If you want to exercise consistently but lack the time to make it to the fitness center regularly, a home gym may provide the solution. Keep your personal preferences, health, goals and budget in mind when choosing equipment for your home gym. You could spend thousands of dollars on equipment that gathers dust or serves as a clothes hanger. But you can also equip your home inexpensively with all you need for a beneficial workout.
Motivation
The first question is whether a home gym is the best option for you. If you're self-motivated you might stick to an unsupervised exercise regimen. But if you work best in a controlled environment you might prefer the structure of exercise classes and the feedback you can get from a trainer at the gym. If you enjoy your privacy, a home gym can prove a good choice. But you may prefer the camaraderie and socializing available at a fitness center. Also consider space limitations, whether your home can accommodate the gym equipment of your choice.
Cardio and Strength Training
A well-equipped home gym might include a treadmill, elliptical or cycle for your cardio workout and an exercise station that uses weights or other forms of resistance for strength training. To save money or space, invest in a home gym that helps target your muscles -- and then obtain your cardio workout by running in the park or jumping rope indoors. You can buy a basic home gym for $400 or you can spend several thousand dollars for sophisticated equipment. The number and types of exercises available on a lower-end home gym may be limited. Top-of-the-line equipment may provide hundreds of exercises, often include weights and let you target individual muscles as well as muscle groups.
Home Gyms
Popular choices for all-around home gyms include Bowflex and Total Gym. Both depend on your body weight to provide resistance. Total Gym operates on a pulley system and requires no setup. Bowflex requires assembly and, for a fee, the company will set up the equipment for you. Bowflex prices start at about $650 with top models costing roughly $3,000. Total Gym models for home use range from about $600 to $1,100. Other choices include Powertec, approximately $1,400 without weight plates, and Total Trainer ranges from $300 to $3,800. You can get a better deal on older models if you do not need the refinements offered on updated equipment. Check the warranty before purchasing and take advantage of online comparison shopping websites to help you find sales and other discounts.
Cheaper Options
If your budget is low, however, you can still create a home gym for yourself without spending too much money. You could put your own home gym together with inexpensive options such as a stability ball, resistance tubes, balance trainers, a few dumbbells and a training bench. You can purchase all of these items for a few hundred dollars or less if you shop garage sales and classified ads. To make your workouts safer and more effective, invest in workout books or videos to make certain you use the equipment properly.
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