It may have been a query motivated by the need for last-minute gift hunting or it could have been the pleas of an already-broke Christmas shopper looking to save a bob or two over the new year.

Last week I was questioned about the ins and outs of home-based exercise. I always enjoy talking about home training, because some of the best results I’ve ever achieved as well as some of my most enjoyable training moments have all occurred during stints of training at home in my basement with rudimentary gym equipment.

Academics frequently carry out research on all aspects of the fitness and sports sciences; one area of study that interests researchers is exercise adherence. How many people actually stick to an exercise plan once they start? It has been said that roughly half of all gym members quit within the first six months of training, so we know that certain problems or barriers exist.

That doesn’t sound like a great statistic to me; basically, your chances of success are pretty much 50/50, which means you’d have about the same chances of winning a game of roulette at the casino as you would of achieving your fitness goals once you start training. If exercise is really a science, then I’m sure we can do a lot better than that. So, what are these barriers we need to overcome?

Lack of finances, lack of facilities or access to them, lack of motivation and probably the number one barrier of them all, lack of time, are the top culprits. If we consider each of these barriers separately, then training at home seems to be quite a sensible solution for most.

You don’t need a car or a bus, it doesn’t have to cost you much, you won’t have any distractions unless, of course, you want them, and best of all, you will save time. In this day and age when nobody seems to have any time, where is the sense in sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for what seems like an eternity during rush hours? At home, you can fit your session whenever you like and it doesn’t have to take any more than half an hour.

Yes it’s convenient, but it must be said that it isn’t for everyone; this brings us on to one barrier home training doesn’t necessarily immediately appear to resolve: motivation. You have to really want to achieve your goals and take responsibility for your success or failure, because there will be nobody else to blame.

In other words, you will need plenty of that special type of motivation: self-motivation. So, if you decide you’re up to the challenge, let’s jump straight into those frequently asked questions.

“Can I get the same results from home exercise as I can from training in a gym or elsewhere?” Yes, provided you have access to the right equipment and can ensure safety, there is no reason why the location of your training should affect your results.

“Is it cheaper to train at home?” Yes, training at home doesn’t have to cost you anything at all. Indeed, if fat loss is your goal, you actually don’t need any equipment whatsoever.

Any form of bodyweight circuit training that gets your heart rate up and keeps it there for half an hour or more will annihilate fat from all over your system. If your goal is a little more specialised and you can’t avoid the financial outlay, then in many cases it only takes several months to get your money back in saved gym memberships or class fees.

Roughly half of all gym members quit within the first six months of training, so we know that certain problems or barriers exist

A set of free weights along with a free-standing bench is all you need to build a muscular physique, for example. It doesn’t have to cost you any more than a one-year membership at a gym and, provided you don’t misuse it, it will last you a lot longer than that.

Talking about equipment: “How do I choose the best equipment?” Don’t be impressed by hefty price tags; sometimes you don’t need to spend anything at all. If you want to shed fat or tone up, then walking, jogging and bodyweight exercises don’t require any equipment at all.

If, however, you really do need to invest, keep it simple and don’t get roped into buying things you don’t think you need. Home fitness equipment is notorious for ending up as towel or clothes racks, so don’t let your hard-earned cash go down the same route.

“How do I know if I’m training correctly?” If you would like to learn the correct way to train and start off on a safe and effective programme, then speak to a personal trainer and tell them what you’re after.

A good trainer will be able to set you up with just a few sessions and follow up with reviews at periodical intervals further on down the line if you need them. If you do it with a friend or family member, you can share the costs together and be each other’s trainer, remembering what you were taught and re-enforcing key concepts.

“Do I need plenty of space?” For a simple home gym, a garage is an excellent place to start, but any small room should be more than enough space too. I’ve visited many home-training clients who didn’t need any more space than simply moving the living room table out of the way.

So if any of these concerns has hampered you in the past, don’t delay your health and fitness any further and jump right in this new year. Good luck!

matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt