Exercising at Home - What to buy?

[daffodilsandblossom]

I need to start exercising at home as I will soon be on 12 weeks of self-isolation. I usually go on long walks and hikes for exercise so I have no idea where to start with how to exercise at home and feel completely out of my depth lol. I know there are online pilates videos so I would probably do those. I am also considering purchasing a treadmill or exercise bike but not sure which would be better? My questions are:

• Where is a good place to order pretty affordable but decent leggings and sports bras?
• Where can I buy an affordable but thick and good quality yoga mat?
• Where can I buy affordable but good quality trainers?

Whenever I have exercised at home I just do it on the carpet but doing things like sit-ups hurts my lower back so I need a cushioned mat.

• Does anyone have any recommendations for a treadmill or an exercise bike? Which do you think would be better?

Sorry for all the questions and thank you in advance.

I wouldn't bother with a treadmill or bike.

I do home workout DVDs, body weight exercises and weights. You don't need expensive clothing. Sports bra yes. I get mine from tk maxx.

You can use a towel for most floor work.

I've just started running at different times so that I can still get out.

I'm avoiding as much contact as I can (except the school gate, gah!) and I'm just walking a lot at odd times or in less busy areas.

Asos do good gymwear and next day delivery

Just ordered some leggings and a sports bra from ASOS, thank you for the recommendation @peachypetite :)

Does anyone have any recommendations for a yoga mat?

Is the yoga mat for yoga or just for general exercise or pilates? The latter two tend to be thicker mats, but yoga ones are non slip

Fitnessblender.com for excellent free workouts, all on YouTube. Beachbody on demand, paid for, has a wide range of workout programs. Take a look at what interests you and maybe buy weights etc based on that but exercise bikes and treadmills get boring fast. I wouldn't bother spending much on exercise clothes unless you are planning on long distance running/cycling and you are looking to support retailers.

Peloton

Skipping rope. Resistance bands. Lighter than weights.

Buy a decent weights set - one with weights you can add together as you progress. You don't need a special mat or trainers - just something that protects your feet. Using weights and resistance exercise using your own body is highly effective.

i use kettle bells, i have 8, 12 & 20kg. also have a resistance band. all i really need. my rug in the living room is my pilates/yoga mat

@doadeer for pilates and doing things like crunches. I think a thicker one would be best.

@AwfulSomething Thank you for recommending fitnessblender, that looks just what I was looking for!

@AgnesNaismith They look amazing but I just can't justify spending that much at the moment whilst things are so uncertain

@Mummyeyes Thank you for the recommendations, I will definitely buy some resistance bands. :)

@wowfudge Thank you. If am just doing body weight exercises like pilates can I do it bare foot or are trainers recommended?

Fitnessblender is awesome as per previous post, and is free!!

I've been using FitOn for home workouts which is free too, and I've really enjoyed the mixture of workouts.

If you are doing Pilates or yoga, you can be barefoot - just make sure you minimise the risk of slipping on whatever the floor covering is.

Another vote for Fitness Blender! Hasfit, Gymra and Heather Robertson do great work outs too.

I would just get this type of mat
https://www.amazon.co.uk/REEHUT-Exercise-Fitness-Yoga-Mats/dp/B06XHFYHVL?ref=fsclpppldpp7

The small pilates balls are good too

You just do pilates barefoot. It's a mat based exercise. It's quite technical if you haven't done before so watch beginner videos

Thank you everyone!

You don't need a cushioned Mat to stop your lower back hurting when doing sit ups you need to do them differently, just small crunches until your tummy is capable of staying down flat and your lower back pressed into the mat.

Look on the web at how to do a crunch properly.

A set of resistance bands are good for exercising at home and small dumbbells.

Walking workouts on YouTube

An alternative to pilates would be yoga, the free Yoga with Adriene videos on youtube are excellent and she has lots that are good for beginners.

Do you have a garden? We've just bought a badminton set for the whole family to play outside. DD2 loves rollerskating but has just grown out of her boots so she is getting new ones. We're thinking about getting a basketball net as well. I've got 3 active kids so most concerned about how to keep them busy since all their activities have now been cancelled.

Oh, and we have table tennis for the dining table!

@daffodilsandblossom I'm a newbie when it comes to looking after my physical health and I'm a little scared of going to the gym (non-CV-related-fear). We've just got an exercise bike and rower that both fold up handily when not in use so I'm trying to do 30 minutes of exercise a day. I do 10 minutes on the bike, then 10 reps(?) on the rower. I just bought this waist trainer: smartreusable.com/latex-waist-trainer-corset/ because I'm told I'm supposed to suck in while doing cardio so this is doing the job for me.

Does anyone know any good yoga YouTubers?

Yoga with Adriene.

Popsugar.. Free you tube chanel.. Thousands of classes.. From high impact to yoga
I have asda gym clothes.. Brilliant.. They are better than my sweaty Betty stuff.
But if in your own home.. Any thing will do..
I bought yoga mat off amazon.
Enjoy..
Do you live somewhere built up? Can you go out fir walks and safely not see any else.
Hopefully weather will improve and I plan to do yoga out in the garden with you tube on laptop perched on garden bench..
We need to remember vit d production.