If you find it hard to fit visits to the gym into your busy schedule but don't want to give up the benefits of exercise equipment, you may consider setting up a gym in your home. However, few homes include enough space to hold a half dozen or more pieces of bulky equipment; a full body workout machine can accommodate your needs and save time and space.
Define Goals
The best full body workout machine for you depends on your fitness goals. If your requirements include only strength training and cardio workouts, you can probably get your needs met with a basic machine. But, if your demands include gaining muscle and adding definition to specific muscles, look for a machine that will give you those options. Study the options available on a machine -- and not the physique of the model demonstrating it.
Total Gym
If you're looking for a basic, at-home full body gym, Total Gym provides 80 exercises. Total Gym provides resistance training -- your body and gravity work in opposition to a system of pulleys. According to the manufacturer, you can burn calories and acquire lean muscles with 10 to 20 minutes of daily workout. This full body workout machine does not require any assembly and folds up for easy storage. You can try out Total Gym for a 30-day trial that includes free shipping.
Bowflex and AeroPilates
The Bowflex machines provide a similar workout to that of the Total gym machine. Bowflex, supported by rods rather than pulleys, includes more than 90 exercises. The Bowflex machine requires assembly. Company technicians will assemble it for you for a considerable fee.
The AeroPilates machine initially might look like a traditional rowing machine, but it will work not only on the leg muscles but also on arm and torso muscles. A mini trampoline attachment also provides a cardio workout. Check your local gym to see if you can try out the AeroPilates before purchasing one from the manufacturer.
Considerations
Your expectations and level of motivation will affect the benefits you receive from a home gym. James Fell, a certified strength and training specialist based in Calgary, Canada, says machines such as Bowflex may end up as coat racks for two reasons; it's hard to stay committed to an exercise regimen outside the social environment afforded by a commercial gym, and you may be disappointed when your efforts don't yield the results promised by manufacturers. But Steve Friedman, a columnist for "The New York Times," said the privacy afforded by home gym equipment adds to its appeal. Friedman, who said he was searching for an improved but not perfect physique, realized steady progress and satisfactory results.
References
- Body building.com: Workout of the week
- Total Gym
- Fitness Heath Zone: Aero Pilates: home Gym Machines for Whole Body Workouts
- Med-Solver: Bowflex Review
- American Council on Exercise: Free Weight vs. Strength Training Equipment
- "Los Angeles Times"; Bowflex: For That Fabulous, Sculpted Body, Bowflex Makes a Good Coat Rack; James Fell
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