The thought of building your own in-home gym can seem quite difficult or outside a normal person’s range of skills. There are many things to consider; starting with the size and extent of home exercise equipment you are interested in. You can get a good setup of free weights for less than fifty dollars up to several thousand for a treadmill or a workout machine to workout and tone your entire body. Because the choices can seem daunting and nearly unlimited it is a good idea to figure out exactly what you want in a home gym. You don’t need to create a miniature version of a real gym. You should focus on your specific needs, the space you have available, and your budget. If you are living with someone else, consider sitting down to focus your goals so that you are both able to use and enjoy the gym and meet your various fitness goals.
In order to maximize your workout routine and achieve ideal fitness goals, most experts will recommend a balance of weight training and aerobic exercise. Usually, these types of exercises will require different types of equipment, so it is important to include both when planning your home gym. Aerobic exercise is considered any time of exercise that raises your heart rate for a period of at least thirty minutes. The most low-tech and cost effective option is to equip your gym with a small television and open area. This way you can use a variety of exercise videos and change things up if you get bored. For a larger investment, look into getting a treadmill or stair-climber machine.
Because treadmills are a very popular choice for home gyms, there are many sizes, styles, and price points to consider. Most treadmills allow the user to easily change the speed and incline to customize their workout routine. Higher-end treadmills come pre-equipped with several workout programs. These type of programs will help you get a professional workout while at home. They will automatically adjust speed and incline adjustments to get a better workout and challenge the user. Some programs will also prompt you to get off the treadmill and perform other exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, or curls to get a true circuit training experience. These treadmills also have programs to keep track of calories burned and monitor your heart rate throughout your workout.
A budget conscious person can find a new treadmill for less than one thousand dollars. You can also check out the local newspapers or Craigslist for people selling their used home exercise equipment. You can oftentimes get a great deal for treadmills that have barely been used. A fully equipped model can be priced at more than two thousand dollars, but will include many features like additional workout programs and some even have voice prompted commands.
Many people prefer the workout provided by an elliptical trainer. Like a treadmill, these machines provide a great aerobic workout. Unlike a treadmill, the elliptical trainer is much easier on the joints, especially one’s knees. This makes it an ideal choice for an older person, or someone with prior injuries. The most well-known elliptical company is Life Fitness. They have a great reputation and have a wide selection of machines. Most ellipticals have many of the same features of treadmills. Life Fitness machines are usually a little more expensive, costing around two thousand dollars for a professional gym quality machine. However, there are less expensive options offered by Proform and Gazelle. Again, like treadmills you can often find ellipticals that are in great shape being sold for a fraction of the cost in classified ads or online listings.
To properly equip your gym with weight training equipment, you have many options ranging from free weights to all-in-one-exercise machines. When looking at free weights, consider getting a full set so you are able to use them for a full range of exercises. One and two pound weights are used for high repetition sets and general toning. Heavier weights will build greater muscle mass. Though free weights are generally less expensive, they provide little guidance on use and maintaining the correct form while working out. It may be worth investing some money in videos to teach the proper way to use these weights.
For a greater investment, consider an all-in-one machine. These machines, like the BowFlex, have various settings that will work every muscle group in the body. They often include extensive instructions for proper use of the machine. Another option is the Total Gym, which can be bought for as little as $1,500. It is important to remember that this type of machine will take up a lot of space and will need adequate clearance on all sides for proper use.