Fitness At Home For Weight Loss And Body Tightening

Fitness at home is a great alternative to a sports club! Many women achieve impressive results in home workouts. And now, including because of the pandemic, home training is one of the most discussed topics in the sports community.

Physical activity in the modern world

The training process is an important part of the life of a modern person, since there is less and less physical activity in our everyday life, the ecological situation is deteriorating and the diet is becoming less useful. For the normal functioning of all organs and systems of the human body, training is as necessary as a sufficient amount of water.

A busy work schedule, meetings with friends and household chores make significant adjustments to the training process, but there is a way out. And this is fitness at home!

Let's talk about fitness at home for weight loss, workouts for body tightening and body shaping.

Modern fitness rooms can offer a huge number of different simulators, block frames and other equipment. There are about 150 fitness areas: from classic methods, like strength training for muscle hypertrophy, to exotic activities, like karaoke fitness or stiletto training.

But no matter how advanced the latest techniques are, their essence remains the same: give a certain amount of load in order to get the desired result. Is it possible to provide such a load to the body on your own at home?

Let's start with some statistics. More than 70% of women have a sedentary job. At the same time, the volume of work is growing, that is, women spend more and more time in a motionless and sedentary state.

Let's add here the fact that not everyone follows the daily diet, gets enough sleep and controls the level of stress.

Who is home fitness for?

Home fitness is suitable for everyone who has a desire to get a healthy and toned body, but for some reason there is no way to go to the gym.

This is a great option for those who work at home, mothers with young children, or women whose work schedule does not allow regular visits to fitness clubs. This fitness direction is ideal for those who live in big cities and are not ready to stand in traffic jams in Moscow or another metropolis for the sake of training.

What difficulties do beginners in the world of fitness most often encounter and those who, for one reason or another, decided to change the format of their usual loads in the gym to home fitness

The advantage of the gym is the presence of a coach nearby. At home, we are dealing with the impossibility of controlling the execution technique and the lack of individualization of the training program - something that a specialist takes on. But in the modern world, even this task is easily solved: each coach offers his services online, which makes it possible to interact remotely.

The next barrier is sports equipment. And probably, this is the only thing in which home training loses to visiting the gym. For many decades, various simulators have been created and modernized, but there is still a very important argument in favor of home fitness. The human body and muscle groups have not changed in any way during this time. So, the basics and principles of training remained about the same.

In fact, you can load any muscle group without any equipment. But we can find three obstacles:

• no load progression. In order to improve the body, you need to constantly and smoothly increase the load. Our muscles adapt to the load that we give, and our task is to change it in such a way as to avoid addiction. You can do this in many ways, for example, increase the weight of the projectile, the number of repetitions, change the exercises or the program as a whole;
• load increase problem. At home, we are limited in exercise (to draw an analogy - let's say you have only four products for cooking dinner. In this case, the variety of dishes will depend on the imagination and professionalism of the cook. And in a professional kitchen, like in a gym, there is access to dozens of foods (the same with exercises, the amount of which you are limited at home, which steals time on the way to the cherished goal);
• motivation. Having paid money for a subscription, making your way to the gym and exercising under the gaze of a trainer, you will do everything with more dedication.

Principles of building training

Factors affecting the construction of training:

• hormonal balance;
• diet;
• training goals;
• state of the intestinal microbiota;
• deficiency of vitamins and minerals;
• genetics;
• recovery mode, namely sleep and wake mode;
• the number of loads outside of training;
• illness and injury;
• psycho-emotional features;
• outside factors.

Only a professional can take into account all your features. There are two main training regimens: volume training and intensive training. By increasing this or that mode, you can progress.

Training volume is the amount of work done. For example, squats: you do three sets of ten squats each. In order to increase the volume of such a workout, the easiest way is to do more approaches, for example, not three, but six. You can do more squats, increase their number, for example, up to fifteen repetitions. Thus, the training tonnage is growing.

