Even when you can’t get to the gym, you can still do some strength and conditioning work at home to improve your mental and physical health. There are many ways to move the body while encouraging safe gains outside the gym. Below are four tips for building your strength and improving your wellness at home.

How Can You Improve Strength and Conditioning at Home?

1. Warm-Up

It’s tempting to move to high-result, high-impact activities right away. However, skipping a warm-up can make you more injury-prone by stressing your heart and other muscles. Always ease into a workout before running, lifting weights, or doing an at-home fitness class to reduce your likelihood of injury. Walk around the block a few times to get your heart pumping and to lubricate your joints. 

2. Use Your Body Weight

Many people don’t have access to weights or other equipment at home. Instead, use your bodyweight to promote strength and conditioning. Try squatting by placing your feet hip-width apart and leaning forward as if you’re about to sit back in a chair. Hold your arms in front of you parallel to the floor or swing them behind the body as you breathe out. Squat for eight repetitions, holding each one for several seconds to strengthen your glutes and stretch the hamstrings.

Next, try the plank pose to improve your core, biceps, and hamstrings. Lie stomach-down on a yoga mat or carpet that will provide traction. Place your hands on either side of your ribcage, elbows tucked in toward the body. As you breathe out, push upward into the top of a pushup position and hold the pose for several seconds. Distribute your weight evenly between your flexed feet and arms, or pulse forward and back with each breath for a more dynamic stretch. Repeat this move ten times for optimal results. 

3. Cool Down

Going from an intense activity like sprints or weightlifting to relative stillness can cause soreness. Instead, cool down after a fitness session by stretching the muscles you just worked out. Lunge to release the leg muscles and try heart-opening yoga poses to loosen the abdominal muscles. These slow movements prevent lactic acid buildup that can cause stiffness, soreness, and cramping.

Those interested in purchasing strength and conditioning equipment for a gym or educational organization should contact Dynamic Fitness & Strength in Eau Claire, WI. The expert company offers benches, racks, attachments, bars, plates, and accessories to help students or customers on their fitness journeys. Visit the website or call the Prairie Lane location at (844) 678-7447 to learn about their strength and conditioning equipment for athletic departments and commercial gyms.