How To Do Aerobic Exercise At Home

Physical Fitness Training

In today's world, more and more emphasis is being put on aerobic exercise as the best way to keep fit and stay healthy.

However, as more and more people have to work twice as hard to make ends meet, one of the first things to go is the exercise program.

Belonging to a fitness club can be a nice chunk out of a paycheck. It can also be a major drain on your time.

For those folks who don't work outside the home, it can be a particular challenge trying to motivate yourself to adopt an exercise program. It can also prove harder to participate depending on the demands of family and/or a job that's telecommuting.

There are many ways that you can get exercise at home. Let's look at just a few of the most popular ones. They range from zero cost to moderate cost.

Exercise Workouts at Home

There are any number of DVD's and tapes on aerobic activity and good workouts. The most important thing is to pick out a workout that suits your level of ability and physical condition.

If you're contemplating starting an exercise workout program using a DVD or taped program, make sure you do the following:

• Make sure you are healthy enough to participate in a workout program - ask your doctor
• Check out what exercises are involved - watch the program first
• Determine if the physical level is the right one for you
• Make sure you have the right shoes and/or exercise clothing to participate
• If equipment is involved, for instance, weights, make certain you have the right tools
• Start slow and build on that - one of the most common reasons for failed exercise programs is injury from overdoing when starting out
• Be consistent - any program will not serve you well if you don't participate at least 3-5 times per week for at least 30-60 minutes (unless advised otherwise by your health care provider)
• Set aside time to do your workouts and turn off cell phones, pagers, etc. Try to approach your exercise activity as "your space" or "your time"

You can find most any type of aerobic workout on DVD or tape. You can participate in jazzercise programs, aerobic dancing programs, step aerobics, or kick boxing to name a few.

You can also purchase a Wii and exercise with games designed for workouts or participate in games such as soccer, tennis, etc. These are great ways to exercise without ever leaving home.

At-Home Exercise Equipment

If watching DVD's or tapes isn't the way you like to exercise but a more regimented system is, then you'll probably want to invest in some home exercise equipment.

Your pocketbook will determine which kinds of equipment you might want to purchase, but here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Elliptical
• Rowing machine
• Treadmill
• Stationary bike
• Recumbent bicycle
• Jump rope
• Free weights
• Weight bench
• All-in-one exercise station such as the BowFlex
• Stair Stepper
• Medicine Ball
• Punching Bag
• Yoga mat

Keep in mind that you should again check with your medical provider to make sure you are healthy enough to use any particular kind of equipment.

You should wear proper shoewear when exercising on them. Also make sure to start slow and build up your exercise routine gradually.

Before you buy any type of home exercise equipment, check Ebay and Amazon. Check Craigslist, garage sales and thrift stores in your area. The most common item found at garage sales is used exercise equipment.

Cardio Exercise Workout from a Chair

Watch the YouTube video below for an incredible physical fitness training workout which only requires one piece of equipment - a chair.

The entire workout takes about 11 minutes and can be repeated several times consecutively or at different times. However, it is an overall workout that works all the muscles in the body and gets your heart rate up.

This workout can be done anywhere, even in a wheelchair. Make sure that you complete the workout at your own pace. Some people will of necessity only be able to do movements at a certain pace while others can do them much faster. The point of this workout is to apply it to your own physical conditioning state and go from there.

This is a great workout for someone just starting to exercise after a long vacation from exercise.

It is a great workout for someone who is significantly overweight.

It's also a great workout for someone who has just had surgery and needs to stay active but can't participate in other forms of exercise yet.

This is a great workout for people who have bone or joint problems and can't participate in high impact exercise programs.

I like that it only lasts 11 minutes and you can repeat several times per day or double or triple it. It offers great exercises that are pretty basic but can be ramped up depending on the individual's physical fitness level.

Make Up Your Own Workout

People who are easily bored with repetitive exercise regimes often make up their own workouts and use their own "on hand" items for working out.

For instance, running flights of stairs repetitively for 30 minutes will give you as much aerobic exercise as if you did a StairMaster for the same amount of time.

Lifting milk jugs instead of weights (or other weighted items such as cans, etc) will serve the purpose for muscle building the same way dumbbells will.

Jogging in place will have the same effects as running on a treadmill without the outlay for the equipment.

Use your household furniture, stairs, terraces, etc. to come up with aerobic workouts that are free. Remember the old fashioned calisthenics were a way for people to stay in shape no matter where they were. It is part of our culture today that leads us to believe we need exercise equipment or a prescribed program to keep us in shape.

Don't forget the most easily performed exercise of all that is free - walking. The only expense involved is a good pair of walking shoes. It can be performed anywhere, even indoors during inclement weather.

Here are some more exercise ideas for people who hate to exercise.