Home gyms are gaining very much popularity these days because more and more people do not find time to go to the gym and want to exercise at their homes whenever they find time. They are free to exercise whenever they desire. Home gyms will be expensive in the short run after a year or two, that's why it is better to invest in a home gym now and save some money instead of buying expensive home gyms later.
For those who want to lose weight, exercising at home and following an appropriate diet along with your normal lifestyle is good. If you are thinking nag of working out at your own home, you should consider these advantages and disadvantages of exercising at home:
Advantages:
You don't need to travel to the gym to and fro. It's wastage of time especially if the gym is very far from your home.
You don't need to walk or run in cold weathers and you can exercise at anytime you want. This convenience will induce you to exercise as many times as you desire.
The whole of your family can exercise with just one peace of equipment at your home but in the gym you need to pay separately for each person.
If you do not feel confident in going to a gym then its better to consider Home Gyms. You don't need to wait for your turn for equipment when others use.
You can exercise comfortably watching your favorite TV Show.
Disadvantages:
You won't get a motivation when you are alone and this may be the cause for not doing exercise at all.
You may sometimes put off exercises because you will not be bound to work within specified time.
You may get distracted before finishing your workouts.
These are few advantages and disadvantages of having a home gym. Most of the home gyms out there are expensive and the one that provides results are quite expensive like the Bowflex. But all these expensive home gyms have a $50 alternative. It's the Bodylastics Home Gym System.
Home Gyms | Five Guidelines For Money Saving While Buying A Home Gym
Home gyms, or multi-gyms, can be wonderful exercise equipment to own, which can provide you the opportunity to enjoy a complete, strength-building workout in the privacy of your home. No standing in line at the health club, no membership dues, no smelly locker room!
The drawback is that shopping for one of these machines can be as grueling as the exercises you could perform on them. How many exercises should each machine offer? Should you buy the extra attachments or weight plates? What should you look for in a warranty?
Buying a piece of fitness equipment as large as a multi-station gym is a major investment, and the time you spend researching will be well spent. Here are five guidelines that will help you save money and get the best equipment for your needs.
1) Consider your available space.
A home gym is likely to require as much square footage as a wall-unit entertainment center. Take measurements of the height, length, and width of the area in which you're planning to place the equipment, and keep those numbers handy while you shop.
Plan to have enough space to maneuver around the machine, too. There's nothing more annoying than bumping into walls and furniture while you're trying to work out - or realizing that your designated area is too small for you to get in much of a workout at all!
If you can dedicate an entire room, side of your garage, or corner of your basement to your gym, that would work best.
2) Number of exercises.
Most home gyms offer the capability of performing dozens of exercises. Having variety will keep your workouts interesting.
At the minimum, the equipment should include a chest/shoulder press, high pulley, low pulley, leg extension, and leg curl/exercise attachments.
Don't be seduced into purchasing extra attachments at this stage. First get the machine home, use it regularly for a few months, and only then buy the add-ons if they seem necessary at that time.
3) Resistance
The majority of home gyms offer fixed weight stacks, plate-loaded systems, or rods. Each type of resistance is felt slightly different. This is when you'll benefit the most from visiting a sports equipment store and trying out various machines yourself.
No matter what the resistance method is, a basic unit should include at least 200 pounds of resistance. Although it's good to have the option to upgrade to additional weight in the future, unless you're training for a bodybuilding or power lifting tournament, it's unlikely that you'll ever need more than 200 pounds. If you will, you're probably lifting that weight already and don't need my advice!
4) Construction.
The frame should be sturdy, and shouldn't wobble. Look for equipment constructed of tubular or rectangular steel, as these tend to be the most durable.
5) Warranty
A good warranty provides 10 years of coverage for the frame, 1 year for moving parts, and 90 days for upholstery. I'm not a big believer in paying for extended warranties, but in the current economic climate, you should be able to score an extended warranty for free from the salesperson, just by asking for it.
Bonus tip. Once you've purchased your home gym, it's time to put into practice my most important tip of all: use it!
The drawback is that shopping for one of these machines can be as grueling as the exercises you could perform on them. How many exercises should each machine offer? Should you buy the extra attachments or weight plates? What should you look for in a warranty?
Buying a piece of fitness equipment as large as a multi-station gym is a major investment, and the time you spend researching will be well spent. Here are five guidelines that will help you save money and get the best equipment for your needs.
1) Consider your available space.
A home gym is likely to require as much square footage as a wall-unit entertainment center. Take measurements of the height, length, and width of the area in which you're planning to place the equipment, and keep those numbers handy while you shop.
Plan to have enough space to maneuver around the machine, too. There's nothing more annoying than bumping into walls and furniture while you're trying to work out - or realizing that your designated area is too small for you to get in much of a workout at all!
If you can dedicate an entire room, side of your garage, or corner of your basement to your gym, that would work best.
2) Number of exercises.
Most home gyms offer the capability of performing dozens of exercises. Having variety will keep your workouts interesting.
At the minimum, the equipment should include a chest/shoulder press, high pulley, low pulley, leg extension, and leg curl/exercise attachments.
Don't be seduced into purchasing extra attachments at this stage. First get the machine home, use it regularly for a few months, and only then buy the add-ons if they seem necessary at that time.
3) Resistance
The majority of home gyms offer fixed weight stacks, plate-loaded systems, or rods. Each type of resistance is felt slightly different. This is when you'll benefit the most from visiting a sports equipment store and trying out various machines yourself.
No matter what the resistance method is, a basic unit should include at least 200 pounds of resistance. Although it's good to have the option to upgrade to additional weight in the future, unless you're training for a bodybuilding or power lifting tournament, it's unlikely that you'll ever need more than 200 pounds. If you will, you're probably lifting that weight already and don't need my advice!
