you’re just getting started. You can always progress to some dumbbells further down the road on your get fit at home journey!
Secondly, all exercises can be adapted to your level – take press ups for example. You can do a full press up on your toes or modify it to be done on your knees or upright against the kitchen counter or sofa.
The luxury of time need not be an issue! With just 30 minutes needed from start to finish (yes, that includes the warm up and cool down!) for a strength training circuit style workout you can kiss goodbye to commuting to the gym and using the “I’m too busy excuse”! So 30 minutes really is just 30 minutes – there is no wasted time.
Now, let’s talk about getting fit at home and routine… the beauty of an online platform with both live classes and on-demand replays is that you have accountability and flexibility. If you need the accountability of dialling into a live class you have it but if you’re busy with holidays, children and juggling life you have the option to revisit the class at a time that suits your lifestyle.
Finally, online platforms generally are a much more cost effective way to attend classes and get fit as the membership fees are often a fraction of those of a gym.
Caroline’s Circuits was my response to lockdown and the hurdles the pandemic threw at us and the response has been amazing. My members and I meet on zoom for our 3 live workouts a week and the community is just fab – we would love you to join us!
Intrigued to know more or have a go? Try a class for free here or read more about the platform here.
If you have any questions please do get in touch.
For more workout inspo and to find out a bit more about me check out my Instagram.
Caroline x
