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Snow this morning will give way to some clearing this afternoon. High near 50F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected..
A few passing clouds. Low 26F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Although he mostly exercises in a gym now, Rich Everhardt still has a punching bag and other exercise options at home if he wants to work out there.
Dr. Patricia Dietz Parsons of Wartburg College recommends starting a home exercise program at an easy level and gradually increasing duration or intensity.
Vannordstrand’s exercise bike and treadmill both provide a cardio workout in the comfort of her own home.
Although he mostly exercises in a gym now, Rich Everhardt still has a punching bag and other exercise options at home if he wants to work out there.
Dr. Patricia Dietz Parsons of Wartburg College recommends starting a home exercise program at an easy level and gradually increasing duration or intensity.
Vannordstrand’s exercise bike and treadmill both provide a cardio workout in the comfort of her own home.
Although the term “home gym” might conjure up images of a fully equipped exercise room — a major investment in space and money that is only for high-level fitness fanatics, in reality, Waverly area sources say, most home gyms are limited affairs that can fit any space, budget or fitness goal.
You may have a dedicated space for your exercise. Or your home “gym” may be nothing more than the space where you dance to videos or use resistance bands, and that’s just fine.
“I have a home gym myself,” said Dr. Patricia Dietz Parsons, professor of exercise science at Wartburg College. “For me, it is for the convenience. I have small children, and for me to get exercise in, I have to have flexibility.”
A home gym provides “the ability to work out in the comfort of your own home during the time that works for your lifestyle, whether it be in the mornings, after work or evenings,” she said.
“I do still train in a gym setting, but when I cannot, my home gym gives me the same if not more of a workout.”
Flexibility is the biggest draw of a home gym. It’s always open, and the membership fee is pretty low. Equipping a home gym is the main expense, but that doesn’t have to be expensive. A home exercise area can start with a yoga mat (as little as $10-$20), resistance bands ($6-$30) and YouTube videos (free).
Nici Vannordstrand of Shell Rock has been exercising at home for about eight years as part of a varied approach to fitness.
“I try to exercise a variety of ways to stay engaged,” she said. “I do a number of in-home exercises, usually following online content.”
Vannordstrand also walks or jogs outside when the weather is nice, and she sometimes participates in group exercise classes. But “exercising at home is certainly the most convenient! Probably the most cost-effective, too. I’ve also made investments in at-home equipment and online programs, so it guilts me into exercising at home.”
Those investments have paid off for her. “The option to work out at home has kept me more consistent,” said Vannordstrand. “The ability to exercise around my schedule can make the difference in whether or not I get a workout in that day. With group fitness classes, sometimes they only have one class time option.”
She usually uses online exercise programs to guide her routine, often with friends doing the same program so they can motivate each other.
“Self-motivation can be harder if you don’t have a friend doing the same at-home program,” she noted. A favorite online program that she uses incorporates her treadmill and exercise bike, giving her guidance on those.
Vannordstrand likes the structure of an online program. “If I don’t have a plan, it definitely makes it harder,” she said. “I’m not an expert, so for me to try and build a routine or program seems silly, especially since there is so much available at little to no cost from the fitness community.”
Dietz Parsons also supports using online content, as well as outdoor activity. “There are many apps, YouTube cardio workouts, dance workouts, or just getting outside to be active,” she said.
“I always suggest, if possible and the weather cooperates, get outside to get your exercise. Fresh air and sunlight have health benefits, as well. Walking, jogging, hiking, cross-country skiing and biking are outside alternatives.”
If you want to invest in equipment, Dietz Parsons noted, “It really depends on the style of training you like to do. Some people prefer dumbbells and resistance bands, while others may prefer a barbell and bumper plates, and yet others would like a yoga mat, yoga blocks and a treadmill.”
“The key is to choose equipment that fits your exercise style, and buy equipment that can be used in multiple ways,” she said. “Don’t plan to use an exercise modality if you don’t enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy your workouts, you are less likely to continue.”
Dietz Parsons, herself, has a variety of equipment at home. “I have dumbbells, med balls, barbells, resistance bands and a treadmill.”
If space is limited, you need to be careful what equipment you pick. “If you live in an apartment, having a barbell is not likely,” Dietz Parsons observed, “but a few dumbbells, resistance bands and a yoga mat provide a lot of options to train.”
Rich and Laurie Everhardt of Waverly “have a room in the basement with some weights and sport floor covering,” Laurie said. “I’ve done step aerobics, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts and yoga in there. Usually to YouTube videos, but also VHS and DVD back in the day.”
Although they both exercise more away from home these days, “The option to work out at home has been great,” Rich said. “It doesn’t take a lot of expensive equipment to create a space with lots of options.”
Aside from equipment, beginners need to keep a couple of others things in mind.
“Start slow to low level and increase,” Dietz Parsons advised. “So often people want to get into an exercise routine, and they feel good the first day and do anything and everything—only to be extremely sore the next few days.”
“Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) peaks 24 to 48 hours post exercise,” she said. “Plan your workouts accordingly.”
And not just beginners. Any home workout program can be improved with planning.
“Attempt to write out a plan for the week or for the month,” recommended Dietz Parsons, who has a doctorate in Exercise Physiology and was formerly a strength and conditioning coach and trainer. “If you don’t have a plan, it becomes easier to skip or become stagnant.”
As for appropriate exercises, “I would say there are no exercises that are off limits, but you do have to consider age, gender, health issues, ability and goals of the individual,” she said.
“As we age, people start losing bone density,” she continued. “Load-bearing activities, along with nutrition, help to reduce the effects of bone loss. This does not mean placing an 80-year-old client under a 225 lb. squat, but rather choosing an appropriate modality as well as an appropriate intensity of exercise.”
A personal trainer can help people determine the best exercises for their particular goals, even if they’re working out at home.
“You do not have to use a personal trainer to begin working out,” Dietz Parsons noted, “but personal trainers are very knowledgeable about exercises, progressions and programs.”
If people are looking for someone to write customized exercise programs for them, she suggested they contact her at Wartburg.
“Exercise is so important to quality of life, no matter which stage of life you are in,” Dietz Parsons emphasized. “Any movement is good. Sometimes that means structured workouts, and other days that may mean Activities of Daily Living, such as doing yard work. My suggestion is to get started and gradually increase either duration or intensity.”
For many people, the easiest way to get regular exercise is to do it at home.
“Having a home gym has allowed me to keep exercise a priority in my life,” Vannordstrand said. “Maybe not every day, but certainly every week, the majority of the weeks in the year.
“Now, if only I had a home chef, I’d have the total package!”
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Snow this morning will give way to some clearing this afternoon. High near 50F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 100%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected.
A few passing clouds. Low 26F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Cloudy in the morning, then off and on rain showers during the afternoon hours. High 44F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.