Working out at home has always been a hack, but this is the year home workouts really shone. We bought the equipment we could, improvised what we couldn’t, and learned how to turn our living room or driveway into the next best thing to a fitness centre. Here are our best tips for fitness from this year.
How to Work Out When You Can’t Go to the Gym
Ahh, March. When everything was closing “for two weeks” out of “an abundance of caution,” and for a minute there we all believed it. We gave you a quick primer on home workouts: Go outside, find videos, or dig into our vast archive of minimalist workout ideas. If your gym has just closed again, it might be time to revisit this.
How to Plan Your Strength Training When the Future Is Uncertain
Early in lockdown, we spoke with Greg Nuckols about what to do with all these derailed plans. Taking an off-season is good, actually, he told us. If you lift heavy, you need to read his tips on getting enough resistance without weights, and what to expect after several months off.
How to Work Out Like a Boxer
Boxers’ strength and conditioning workouts use very little equipment, making them perfect inspiration for at-home workouts. Get a timer and a jump rope, and start training like a boxer.
The Best Workout Videos to Do Alone
One of the under appreciated pleasures of home workouts is getting to do them all by yourself, with nobody bothering you. Here we highlight three YouTube channels for the introverted, with options for strength training, light cardio, and yoga.
How to Start Exercising
Ready to get back to basics? Here’s a basic primer on how to get started, whether you’re brand new to exercising or want to restart after some time off. Start small, follow a plan, and explore until you find something you truly enjoy.
Stay Active With Five-Minute ‘Fitness Snacks’
An entire home workout might sound daunting, so break it up and just exercise for five minutes at a time. These “fitness snacks” can be as effective as longer workouts if you plan them well, plus they break up the boredom of spending so much time at home.
[referenced id=”932856″ url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/07/stay-active-with-5-minute-fitness-snacks/” thumb=”https://www.gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/07/09/rdtoste0yfcu1c9fb1um-300×169.jpg” title=”Stay Active With 5-Minute ‘Fitness Snacks’” excerpt=”A lot of us would like to be more active, but it’s hard to find the time ” especially now, when many of us are combining remote work with full-time childcare.”]
How to Work Out With a Toddler Around
Kids sure do make things interesting, huh? Try these tips if you’re constantly getting interrupted while you work out. You can have your kids follow along with your workout, or let them set the tone while you try to keep up. If neither of those work, distract them to buy yourself time.
How to Decide Between Resistance Bands and Dumbbells
Resistance bands and dumbbells are both great options for challenging your muscles, but which is better? There are tradeoffs: resistance bands offer more total weight, but dumbbells are more versatile. Check out the rest of the considerations here.
[referenced id=”1031327″ url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/09/how-to-decide-between-resistance-bands-and-dumbbells/” thumb=”https://www.gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/09/30/zukjue8dawvchxiwet4x-300×169.jpg” title=”How to Decide Between Resistance Bands and Dumbbells” excerpt=”Resistance bands and dumbbells are both great for strength training at home, since they don’t require much storage space and tend to be a lot cheaper than a full setup with a barbell and plates. But they each have pros and cons, so let’s talk about how to choose.”]
What I Learned from Four Months of Lifting Outdoors
I fully committed to the home gym life, even though my ceilings are too low for indoor workouts. So here’s what I learned from lifting through the spring and summer in all kinds of weather.
[referenced id=”935049″ url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/07/what-i-learned-from-four-months-of-lifting-outdoors/” thumb=”https://www.gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/07/24/ew60xsc0dld33g8bxw2n-300×169.jpg” title=”What I Learned From Four Months of Lifting Outdoors” excerpt=”Ever since gyms closed in March, I’ve been working out at home. And since my house doesn’t have a suitable place for many of the exercises I like to do, I’ve mainly been lifting outside. Here’s what I’ve learned.”]
Your Home Gym Needs These Underrated Upgrades
You know you need weights and/or cardio equipment, but here are a few items that can provide some of the comfort of a gym when you’re working out at home. Like a chalk bucket, a sturdy horse stall mat, and some tunes.
[referenced id=”929779″ url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/06/your-home-gym-needs-these-underrated-upgrades/” thumb=”https://www.gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/19/un1t22jl30sjfuxuwukd-300×169.jpg” title=”Your Home Gym Needs These Underrated Upgrades” excerpt=”I’ve been training at home since March, and I’ve gotten to know my home gym (aka “some piles of rusty stuff in my garage”) pretty well during this time. Besides the obvious — weights and such — it turns out there are a few little things that can make a…”]
Get a Group Fitness Experience on Your Own With These Apps
If you’re missing the studio, try out these apps that give you the same feeling of togetherness as being in a fitness class. The Lifehacker staff tried out Nike Run Club and Aaptiv, and here’s what we thought of them.
How to Lift in the Cold
Summer lifting brought one set of challenges, and winter lifting brought another. Here are my tips on lifting when it’s truly frigid out: how to dress, how to stay safe and more.
[referenced id=”1039272″ url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/12/how-to-lift-in-the-cold/” thumb=”https://www.gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/12/08/x33bdfjpmcw6ccqg7qus-300×169.jpg” title=”How to Lift in the Cold” excerpt=”This year has brought many new experiences. Lifting at home was a new-ish one to me. Lifting outdoors (necessitated by low ceilings in the garage) came next. And as the seasons changed, I’ve had to lift outdoors in the cold and the dark and the snow. You can do it….”]
How to Make the Most of Limited Gym Time
As gyms reopened, some of them instituted a time slot policy, where you have to be in and out in a certain amount of time. Even if you aren’t forbidden to hang out in the gym forever, it’s still safer and smarter to keep your time in indoor public spaces to a minimum. So try these tips to make the most of your hour.
[referenced id=”983051″ url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/09/how-to-make-the-most-of-limited-gym-time/” thumb=”https://www.gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/09/03/pcky3ypdbpoqwkr1l5xo-300×168.jpg” title=”How to Make the Most of Limited Gym Time” excerpt=”Maybe you have to sign up for a time slot at your gym, when you used to be able to mosey on in anytime you liked. Maybe they kick you out after an hour so they can clean. Or maybe your gym is operating as usual, but you’d rather limit…”]
What to Do When You’re Bored of Your Home Workout
It happens to the best of us. If you hate working out at home, maybe you need a change of perspective. Instead of trying to recreate what you loved about the gym, ask yourself what really motivates you and whether it might be time for a new toy, a new focus, or some time shoring up your weak points as an athlete.
[referenced id=”1027945″ url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/09/what-to-do-when-youre-bored-of-your-home-workout/” thumb=”https://www.gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/09/23/qnfml5blynzjmfqaqpqh-300×169.jpg” title=”What to Do When You’re Bored of Your Home Workout” excerpt=”It’s been over six months since gyms first closed, and if you never returned, you’re probably pretty sick of pushups and chipper YouTube workout instructors by now. Maybe you already fell off the wagon and are wondering how you can motivate yourself to climb back on.”]
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