Many people think that creating a home workout gym is either too intimidating or too costly. So, often they instead invest their money in a health club membership not realizing that for the same amount of money (or even less) they can create a very effective gym right in their own home.
Many people think that creating a home workout gym is either too intimidating or too costly. So, often they instead invest their money in a health club membership not realizing that for the same amount of money (or even less) they can create a very effective gym right in their own home.
For an effective home gym, all that is required is a little bit of planning. Don't fall into the trap of purchasing random fitness equipment because of fancy advertising for the latest infomercial fad or the great -sale- at your local fitness store. That type of purchasing leads to a house littered with equipment that's only use is as a clothes hanger or dust collector. This often happens because the equipment is either useless, poorly constructed or quickly loses its value because it doesn't progress 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 do you realistically think you will use the equipment?
3) What fitness level do you expect to be at in 3, 6, 9 months?
4) Will the equipment meet your needs as you get more fit (at the 3, 6, and 9-month marks)?
5) Does the equipment offer enough variations in use that you can change your workouts frequently to prevent your body from hitting a plateau?
6) Will you enjoy the exercises or will you quickly grow bored of them?
7) And, of course how much can you afford?
Once you have answered all of the above questions then you are ready to make some purchasing decisions. Of course, how much you can afford to spend may dictate what you can actually purchase. Don't get discouraged. For as little as $100, you can have a very effective total strength training home gym. Even for as little as $35, you can create an effective workout that will tone your entire body.
Regardless of what your fitness goals are, there are a plethora of equipment options to consider. For building muscles and/or toning-up you can choose from free weights, selectorized machines, 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. So, answering the previously mentioned questions is very important.