Tonnage is how much weight you lifted in total in training. For example, you weigh 50 kg and you have done three sets of five squats. It turns out that in total you lifted your weight (50 kg) fifteen times. Multiply the weight by the number of repetitions and get the volume, or tonnage, of your workout: 50 x 15 = 750 kg.

The second mode is the training intensity. Work goes not with quantity, but with quality. Intensity is how fast and with what weight you perform the exercises. For example, consider all the same squats. You do three sets of ten squats, only now you add weight, like dumbbells, and do the exercises faster - reducing the rest time between sets.

It is important to use these two methods correctly.

Load cycling

The most important factor for progress in training is the correct periodization of loads.

It is important to plan your training plan for a long period of time, taking into account the long-term perspective, the implementation of which consists of small steps. Then, while exercising at home, you will be able to distribute the stages of loading and recovery, which will significantly increase the result and avoid a plateau - that is, stagnation in the results.

The basis of any periodization is the construction of training cycles.

Load cycling is a way of periodizing the quality of the training process, ensuring constant progress. Load cycling implies micro-, macro- and meso-periodization, when within one week you change the training volume or training intensity from training to training. Or when the purpose of the training program changes within a longer period.

The macrocycle is the largest and longest of the cycles. The usual duration is from six months to several years. You set a goal for yourself: to tighten the body for the next summer season, lose a certain number of kilograms, or “build up” a few centimeters on the buttocks.

The macrocycle is divided into mesocycles. Most often three. Want to get the perfect body? Here is the generic schema:

• the first mesocycle is the preparatory stage. You should not sharply increase the loads, you need to get used to them so as not to overdo it and not go into a state of overtraining in which it is impossible to progress. Spend a month or two to gradually get involved in the regime, gradually increase the load, rebuild the diet;
• the second mesocycle is the stage of weight gain. The priority task is to gain muscle mass in the desired area. No need to think that if you want to lose weight, then you skip this stage. It is impossible to gain muscle mass and burn fat at the same time. That is, you will lose weight and then you will try to shape the muscles, but it is very difficult to gain net weight without fat, you risk returning to the beginning. Therefore, it is better to first acquire muscle volumes, and then proceed to the next stage;
• the third mesocycle - "eyeliner". There are two ways to lose weight. The first is weight loss, when we lose muscle tissue, fat, fluid, and even a percentage of bone tissue. The method is fast, but unsafe, so it is not recommended to lose weight without physical activity and a strict plan. The second method is called "drying", when you lose weight at the expense of fat, while preserving everything else as much as possible.

A mesocycle is an average training cycle that consists of a series of completed microcycles. They may have different sub-goals, but they must correspond to the overall goal of the entire mesocycle. Usually a microcycle is a week of training, which will be repeated as many times as necessary.

The correct construction of a training based on mesocycles allows you to provide the necessary dynamics of training and a balanced combination of training loads thanks to a detailed plan that will lead to the desired result.

Building such cycles is a painstaking and difficult process that requires knowledge. Therefore, it is better to seek help from a professional trainer, but if this is not possible, we will help you figure it out on your own.

Features of women's training

Can women train the same way as men? Yes, although the result will come much later and there can be many negative consequences.

First, women's hormonal levels are very different from men's. And in this regard, different muscle groups in women and men respond to the load in different ways. In guys, the upper body grows better, in girls, the lower part responds better to loads.

Secondly, there are two types of muscle fibers: fast and slow. Normally, both sexes have both, only the balance is different. There are more slow fibers in women, and they are naturally more enduring, while in men, fast contractile muscle fibers predominate, so they are stronger in the moment.

How does this affect the training process? Women need to do more sets and reps - from 15 repetitions per set. It is better for men to hang more pancakes on the bar - then things will go more efficiently. But this does not mean that girls need to get by with only repetitive work, muscles love a variety of training, but high volume should still prevail.

And thirdly, the presence of the menstrual cycle makes its own adjustments. Due to the different levels of hormones at certain periods of the cycle, training should be varied. For example, in the early days of the cycle it is better to remove heavy strength work and give light aerobic exercise, in the middle of the cycle it is better to do strength work and, if possible, use medium and heavy weights. At the end of the cycle, we prefer loads with a large number of approaches and repetitions and with a light working weight.

