Once you have found an exercise video that you are going to do on a regular basis, you'll also want to have a regular location for your workout. Privacy, family needs, the size of the room, the furniture in it and its regular availability are all issues you'll need to consider. Make sure your family knows that it's your time just for you and that you'll appreciate their cooperation in allowing you that time.
You will need to take the video's style into account when finding your workout location. For example, my favorite exercise video, "BoxOut," requires a lot of side-to-side movements, so I had to find a room in which I could clear out a wide space. But, another video I have is more or less walking in place directly in front of the TV set. While I can do the latter video in the smallest room in my house without moving any furniture, the former requires a significant amount of space.
Regardless of the size of the room, the first (and most important) step in preparing the room is to clear the area of anything you may trip over. Check for toys, edges of rugs and so forth. An area rug should be rolled up and put to the side of the room. Larger items like footstools or magazine racks may seem harmless when you look around, but when you get focused on your workout, you may forget that they are there and stumble over them, so move them out of the way before you start your video.
Get Yourself Ready
What you wear is entirely up to you, but you will probably find the more comfortable the clothing, the better. Choose something that you will be free to move in. Women who do not own sports bras find that they're a necessity when doing aerobics videos, especially those with varied impact levels. Many sporting goods stores carry workout clothes made of materials that wick sweat away from the skin and help keep you cool.
Feet First
Whether you're donning worn-out sweats or a neon jumpsuit … what is the most important thing you are going to put on? Your shoes. No matter how tempting it may be to just keep on whatever shoes you were already wearing, if they are not intended for walking or exercise, they're not a good choice. Make sure you have a pair of well-fitting aerobic, walking or cross-training type sneakers. Most people find the more support their shoes give them while working out, the better.
Get Moving!
With these pointers in mind, why not head straight to your local library or video shop and get started with exercise videos? You can do it!
