Editor's note: All opinions, columns and letters reflect the views of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the IDS or its staffers.
When I first stepped into the gym, I felt nervous and confused. Which machine should I approach, and how long do I use the machine for? Was it just me, or do the instructions seem impossible to follow at the gym?
Some suggest that weightlifting is crucial to making progress during your fitness journey, while others claim that cardio is the way of life. Thousands of opinions, advice and science-based arguments surface on the web on how to approach the gym, what machines you should use and what days you should complete specifically targeted workouts.
It can be overwhelming to walk into a gym for the first time and not understand the wordy and confusing instructions on a sticker located at the side or top of a machine. When I walk into a gym, it feels awkward to bend over to try to comprehend instructions while not knowing anything, especially when the gym seems to actively become more crowded as the post-class and post-work hours go by. The feeling of being watched tends to discourage me from wanting to understand how to use the equipment, and so I find myself walking to the simple, easy-to-use treadmill for the fourth time that week.
When I work out at home, no one watches me and I don’t feel the pressure to know everything. I don’t always know what I’m doing, but it’s okay because I, alone, am learning as I go. Working out at home is a huge motivator for me, and I believe more people should know that working out at home is just as valid as going to the gym.
In fact, not only can working out at home be more comfortable, but it’s very convenient! There’s no additional travel time like there would be to drive or walk to the gym and back. With just a yoga mat and a few weights, you can set up a little corner in the convenience of your own dorm, apartment or home. I started working out in my small dorm room at Forest Quadrangle with a yoga mat from Target and a pair of gifted 3-pound weights. When it was time to go home to Maryland for winter break, I packed my weights in a box and threw my yoga mat in the back of my car.
Bouncing around from state to state, my at home workouts can be done anywhere. My equipment has since grown to include a 10-pound kettlebell and a resistance band and still, all of it fit into a small box when I moved to Wisconsin for the summer. Whether you’re traveling this summer and the hotel or local gyms just don’t cut it, or you prefer the efficiency of your own home, at-home-workouts are a routine I would recommend.
They don’t need to be that complicated, either. Simply search on YouTube phrases such as “ten-minute arm workout” or “30-minute leg workout session.” Some of my favorite exercises are chest presses and push-ups.
Essentially, I first thought of the different parts of my body — arms, legs, back, and stomach — the four categories that I wanted to focus on. I then dedicated different days to each workout, as well as days for resting — which your body needs for healing and recovery! When I first began doing at-home workouts, I did arms (also known as your upper body) on Mondays and my legs (also known as your lower body) on Tuesdays. I took Wednesdays as a rest day and picked up the schedule again on Thursdays for my back, Fridays for abs and Saturdays for a full body workout which include aspects from each part of the week.
Since then, I’ve replaced the days I don’t workout with light running. I made sure to cut my Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday workouts to be shorter for my physical health and recovery. However, I am by no means a professional, and you should adjust your home workout plan to whatever suits your needs.
In the end, I know I’m doing things the “right way” when I have a smile on my face. I want to enjoy my fitness journey without the pressure of hitting specific goals. Although there is nothing wrong with setting attainable goals for yourself, I guess my overall “goal” is to feel good and be happy. It’s rewarding to look forward to the next workout rather than to dread it.
By no means is going to the gym the wrong approach — at home workouts are simply another! Tonal blogs claims “When it comes to building muscle and burning fat, the location doesn’t really matter.” It is important to note that without weight, workouts can be less effective. However, “exercising in the comfort of your own home can be as good as going to the gym — if you have the right tools.” Each option has its pros and cons.
It’s important to know that with the right movements, and you can use dumbbells to imitate machinery. For example, bent-over dumbbell rows and taking the dumbbells from your arms out in front of you towards your chest are alternative ways of doing the row machine at the gym. For other forms of exercise, such as cardio, running in your neighborhood is like using the treadmill at the gym.
If you’re like me and feel more comfortable and efficient doing your workout sessions at home rather than at the gym, then it makes sense that the approach will work for you and your fitness journey. All our bodies are beautifully different, and each has different needs.
So, what does your workout plan look like?
Aryana Amin-Tehrani (she/her) is a senior studying marketing, management and digital and social media business applications.
