Tips For Setting Up Your Home Gym
Call
them fitness centers, health clubs or whatever terminology you choose, they have
come a long way in the past decade. Some are glamorous and high tech; some are
comfortable and low-key. There would seem to be an atmosphere for everyone. But
in truth, many people have valid reasons why they would rather not go to the gym.
For them, a home gym is a much more attractive way to get in their daily or weekly
exercise. Fortunately, setting up a home gym can be a fun experience that doesn’t
have to cost a fortune or require a degree in fitness education. There
are many rural communities that do not have a public gym. Or there is only one
and it is always soooo busy. Some people can’t afford the membership and
others just aren’t comfortable working out in front of anyone else. For many
people it is a matter of motivation. It is much easier to hop on the treadmill
when it is only ten feet from the couch. But ask someone to go out in the cold
to start the car, drive to the gym and then back again and it quickly becomes
easy to just put it off all together. For a host of reasons, many people are much
more likely to exercise regularly when they have the equipment they need right
in their own homes. Claim
Your Space
The
first step in creating a home gym is to find an area to use. You may clean out
a section of the basement or garage. Perhaps you are lucky enough to have an entire
room you can devote to your equipment. How much space you have will determine
what type and how much equipment you can include. If there is a particular machine
you have your eye on, you will need to make sure you have room for it. (Check out the BowFlex Xtreme SE Home Gym Review - Compact strength machine.) Will
you be able to leave your equipment set up or do space limitation dictate that
the gym will need to be torn down after each workout? With home fitness equipment
that has heavy parts such as weight stacks, or expensive electronics, such as
some elliptical machines, you may want an area that can be secured from children. Assess
Your Goals The
next thing to consider is your exercise goals. Are you focusing on aerobic exercise?
Do you want to lose weight? Maybe you are trying to bulk up. Different types of
equipment work best for different goals. If an overall workout is what you want,
you will need several types of equipment. Consider
Your Budget Closely
tied in with your exercise goals is your budget. You may have Olympic goals but
a student’s budget. In that case, you may be better off to use the equipment
at the school or Y club. Off course, you don’t have to buy new equipment.
There are many places to purchase quality used equipment at reasonable prices.
Several experts recommended going this route if you are new to exercise and not
certain you will stick with it. You
don’t have to buy everything at one time. Many of the best
home gyms have been developed over several years, with pieces added as budgets
allowed. Start with the basics, whether that be a good set of weights and a quality
bench for those looking to add strength or bulk or one piece of equipment that
you know you enjoy and are likely to use often. Select
Your Equipment Some
people choose equipment that is the hardest to find available at the fitness center.
Elliptical trainers and treadmills are very popular as are exercise bikes, rowing
machines, and stair steppers. Others like the versatility of free weights, Smith
machines, or other multi-purpose home fitness equipment. Some people have workouts
that target certain areas of the body, so they incorporate ab machines or dumbbells.
Keep in mind that most experts recommend that any kind of heavier weight lifting
be done with another person to spot you to be sure you are using correct form
and to help with the weights if you suddenly reach your limit. Many
fitness experts feel that one piece of equipment does not a home gym make. If
you are using your equipment to replace a fitness program at a health club, you
will need to incorporate some of the same versatility. This usually requires some
equipment for aerobics and cardio, and others for strength training and endurance.
This could be as simple as an aerobics video and a quality elliptical trainer.
The point is that you get a good workout. Some
people develop home gyms to supplement the time they spend at the fitness center.
Maybe there are days you know you can’t make it to the gym, or some exercises
you would rather do in private. Let the health club pay for the big buck equipment,
and select the less expensive pieces for your home gym. Comfort
Counts Whether
you choose to create a single-station or multi-station home gym, the important
thing is that you use it. One way to make exercise more appealing is to make your
space attractive. Make sure there is adequate light and good ventilation. If you
will be doing exercises on the floor, invest in a comfortable mat. Maybe you want
to decorate the room with inspirational or motivational posters or pictures of
athletes or power lifters you admire. The main point is that if the space is not
comfortable and welcoming, you will be less likely to use it. As
a society, we just don’t get as much exercise as we used to. Fitness centers
have done an excellent job of trying to help address this concern, but some people
are not comfortable with a public workout. Others just like the convenience of
working out at home. There are a variety of reasons people choose to set up a
home gym. With a little planning and self-assessment, the options are plentiful,
and the results can be very effective. About
the Author: About the Author: C.J. Gustafson
is a successful writer for Best-Home-gyms.com, publishing home
gym reviews on weight lifting equipment, exercise bikes, elliptical machines
and more. Copyright 2005 Best-Home-Gyms.com
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