Power Up Your Home Gym

TOP THREE MUST-HAVES FOR YOUR HOME GYM

Get fit this winter in the comfort of your own home.  Trainer Heather Haddad shows you her top picks along with exercies to help you get in shape.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MOORE CLARK

Heather Haddad is an ACSM – Certified Personal Trainer with over 13 years of experience in the fitness industry. She is the owner of private training studio in Monroe, LA. Her passion is helping people commit to healthy behavioral changes, improving muscle mass and staying consistent.

Equalizer Total Body Strengthener

These bars are extremely versatile, portable and come in different heights and colors. If you are new to exercise or an athlete you will find the Equalizer Total Body Strengthener bars very effective and inexpensive.  You can find beginner or advanced HIIT workouts by following Lebert Fitness on Instagram. You’ll find a nice surprise with your order…a good quality fabric resistance band! You will definitely find yourself incorporating these into your workouts. When your finished you can place them in a closet or under the bed. Can be purchased online via Instagram or website: @lebertfitness or Lebertfitness.com.

PULL-UPS
(back, biceps)
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps

1. Start by sitting on the floor and lying on the back. Place the bars parallel with the body. Shift your hips forward over the base of the bars.

2. Brace your core, lift hips to ceiling. Let your chest lead up and pull with arms. Squeeze your upper back and slowly return down. 

*Two-Piece metallic snake print workout wear available at Blue Line 

TRICEP DIPS
(triceps, anterior delts, chest & back muscles)
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps

1. Start with hands on the top pads & bars placed 2 inches from their base.

2. Tip the torso forward with feet underneath your body (beginners) or behind the bars (more advanced). Bend the elbows straight back and push-up through triceps.

BEGINNER TIP: You can use your feet or toes to assist until you get stronger for full body dips with no foot assistance.

INCLINE PUSH-UPS
(chest, triceps, deltoids, abs) 
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps

1. Start on floor in push-up position (knees or toes depending on fitness level & strengthen) with the top of the Equalizer bars facing you.

2. Hands ¾ way to the top. Brace lower abdominal wall and upper back. Push through bars with elbows angled slightly back keeping your neck in line with your spine.

2. TRX PRO4

The world becomes a playground when you attach a TRX Suspension Trainer to it! Gravity becomes your resistance and adjusting the level of difficulty is as easy as moving your hands or feet. My favorite thing about the TRX Suspension Trainer is you can use this product at home or outdoors. It comes with a door anchor and yellow suspension anchor for outside at the park. You will also receive an exercise poster showing exercises to work major muscle groups. You can follow TRX Training for additional exercises on Instagram or download the TRX app. This training system is worth the price and does not take up any space! The TRX PRO 4 can be purchased online via Instagram or website: @trxtraining or trxtraining.com.

CHEST PRESS
(chest, abs, forearms, shoulders, middle back & triceps) 
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps

1. Fully lengthen the TRX straps. Choose a moderate/deep angle and extend arms to the front.

2. Lower your body by bending at the elbows to 90 degrees and maintain plank.

3. Extend arms and elbows, to return to start.

SQUAT TO ROW
(lats, rhomboids & traps, shoulders & core)
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps

1. Fully shorten the TRX Straps. Choose a shallow, zero gravity squat.

2. Pull shoulders down and back, lead with chest, position handles at ribs. Lower your body until arms are extended, maintain squat.

Zeno Bench One

What can I not say about this little black box? It’s perfect! You can use this box instead of an expensive weight bench for chest press, set-ups, lunges, squats, hip bridges, triceps dips, box jumps, etc. The padding is extremely comfortable, it’s portable, storable and light weight. It comes with resistant bands, 2 handles & ankle straps. The Zeno Bench One can be purchased online via Instagram or website: @zenogym or zenogym.com.

BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT
(quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, abs & spinal erectors)

BEGINNER TIP: Add a kettlebell only after mastering your balance & should be held in hand on same side with leading leg.

1. Start with getting into a forward lunge position, torso upright, cored braced tight, hips square to your body, back foot elevated on bench. The front leg should be about a meter in front of bench. Lunge until your thigh is horizontal & keep your front knee in line with your foot (knee & heal in line). Return to upright position.

BANDED HIP BRIDGES
(glutes, hamstrings, lower back, abs)
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps

1. Start with placing the band right above knees 2 inches, shoulder blades on back of bench feet at 90-degree angle under knees. Knees outside of hips pulling band apart.

2. The head and glutes move in motion with each other. Moving as if a yard stick is attached from head to glutes…they tip together. Take the glutes almost to floor and return back up maintain head/glutes tipping together.

*Find these outfits on these pages at Fleet Feet in Monroe