With gyms and workout classes closed and the pandemic continues, nowadays more people are working from home. And since staying active is an essential part of our day-to-day life, we have all had to adjust to this ‘new normal’ of training in the comfort of your own home.
However, just because you are staying indoors during this time, it doesn’t mean you cannot exercise or achieve a full-body workout. Whether you have found a cosy nook in your house and decided to train with the help of online workouts or chosen to maintain regular physical activity by bringing your training session outside, there are a few things you can do to achieve better results.
Take Caffeine Before Your Workout
In case you can’t start your day without your morning cup of joe, you will be happy to know that taking caffeine before your workout can help to enhance fat-burning and endurance and relieve muscle pain during training.
In addition to a performance boost, a pre-workout cup of joe can actually make exercise feel more enjoyable, which means you can do more reps and are more likely to push harder. Therefore, make sure to drink 200-400mg of caffeine at least half an hour before you start sweating to give it enough time to kick in.
Turn On The Right Music
It might seem too obvious, but we really mean it. Usually, the right tunes help to get you in the mood, while the wrong one makes you want to call it quits.
For your next at-home fitness session, arm yourself with songs that are fast, upbeat and consistent with the energy you need to exercise. You can even create a solid workout playlist to jack up your adrenalin, help you feel energised and motivated. Also, invest in a good pair of headphones that won’t fall off when you jump, lift weights or run.
Don’t Ignore Pollution In Your Home
Bacteria, allergens, mould, chemicals – all these pollutants can be found inside your house and inhaled when you breathe. As you usually breathe through your mouth during exercise, which cannot filter air as well as your nose, it is essential to find ways to clean the air in your home.
One of the solutions can be an air purifier, which not only helps to eliminate pollutants, allergens and other harmful chemicals but also neutralises unpleasant odours. If you use Alexa and Google Assistant, you can find different options of smart air purifiers with voice control, which is especially useful for exercising at home. You can plan ahead and start air purifying on the go, meaning you can continue with your work out session as soon as you get home from work while protecting yourself from unhealthy air.
Consume Natural Supplements
While supplements can’t make up for poor nutrition, using them can help you get the essential vitamins, minerals and other dietary nutrients you need to improve athletic performance. However, watch out for those that contain high amounts of caffeine, sugar and various artificial ingredients. For example, drinking a protein shake after an intense workout can help speed up your recovery, rebuilding and growth processes, so the next time you exercise, you will be ready to go.
Also, consider investing in supplements like CBD products, which can bring your workout session to a whole new level. Using CBD oil can help to boost your mood, increase energy and endurance, relieve pain and even promote faster post-workout recovery and better sleep. All you need to do is consuming CBD oil capsules, tinctures or any other infused products to bring all processes of your body in balance and be able to push yourself to continue with training.
What’s more, applying CBD infused topicals like CBD cream, ointment or salve can be useful for healing scars, wounds and minor injuries and provide target relief for specific body parts.
Try New Exercises
When you maintain regular exercise, it’s important to constantly challenge your body. This can include running longer distances, doing more lifting or participating in another sport or activity.
Since training is an ongoing process, you need to step out of your comfort zone to improve your fitness. Don’t be afraid to change your fitness routine, try various activities and see what works and what doesn’t. Sticking to a varied program that includes aerobic exercise, flexibility, strength and core work can enhance your fitness and keep you motivated. Your body doesn’t have to get used to the same workout regimen. Try to experiment and mix things up to choose something you enjoy.
Incorporate Active Recovery Days
When it comes to muscles building, the magic really happens after your tremendous workout. When you exercise, micro-tears appear in the muscle fibres, and after a sweat session, your body starts to rebuild those damaged fibres of the muscles to make them stronger than before.
Therefore, your body needs some days off to recover, repair and rest – without them, you prevent the process of muscle growth and risk overtraining if you exercise frequently. And we are not talking about lying on the couch all day. On your active recovery days, make sure to go for a walk, do light stretching or practise revitalising yoga exercises.
Find New Sources Of Motivation
A key element to reaching your fitness goals and being in shape is to keep a positive mindset and motivation. Think of new methods to motivate yourself, such as visualisation or technology. You can use different fitness apps to schedule daily workouts and stick to them no matter what.
Using visualisation is also a great way to stay focused and motivated and imagine your success. For examples, you can watch influencers on Instagram to not only get that much-needed motivation but also to receive some hacks or tips for your fitness journey.
Track Your Improvements
To track your progress and continue with regular workouts, you need to record your improvements. There are many ways to do this, but make sure you track your progress before, during and after your training programme. You can record muscle gain and fat loss, how many reps and sets you completed and time trials at specific distances if you workout outside. This will help you to test your fitness, evaluate how successful your session has been and how much you have improved.
