Exercises

Using Home Gym Equipment To Relieve Stress

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gym equipment squat rack dumbbells

There are plenty reasons why you can feel stress, anxiety or depression. This is especially true this past year after the Pandemic swept the world via COVID-19. Many of us were dust in the winds when it came to going to the local gym. I recently purchased a smart home gym, a bench press, some dumbbells and a plyometric jumping box. Buying these items provides me the opportunity to workout whenever I want to from home.

The direct results that I get?

I get physically stronger, more toned muscles and I relieve stress – all thanks to using home gym equipment. There are plenty of reasons why using home gym equipment relieves stress, but for the sake of this article, I want to show you how it all works and if you should purchase some equipment. Remember, it’s all in an effort to feel great about yourself physically and emotionally.

That’s what working out does for our mind and body. It helps release positive energy and creates a sense of goal achievement that cannot be replaced with anything else in life.

You wanna know what the best part it?

It only takes 20-45 minutes per day. That’s it!

I think we all would start working out from home if we had the right gym equipment. The problem is, we don’t know what to get, especially if we are just starting out. So, let’s dive into what you can get and then how you can use it every day so you can de-stress, get some muscles and feel great about yourself.

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Purchasing The Right Gym Equipment For Your Home

Everyone’s home is unique and different in it’s own way. You need to make sure you know the dimensions of the room you will be using for your “home gym.” Measure height, width and depth of the room so you know exactly what you’re working with.

Next, you’ll want to figure out your workout style. Do you like weight training or resistance training? Perhaps you only like cardio or boxing? Maybe, you love rowing and using fitness apps like the Peloton to push you through the hard times. Whatever you decide for yourself, that’s a great start because we can then narrow down equipment to fit what you should purchase.

Smart Bikes

Let’s say you love spinning classes and maybe even a little strength training to go along with it on the floor. There are plenty of smart exercise bikes that you can fit in almost any room in your home. Not to mention, these are killer workouts that make you feel AMAZING after you’re done.

Smart Home Gym

Technology has improved so much over the years and thanks to it, there have been some amazing brands that came out with top of the line smart home gyms. These are all-in-one studios that only require 6′ tall and 8′ deep space. You can choose a machine that has resistance weights or the real deal Olympic weight sets. Whatever your personality is, that’s what you should buy.

Smart Rower

Rowing machines are super interactive these days (thanks to that technology once again). You can get a full body workout with smart rowers, race other people online, and take a rowing class similar to peloton. It all depends on which rower you want. You’ll need floor space for these machines, but that’s about it.

De-Stress and Start Working Out

Relieving stress from using home gym equipment is easier than you think. The main obstacle is the price point, or, affording the machine. However, most of these companies have a payment plan that makes it more reasonable. But, once you get your equipment, you plug it in and start working out. It takes time, commitment, and a little help from the community. Well, this is your time to shine now. Get out there and start working out. And, be sure to let me know right down below what you did to relieve stress in relation to fitness.

Exercises For Diastasis Recti

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There are plenty of women out there who have been pregnant that complain about their “Mommy tummy.” One of the common causes of flabby lower abdominal muscles is Diastasis Recti. Diastasis recti is the separation of the middle of your abdominal muscles. While pregnancy is the most likely the common cause, it’s not the only cause and that’s something we all need to know. In fact, men can also have diastasis recti. Other possible causes include a large weight gain & loss, excess abdominal crunches, lifting with improper form, hernias, abdominal surgery, or umbilical hernia in infants.

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Breaking it down

Try to think of your ab muscles being held together by a zipper. According to webmd.com, when a woman has Diastasis Recti the zipper splits in the middle and the two sides come apart, or are separated. When you lie on your back and crunch up your abs may bunch up like a shark fin in the middle if you have diastasis. You can test to see if you have Diastasis Recti by laying on your back and lifting your head off the ground. Take 3 fingers and feel the center line of your abs, also known as the linea alba. There should be a dip in the center of your abdomen where it is soft, with firmer tissue on the outer edges. What you are feeling is the inner walls of your rectus abdominus muscles. If the soft gap in between the muscles is greater than 2 1/2 fingers in width then you have Diastasis Recti.

How we can get through together

As a mom of 4, I have experienced Diastasis Recti firsthand. It is more likely to occur if you have several pregnancies close together (check!), large babies (check!), or a multiple pregnancy such as twins or triplets (nope!) 🙂 Common core exercises, such as crunches, can actually exacerbate the condition and prevent it from healing. The video below shows how to test for Diastasis Recti, and gives 6 exercises to help correct it. These are exercises that I personally used after having my children. The exercises are broken down into beginner, moderate, and advanced. I recommend that you do them in sequence as your abs get stronger and your Diastasis begins to heal. If you are unsure whether you have Diastasis or another medical condition, please consult your doctor.

Another option for helping diastasis recti heal is to splint it. I have personally never tried this option, so I can’t give recommendations on splints. This article from fit2b.us gives a great explanation of what splinting is, and how to do it. †Sources: www.pelvicpainrehab.com, www.webmd.com