GETTING AN EFFECTIVE WORKOUT AT HOME
Contrary to popular opinion creating a home gym to workout in, is neither too intimidating nor too costly. You can create a very effective gym in your own home without investing in a health club membership.
An effective home gym simply requires a little bit of planning. You don’t need fancy fitness equipment that may not change with your fitness level. To avoid having a basement filled with expensive dust-collecting equipment, keep these points in mind when making a purchase:
1) What are your fitness goals?
2) How often will you use the equipment?
3) Will the equipment meet your needs as you need more challenge?
4) Does the equipment offer enough variations in use?
5) How much can you afford?
Once you have answered all of these questions then you are ready to make some
purchases. How much you can afford to spend is going to dictate what you can
get right away. Don’t get discouraged. You can always start off small and add
pieces as you go! For as little as $100, you can have a very effective total
strength training home gym. Even for as little as $50, you can create an effective
workout that will tone your entire body.
For building muscles and/or toning-up you can choose from free weights, resistance bands, benches and even no-equipment. For cardiovascular improvements (e.g. running, walking, etc), there are even more options. They range from treadmills, to elliptical trainers, to bikes and beyond.
Here are several recommendations based on costs and needs, along with benefits of the exercise equipment. Hopefully this will make your decision-making easier.
If you want to create a gym that will provide you with a total body workout (cardio, strength and flexibility) and you have a budget of at least $2000, consider the following recommendations:
- Treadmill - A great option for cardiovascular equipment because it can be used for running and walking. Plus, workouts can continually be varied based on speed, incline, even direction. And, it easily progresses as your fitness level improves.
- Full dumbbell set with weights ranging from 5 pounds to 50+ pounds. - Great for light toning, to intermediate strength training to building muscles. Less expensive than big bulky machines and provides more variety in workouts.
- Fitness Ball - Provides exercise options for toning, strengthening and stretching.
- Resistance Band - Provides another option for strength training. Can alternate use with free weights for a great challenge that will help prevent plateaus.
- Step Bench - Can be used for both cardio workouts and strength training workouts.
If you want a home gym specifically for building muscles (or just can't afford cardio equipment), and can afford at least $100, consider the following recommendations:
- Dumbbell set
- Fitness Ball
- Resistance Band
- Jump Rope - Offers very challenging cardiovascular fitness workouts at a very low price.
If you want a total body home gym but can only afford less than $100, consider the following recommendations:
- Three dumbbells sizes (e.g. 5, 10 and 15 pounds)
- Resistance Band
- Jump Rope
If you are limited to purchasing just one very affordable piece of equipment, consider buying a pair of 10 or 15lb rubber dumbells first. With one moderately heavy pair of dumbells you can get an upper body workout, a lower body workout, very challenging abdominal workout and, for just around $50.
There are a lot of options available for creating a home gym that will meet your individual needs and will provide a lot of workout variety. Even on the tightest budget, you can still make a purchase that will be invaluable in helping you get more fit and healthy. And, you’ll enjoy all the benefits of working out at home.
Some of the benefits of working out out at home are:
- No driving to and from a fitness club
- No waiting in line to use equipment
- Workout on your own schedule, rather than when the health club is open
- No expensive monthly membership fees or long-term contracts
Of course, you will need to know how to use your home equipment or you will have to be willing to learn. But, it’s not difficult. Most equipment will come with basic instructions and a few sample exercises. You may want to enlist the help of a professional personal trainer to provide additional exercise options and guidance that will ensure that you get the most out of your fitness equipment through every fitness stage of development.
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