There's no place like home: how to work out at home but look like you train at a full-service gym, no matter what your fitness level - Special Section: Better Homes & Bodies

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, April-May, 2002 by Bobby Aldridge

We admit that getting to the gym isn't always easy or convenient.

Traffic, cranky kids, a long workday or Frustration with having to wait for equipment can zap your energy and motivation in the blink of an eye. IF you could get a workout at home that makes you proud without investing in expensive equipment, would you do it? Impossible you say? Bring it on, you mutter under your breath? Okay, here you go! MUSCLE & FITNESS HERS presents the ultimate at-home workout designed to bust your booty and have you cryin' for more. All in the comfort, privacy and convenience of your own home. No excuses now, hop to it!

getting started

This home workout is geared toward women who don't have elaborate gyms in their garages. If you do, that's great. If you don't, don't worry, we've got you covered. All you need to get a great workout at home is this stuff right here. For a relatively minimal investment -- what you might pay for just one year at a gym -- you can get everything you need. Price estimates are included, a well as info on where you can purchase the equipment recommended.

DUMBBELLS ($10-$30 a pair, depending on weight). Buy a set of 5-, 8- and 10-pound dumbbells. You may need heavier weight later, but for now, these will work great.

RESISTANCE BANDS ($8-$10 each). These are available in a variety of resistance levels. Also great for travel, they come in light, medium and heavy resistance (usually color-coded yellow, green, blue and red). Purchase two different colors to have on hand during workouts.

BODYBAR ($45-$80, depending on weight). This softly padded resistance barbell is a great tool for many of the exercises in this program. It's offered in a variety of weights starting at 4 pounds all the way up to 30. Think about what you'll be using this tool for and purchase a weight that you can use for several movements.

EXERCISE BALL ($25-$50, depending on size and brand). This one piece of equipment allows you to add dozens of exercises to your regimen. Choose a size that best fits your height. Bodytrends.com recommends using a 53 cm ball if you're 4'11-54" and the 65 cm ball if you're 5'5"-5'11".

JUMP ROPE ($10-$20). No need to purchase an expensive treadmill, bike or stepper to get a great cardiovascular workout. A jump rope costs only dollars and can be used by anyone, no matter her level of fitness. We'll tell you about the different types of ropes and how to incorporate jumping rope into your workout (see "Jump to It" on page 78).

BENCH ($75-$100). Sometimes the floor just doesn't cut it, and an exercise ball may be awkward or impractical. In either case, invest in a simple adjustable bench. It can be used for many exercises and allows you to go through a greater range of motion than the floor does on pressing and flye movements.

FINAL TOUCHES. A dedicated space is great, but any open area will do. Add a CD player or radio for melodic motivation, a towel to dab those beads of sweat, a mat for floor work and, if possible, a mirror in which to check your form -- and your results!

For more information on products and prices see "Working at Home" on page 84.

basic (in-home) training

You've got your home gym all set up, your new shoes on and a great CD playing, so now what? Find your level of experience below and get ready to challenge yourself with the ultimate at-home workout!

BEGINNER: If you have little to no resistance-training experience, start and stick with the beginner workout for 8-12 weeks. (See pullout poster.) You'll learn basic compound exercises for each major muscle group and get your body acclimated to resistance training. In this phase, you'll do resistance training twice and cardio three times per week. Focus on form by using relatively light resistance for 12-15 reps.

INTERMEDIATE: If you have 3-6 months of consistent weight training under your belt, we recommend you start with the beginner workout for a couple of weeks to get accustomed to this style of training. After that, move on to the intermediate workout routine, where you'll incorporate an exercise ball, a BodyBar, lift a little heavier (with proper form, of course) and perform a few different exercises. You'll add a day of both cardio and resistance training per week. If you've been working out regularly for 4-5 months, stick with the intermediate routine for 6-8 weeks before moving on to the advanced program.

ADVANCED: Do you have six months or more of training experience? If so, you can do one of two things. For a change of pace, you can spend a week or two on the beginner routine, a couple on the intermediate, then move on to the advanced routine. Or you can jump right into the advanced program, where you'll follow a split routine (upper-body emphasis and lower-body emphasis) three times per week using a BodyBar, dumbbells and an exercise ball. To continually progress, remember that muscles need overload and variety. You can overload a muscle with increased resistance, less rest, more sets and/or more or different exercises.

Bobby Aldridge, LWMC, CPT, is a free-lance writer, fitness consultant and owner/operator of Senergy Fitness Systems, a personal training company based in Atlanta. He can be reached through his website at www.senergyfitness.com.