DIY Fitness - Part 1

We’ll begin with an obligatory caveat about knowledge and safety. It’s highly recommended that anyone starting a personal fitness program consult qualified medical and fitness professionals. That being said, for those individuals who are self motivated enough to engage in their own individualized program let’s go through a few of the major components necessary for your success.

To begin, let’s look into some of the basic equipment you should invest in. While you can create an efficient program without any equipment there are a few relatively inexpensive items that will make your program far more effective. These include the following:

Medicine balls (4, 8, and 10 lbs)
Ankle/wrist weights (2-5 lbs each)
Dumbbells (3, 5, 8, and 10 lbs)
Resistance straps
Body Bars (5, 8, and 10 lbs)
Stability ball

Most of the items can be purchased at a local sporting goods store or you can purchase them online http://astore.amazon.com/kscubed-20/105-9676627-5707653  .

Before you initiate your program you will need to identify your goals. Examples include, weight loss, toning or reducing health risks associated with a less active life style. In order to increase your chance of adherence to your program you should create a schedule of specific days that you will exercise (preferably 3-6 days). You need to structure your program in such a way that it becomes as routinized as a daily commute. You’ll need to make it fit into your schedule. In fact, there are some individuals who can have effective programs that consist of 10 minutes of exercise 7 days a week.

Finally, be cognizant of the fact that successful programs require modifications every 4 to 6 weeks. By so doing you avoid the inevitable plateaus that can derail an otherwise effective fitness program. We shall touch upon more specific details of a fitness program (such as how to determine its frequency and duration) in subsequent segments of this article. Until then Ks³ (Keep safe, smart, strong)!