Don’t let the absence of a
gym membership prevent you from getting fit
By Nick Harris-Fry on 29 Jan 2020
Coachmag.co.uk
No-one needs a gym membership to get in great shape.
While we’re big fans of a dedicated space that has all the latest fitness gear
available and experts on hand, with the right approach you can achieve just as
much at home.
There’s also not just one right approach to use. You
can get fit at home using bodyweight
exercises alone, or you might invest in some free weights to
increase the intensity of your strength training. And if you’d prefer to go
all-in on cardio, there are several machines you can buy to use at home, like treadmills, exercise
bikes and rowing
machines.
A fitness routine doesn’t have to be
complicated. In fact, keeping it simple makes doing it consistently much easier
– and that consistency is what will make a difference to your fitness. Take
this straightforward session from PT Adam Jones. “A favourite of mine is to
work in a 30:30 format,” says Jones, “which means 30 seconds of work with 30
seconds of rest on each exercise for a set amount of rounds. Don’t be deterred
if at first you find some of the exercises too difficult to do for the full 30
seconds. “If you find press-ups difficult, you can place your hands on a
chair,” says Jones.
And there’s another way to make almost any
exercise fiendishly difficult. “Tempo – the speed at which you perform a move –
is probably one of the most overlooked elements of training,” says Jones.
“Focusing on it can ramp up your results massively. Taking longer to perform a
move increases tension in the muscle, forcing it to work harder, which in turn
will increase stress and lead to muscle gain. When performing press-ups, try
taking four seconds in the lowering phase, and add a slight pause at the bottom
of the move.”
Whether you work out at the gym or at home,
having a plan to follow can make all the difference, in most part because it
takes a lot of the decision-making – and therefore opportunities to
procrastinate – out of your hands.
QUESTION 1: [2
POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE and write
down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a.
You can get much better results exercising at
home than at the gym.
b.
The less complicated the exercises you do, the
better.
c.
Jones recommends adapting the exercises that can
be too difficult at first.
d.
Following a plan is only a good idea if you work
out at home.
QUESTION 2: [2
POINTS] Answer the following questions in your own words according to the text.
a.
What can you do at home in order to achieve the
same results you would get at the gym?
b.
According
to Jones, why is tempo important?
QUESTION 3: [1,5
POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the definitions
given.
a.
Equipment, tools (paragraph 1)
b.
Uniformity, regularity (paragraph 3)
c.
Discouraged (paragraph 3)
d.
Increase, intensify (paragraph 3)
e.
As a consequence (paragraph 4)
QUESTION 4: [1,5
POINTS] Choose the correct option, a, b, c, or d for each question and COPY the
sentences onto your answer sheet.
1.
If you want to do cardio exercises,
a.
you must to buy several machines.
b.
you need buy several machines.
c.
you could buy several machines.
d.
you could to buy several machines.
2.
The 30:30 format
a.
was designed by Adam Jones.
b.
was to design by Adam Jones.
c.
designed Adam Jones.
d.
designed by Adam Jones.
3.
Tension in the muscle will increase,
a.
if you took longer to perform a move.
b.
if you were taking longer to perform a move.
c.
if you take longer to perform a move.
d.
if you will take longer to perform a move.
QUESTION 5: [3
POINTS] Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) giving your opinion on the
following topic: How important is it to stay in shape for you?
KEY to How
to get fit at home
Question 1.
a. FALSE. with the
right approach you can achieve just as much at home.
b. TRUE. In fact, keeping
it simple makes doing it consistently much easier – and that consistency is
what will make a difference to your fitness.
c.
TRUE. Don’t
be deterred if at first you find some of the exercises too difficult to do for
the full 30 seconds. “If you find press-ups difficult, you can place your hands
on a chair,” says Jones.
d.
FALSE. Whether you work
out at the gym or at home, having a plan to follow can make all the difference
Question 2.
a.
You can get fit at
home using bodyweight
exercises alone, or you might invest in some free weights to
increase the intensity of your strength training. And if you’d prefer to go
all-in on cardio, there are several machines you can buy to use at home, like treadmills, exercise
bikes and rowing
machines.
b. “Tempo – the speed at which you
perform a move – is probably one of the most overlooked elements of training,”
says Jones. “Focusing on it can ramp up your results massively. Taking longer
to perform a move increases tension in the muscle, forcing it to work harder,
which in turn will increase stress and lead to muscle gain.
Question 3
a. Gear
b. Consistency
c. Deterred
d. Ramp up
e. Therefore
Question 4
1. c
2. a
3. c