Examples of training programs

There are a huge number of home fitness programs designed for weight loss and body tightening. There are no universal programs, but one of the schemes we have proposed will definitely suit you, designed to help you achieve your goals. Consider home fitness and exercises for weight loss.

Scheme 1+1. We conditionally divide the body into two parts: lower and upper. At the first training session, we perform exercises that involve the lower body (legs, in particular the thighs, lower leg and buttocks), at the next training session, we fully load the upper body (back, arms, chest, shoulders and everyone's favorite abs).

Workout example:

lower body

1. Squats. Stand straight, put your feet wider than your shoulders and spread your socks to the sides. To perform the exercise correctly, first take your pelvis back and lean forward a little, only then bend your legs. Keep your back straight, knees diverge in the direction of the socks, squat until an angle of 90 degrees is formed at the knee joint. Reception for greater tension of the buttocks: before standing up, transfer the weight of the body to the heels, squeeze the buttocks and only then get up without unclenching them.

2. Lunges. Stand up straight, put your feet together, take a step back and lean forward until you feel a stretch in your buttocks, return to the starting position and repeat the same with the other leg. When performing this exercise, it is important to ensure that the knee does not go beyond the toe, this will increase safety and protect against injury. To give a greater load on the buttocks, take a step further back and lie down with your chest on the leg in front, transfer all the weight to the leg in front, and only then get up.

3. Glute bridge. Lie down on the floor, arms along the body. Bend your legs and place them shoulder-width closer to your buttocks, lift your pelvis as high as possible, leaving emphasis on your shoulder blades and feet, and return to the starting position. To increase the load, use the following technique: at the top point, linger for a few seconds and additionally squeeze the buttocks, you can also use a fitness elastic band, fixing it on the hips. When lowering to the starting position, leave a small gap between the floor and the buttocks, so you keep more load.

4. Rise on socks. Stand straight, legs together, rise on your toes and fix the position for a few seconds, slowly lower yourself to the starting position. To increase the efficiency of the exercise, work with amplitude. To do this, you can put something under your socks, such as a thick book, then the amplitude will be much larger.

upper body

1. Push-ups. Classic push-ups may be beyond the power of a beginner, so we offer an option with push-ups on your knees. Lie down on the floor, palms next to the chest slightly below the shoulders, spread your elbows to the sides and, leaning on your knees, lift the body, then lower yourself.

2. Raise the pelvis. Take an emphasis lying down. Place your legs wide, straightened arms at shoulder level. Lower yourself and arch your back, throwing your head back, inhale, then as you exhale, lift your pelvis and pull your head closer to your shoulders, arching your back. Return to starting position.

3. Plank. An excellent static exercise that will truly show the value of time. Lie face down, place your elbows on the floor exactly under your shoulders and lift your body, knees, pelvis, back and neck - everything should be strictly in one line. Try to stand as long as possible and do not forget to follow your breath. If you shake at first, that's fine.

4. Bicycle. Lie on your back, bend your legs and lift them off the floor. Alternately pull your knees to your chest, simulating cycling. Do this until you get tired.

In this program, it is better to perform three to five sets of each exercise, doing fifteen repetitions. Rest one to two minutes between sets. And between exercises, fully restore breathing and monitor the pulse, because during intense exercise, the heart rate increases. Most trainees can start a new exercise when the pulse drops to one hundred beats per minute. Over time, the number of repetitions and approaches can be increased. Alternate the workouts themselves, but be sure to plan a day of rest between them.

Scheme "north-south". The training technique is similar to the previous one, however, we divide muscle groups not into bottom-up, but into front and back surfaces.

Workout example:

Front surface

1. Max in front of you and to the sides with dumbbells. Any dumbbell will do, you can use any other equipment with sufficient weight (many people use water bottles). Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, raise straight arms with a projectile in front of you, then lower and raise to the sides. This exercise perfectly loads the anterior and lateral muscle bundles of the shoulders, which as a result forms not only beautiful hands, but also good posture.

