Your personal trainer likely often encourages you to do your own workouts in between sessions, but what’s the best home workout plan for you? Which types of home workouts are more likely to expedite your fitness goals? 

It’s important to note that it’s always better to workout at a proper gym or with a certified personal trainer whenever possible. However, sometimes people have to do home workouts in a pinch, due to schedule constraints, childcare cancellations, and various other reasons.

Furthermore, if you want to workout at home in between personal training sessions, it’s important to consider what would make the best home workout plan for you.

In this article, we’ll provide some tips on how to ensure you’re getting the most out of your home workouts. If you get into the habit of working out at home, you’ll ensure that you can always find time to squeeze in a workout, and you’ll be less sedentary while at home. Below are some tips for devising the best home workout plan to help you meet your fitness goals:

1. A Good Home Workout Plan Requires Home Workout Equipment

Achieving a toned physique is definitely achievable by working out at home. However, if you are looking to gain substantial results, you should invest in the right home workout equipment.

Below is a list of home workout equipment that can be used for many different types of exercises at home, for a home workout plan that actually yields results:

• TRX
• Weighted medicine balls
• Stability ball
• Set of resistance bands with handles, as well as mini looped resistance bands
• 10 –  20 kg kettlebells
• 5 – 50 lb dumbbells (weights required for your home workout plan will vary depending on your strength level) 
• Home workout bench
• Foam roller
• Yoga mat

There are many home workouts that don’t require any equipment, such as holding the plank position, doing some jump squats, supermans, or doing push-ups. Furthermore, many of the best butt exercises out there can be done at home with minimal or no equipment. However, even a moderate collection of home workout equipment will help you take your home workout plan to the next level. And, let’s face it: those booty-sculpting squats yield better results when you add resistance and you’re holding some weights while doing them. 

You can buy used home workout equipment places like Facebook Marketplace or your local thrift store. 

2. Find a Fitness YouTuber Who Motivates You

A home workout plan can be much easier to follow if you find a fitness YouTuber whose home workouts you love. Many fitness professionals have YouTube channels where they guide you as you follow along for a home workout. These YouTube workouts are typically 30 to 60 minutes long, and provide you with motivation and encouragement as you workout at home.

If music tends to get you moving and exercising, maybe the right YouTube channel for you is one that guides your home workout while incorporating some great music and energetic playlists.

Alternatives to home workout YouTube channels are home workout fitness apps. Try a few and find one that gets you motivated to move at home.

3. Do Extra Home Workouts (Such as Planking) When You Have Time

Many of us have jam-packed schedules, so why not fit in an extra workout, for example by holding a plank while you’re waiting for your coffee maker to finish its job? Try to hold a plank for 1 – 2 minutes, a few times per evening. 

Planks are one of the best home workouts, as they’re a full-body exercise that engage major muscles of your core, especially the obliques, rectus abdominis, and transverse abdominis. Doing planks can also help strengthen the muscles in your back as well as your hamstrings and glutes.

Be sure to ask your personal trainer how to do a plank before adding planks to your home workout plan. Generally speaking, to do a standard plank, start by laying on your stomach and positioning your arms at a 90 degree angle (your elbows should be underneath your shoulder). Lay your palms flat on the floor in front of you. With your legs extended, brace your core and lift your trunk, pushing away from the ground with your forearms and toes. At this point, your weight should be evenly distributed throughout the length of your body, using your forearms, toes, and engaged core to keep yourself lifted off the ground. Keep your muscles engaged as you hold this plank position for 1 – 2 minutes. 

Other extra home workouts you can do at home when you find a spare few minutes include sets of 12 squats, sit-ups, supermans, or single-leg deadlifts with a kettlebell. 

Some people even get home workout cardio equipment, such as portable treadmills, so that they can power walk while they work on their laptop from their stand-up desk or counter top.

4. Make Sure You’re Consistent, and Work Out 3 – 4 days Per Week

If you’re trying to achieve a healthier body and you have fitness goals, try to work out 4 days per week if you can. Perhaps this will include 2 personal training sessions per week, as well as 2 home workouts per week, following a home workout plan that your personal trainer has helped you create.

If your goal is to gain muscle, you will want to split your workouts into  3-4 rotating days, covering all body parts. Start with the heavier weighted exercises at the beginning of your workout, then go to exercises with resistance bands, and finish with body weight exercises. The optimal range for gaining muscle is 6-12 reps.

If your goal is to get more toned, you can split your workouts into 2-3 rotating days and work in a higher 12-20 rep range with lower weights. Including intervals with your resistance training will help to tone muscle and burn more calories.

5. Get Home Workout Advice From Your Personal Trainer

Your personal trainer will be happy to give your tips and home workout exercises, because they want to see you succeed. Personal trainers always want their clients to remain active in between sessions, so your trainer will be glad to help you come up with a home workout plan. The good news is that they understand your specific fitness goals, your strength level, and other key factors that will ensure they give you great home workout plan ideas. If you find yourself struggling to stick to your home workout plan, you might even consider some extra sessions with your trainer that are virtual personal training sessions, allowing you to get into the groove of home workouts. 

Final Thoughts

Home workout plans can be a good solution for a busy professional who wants to fit in more workouts, but home workouts tend to mainly focus on strength endurance. You’ll have to also incorporate strength training sessions with your personal trainer. You should also incorporate cardio, for example by going for a bike ride or a power walk in addition to your home workout.

Aim to incorporate personal training sessions each week, especially since your trainer will be one of the best professional resources for home workout ideas that really yield results. 

Make sure you’re warming up and cooling down anytime you do a home workout, and drinking lots of water. If you find that you’re forgetting to stick to your home workout plan, try setting reminders on your phone that it’s time to do a home workout. Before you start, mute your notifications so that you’re not disturbed or distracted while you’re executing your home workout plan.