Where to start with exercise at home
“I’m not big into exercise.” This is a comment heard often from people of all ages in my clinical experience. It’s also very fair to feel that way. I want people to be able to use things around the house with minimal investment having the most bang for their buck!
The piece of exercise that is arguably the most important in all stages of life is cardio. When you walk into a local gym, there will likely be many options for people to complete some form of cardiovascular exercise. When we walk, climb stairs, do laundry, or cook a holiday meal, endurance is critical to maintain. This looks different for everyone in that having to sit down and rest can come on at any moment.
When I have someone who admittedly doesn’t like exercise, I’m going to encourage regular walking. Being on the East Coast in the dead of winter, my recommendation is to become a “mall walker.” Distance and speed can be tracked via a Fitbit or watch. My main goal is for someone to spend a specific amount of time (5, 10, even 30 minutes) to gradually increase over time. Academy College of Sports Medicine recommends 150 minutes of cardio per week or roughly 30 minutes 5 days a week. Walking is great for endurance but naturally builds lower body strength over time as well. Try to make time for this activity with someone else to provide a social aspect to this situation for an increased level of fun and accountability. If you are at a grandchild’s baseball tournament, go for a walk around a nearby track in between games. If you enjoy music or listening to audiobooks, it’s also a great way to pass the time while walking.
Another basic activity that doesn’t require purchasing equipment would be to complete Sit-to-Stands from a normal surface height like your kitchen chair. If you need to use armrests to push off, that’s okay to begin, focusing on improving toward completing without using arms eventually. This DOES work. I cannot stress enough how standing up and down from a chair 10 times in a row daily can improve your lower body strength and has led to greater ease in household tasks for our patients.
If home equipment is what you’re interested in, a recumbent bike is the gold standard for strength and conditioning while having lower impact on joints that may be hurting. You can control the resistance level and look for options that have the right adjustments for the back and seating position at the comfort of the user.
If you’re looking to expand your home exercise equipment further without taking up much space I would recommend adjustable ankle weights. This allows for some lower body strengthening without the big, bulky equipment. Lightweight dumbbells and resistance bands that we have listed in the products page are also great to have around depending on the condition of your upper body and tolerance.
If you are looking for a site supported by therapists, hep2go is a website that doesn’t require a membership (unless you’d like to save personalized exercise plans). Here, you can go to search by body part and pick categories related to stretching, strength or range of motion. There you can browse through some ideas while you wait to get a chance to be provided a formal program by a therapist or trainer.
No matter what path you choose for expanding your home options, movement is key to maintaining function. Daily stretching, 20-30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week, and a strengthening program 3-4 days a week are good targets to have for you or your loved ones who are trying to stay healthy and mobile at home. Keeping a workout journal can help with keeping track of minutes and resistance levels as you continue to grow and improve your overall ability.
Don’t forget that these recommendations aren’t for the purpose of looking good in that bathing suit—it’s so you can stand from the couch easily or safely shower with the right endurance and balance to be independent with low risk for falling.
Written by Kayla Fluder, DPT