2. Twisting. Lie down on the floor, put your hands behind your head and, straining your abs, tear your shoulder blades off the floor, pull your chin to your stomach, twisting your upper body. At the same time, do not tear your lower back off the floor, linger for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.

3. Shoulder straps. Take an emphasis lying down, as in push-ups, tear off one hand from the floor and touch it with the opposite shoulder, then do the same with the other hand. Do the exercise until you get tired.

4. Frog. Stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart, squat, then jump as high as possible from the bottom of the squat. Try not to land on straight legs, bend them as you begin the next rep.

Back surface:

1. Reverse push-ups. It is best to use a stool, chair or bench. Sit on it, hands near the hips, bring your legs out in front of you and lower yourself, bending your arms, then straighten up, pushing yourself up from a bench or chair.

2. Boat. Lie on your stomach, put your hands up in front of you, legs together. At the same time, raise your arms and legs, arching your lower back, hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower your arms and legs.

3. Swing back. Get on all fours, straighten one leg and take it back, swing your leg, lifting it as high as possible and squeezing the buttock. Lower your leg and touch your toe to the floor, then lift it up again. We do the same with the other leg.

4. Diagonal swing. Get on all fours, touch the opposite knee with your elbow, bringing them under you, then straighten your leg and stretch your arm in front of you. Do the same for the other arm and leg.

The rest system and the number of repetitions are the same as in the previous 1 + 1 scheme.

Circuit training

This is the best kind of home fitness for weight loss.

The bottom line is to perform a set of exercises without stopping, in circles. For example, we do 10 push-ups, then 10 squats, then 10 twists on the press and immediately 10 jumps in place. And only after completing the circle we rest until breathing is restored. Another option is not to perform a certain number of repetitions, but to time it: for example, we squat for 30 seconds, we do push-ups for 30 seconds, and so on.

The advantage of this scheme is time saving. This workout usually takes no more than half an hour. Combine different exercises, but it is better not to use exercises on the same muscle groups. For the convenience of selecting exercises, you can use mobile applications dedicated to circular training.

Scheme "Varga". One of the universal schemes. Choose any five exercises, such as push-ups, squats, glute bridges, lunges, and crunches.

The scheme is to do the exercises for the same amount of time as you rest. For example, we squat for 10 seconds, then we rest for 10 seconds, after which we squat for 20 seconds and rest for the same amount. Then we squat for half a minute and rest for the same amount. So we get to the minute of the exercise and the minute of rest, after which we move on to the next exercise. Do push-ups for 10 seconds and rest for 10 seconds, then do push-ups for 20 seconds and rest for the same amount, and so on.

The schemes proposed by us are universal, you can choose any.

The specifics of home training

There are a few more important nuances to consider before home workouts.

Let's start with nutrition. If you imagine that workouts are builders, and food is building materials, it’s easy to understand that no matter how cool your workout builders are, but if the food material is bad, you can’t expect a strong and beautiful house. First of all, it is important to contact a fitness nutritionist to draw up a detailed nutritional plan that will be built individually for you.

The second important nuance is recovery. To maintain high productivity, you should pay more attention to health and daily routine. Healthy sleep - at least 8 hours a day (ideal bedtime - 22:00-23:00), less stress and more psycho-emotional unloading. Stress is the main enemy of muscles.

It is important to remember about the drinking regimen. If you don’t want to have excess weight and swelling, make your body retain less water, and for this, provide the body with enough fluid. Formula suitable for everyone: 30-35 ml per 1 kg of body weight. In conditions of increased sweating, you need to add 1-2 glasses of water.

Warm up. The more you pay attention to it, the longer your body will last without injury. Each joint should be kneaded, starting from the upper parts of the body: from the neck, smoothly moving to the ankle and toes.

Conclusion

In today's world, speeds are getting faster and time is running out, so it's not always possible to get to a workout at your favorite fitness club. You can do home fitness in familiar and comfortable conditions. Whether you are a beginner or a professional athlete, you will be able to choose the ideal load for yourself.