If you are not finding time in your schedule to go to the gym, don’t worry - a study has found that working out at home not only saves you time and money but also increases adherence to the programme.
The study investigated a home-based high-intensity interval training (Home-HIT) programme and studied its benefits for clinically obese individuals.
The researchers were interested in whether Home-HIT is a time-efficient strategy that helps to reduce common exercise barriers such as difficulty with access to exercise facilities due to travel time and cost.
For the study, 32 obese people completed a 12-week exercise programme and found that home-based HIT was as effective as both the supervised, gym-based HIT programme for improving fitness in obese individuals.
The results found that a Home-HIT for previously inactive individuals gives people a more attainable exercise goal.
Home treadmills and fitness bikes are becoming so sturdy, smart and sophisticated that they’re as effective as the fitness centre machines.
Consumers can check e-mail, watch the news and shop online. For example the Reebok Jet 300 offers 10 customisable programmes and 28 pre-set workouts, and features apps such as Netflix and Spotify, providing entertainment throughout your session.
Technology has revamped the stationary bike as well. The ProForm Tour de France, which inclines and declines to 20%, allows the home exerciser virtual access to all 21 legs of the Tour de France bicycle race.
So next time you feel guilty about not having time to get to the gym - don’t stress - working out with a fitness ball and a set of free weights at home while watching TV can be just as effective as spending time at the gym.