4) Construction.
The frame should be sturdy, and shouldn't wobble. Look for equipment constructed of tubular or rectangular steel, as these tend to be the most durable.
5) Warranty
A good warranty provides 10 years of coverage for the frame, 1 year for moving parts, and 90 days for upholstery. I'm not a big believer in paying for extended warranties, but in the current economic climate, you should be able to score an extended warranty for free from the salesperson, just by asking for it.
Bonus tip. Once you've purchased your home gym, it's time to put into practice my most important tip of all: use it!
Home Gyms | Home Gym Designing
Designing a home gym is not simply trying to think of what equipment you'll want to get. You have to consider the size of the room, its placement in the house, and then work out your equipment around these parameters. Knowledge of the room dimensions of your home gym gives you a more accurate assessment of what you can do with it. Here are a few of the common dimensions of home gyms and some ideas for what you can do with them.
Primary Considerations - most people will take into account only the floor space available when determining the room dimensions for their home gyms. However, you also have to take into account three other factors that help determine the room's usability: One, consider the ceiling clearance. If you get equipment that's too tall for your room, you will be in trouble. Two, consider the entrance of the room. Buying a piece of equipment that won't even pass through the door of your gym room is a guarantee for a headache. Three, look at the general shape of the room. This is generally where it gets tricky, and the points below deal with some of the more difficult types encountered.
Small Rooms - generally small, apartment rooms are square in size and can be walked across in a few quick paces. At best you'll be able to fit ONE jungle gym unit here. For the sake of convenience it's actually a better idea to stick to light, portable equipment like push up bars, sit up mats, and dumbells. Avoid barbells which might require large weight racks, as this will take up too much space and can cause injury if the rack spills, as due to small size of the room heavy plates will certainly fall on someone.
Big Rooms - this is not a problem. These are large square or rectangular rooms with lots of space. Allocating space for home gym is pretty easy. Place your equipment in areas by segments. For example, a treadmill in one corner, a jungle gym in another, a punching bag in third, etc. I'd recommend leaving the center of the room open with some mats for calisthenics and other exercises, and having one wall free of equipment and housing full length mirrors.
Basement Gyms - these gyms are converted from basements, and the dimensions of this type of Home Gyms are usually "large". However, two considerations must be taken into account regarding dimensions of basement rooms. One is that their entry points are marked by stairs. Avoid placing equipment near the stairs, as gym gear is often marked by the presence of a lot of heavy metal. For example, people tripping down the stairs will suffer serious injuries if they land on a barbell weight rack. The second consideration is ventilation. Basements are underground, so there won't be any window. Use artificial air cyclers like an AC or basement dehumidifier with air temperature setting to keep fresh air cycling in the room.
Hallway Type Gyms - some people use portions of their house more similar to long, narrow hallways than actual rooms. The dimensions of this type of gym room are usually just wide enough for two people to walk comfortably, and are long enough for a brief sprint. If this is type of your room, any sort of weights training equipment should be off the list. Matting the room and using it for callisthenic exercises is the best idea, and if the length of the room is enough, you can practice brief sprints across it. For martial artists and fencers, this is an ideal specialized type of sparring room where lunging and retreating sparring can be practised exclusively as both fighters will be unable to use flanking and sidestepping techniques.
Odd Shaped Rooms - if your room dimensions are irregular, with nooks and crannies, then plan your gym according to the average floor space of the main area itself. The smaller cubbyholes can be used for storing equipment like barbell racks, lockers for clothing, water coolers, and the like, but restrict your plans for the main gym equipment to the floor and ceiling space of the main center of the room.
Garage Gyms - lastly, some people use their garages as a home gyms. The dimensions of this type may seem roomy at first, but you have to consider that the garage will have other things occupying it, not the least of which will be the family car and any home improvement type work benches and their corresponding power tool racks. Take all of the extra items that will be in the garage into account before picking up any equipment. After all, you really don't want to be pumping iron less than 5 feet away from your sedan.
Primary Considerations - most people will take into account only the floor space available when determining the room dimensions for their home gyms. However, you also have to take into account three other factors that help determine the room's usability: One, consider the ceiling clearance. If you get equipment that's too tall for your room, you will be in trouble. Two, consider the entrance of the room. Buying a piece of equipment that won't even pass through the door of your gym room is a guarantee for a headache. Three, look at the general shape of the room. This is generally where it gets tricky, and the points below deal with some of the more difficult types encountered.
Small Rooms - generally small, apartment rooms are square in size and can be walked across in a few quick paces. At best you'll be able to fit ONE jungle gym unit here. For the sake of convenience it's actually a better idea to stick to light, portable equipment like push up bars, sit up mats, and dumbells. Avoid barbells which might require large weight racks, as this will take up too much space and can cause injury if the rack spills, as due to small size of the room heavy plates will certainly fall on someone.
Big Rooms - this is not a problem. These are large square or rectangular rooms with lots of space. Allocating space for home gym is pretty easy. Place your equipment in areas by segments. For example, a treadmill in one corner, a jungle gym in another, a punching bag in third, etc. I'd recommend leaving the center of the room open with some mats for calisthenics and other exercises, and having one wall free of equipment and housing full length mirrors.
Basement Gyms - these gyms are converted from basements, and the dimensions of this type of Home Gyms are usually "large". However, two considerations must be taken into account regarding dimensions of basement rooms. One is that their entry points are marked by stairs. Avoid placing equipment near the stairs, as gym gear is often marked by the presence of a lot of heavy metal. For example, people tripping down the stairs will suffer serious injuries if they land on a barbell weight rack. The second consideration is ventilation. Basements are underground, so there won't be any window. Use artificial air cyclers like an AC or basement dehumidifier with air temperature setting to keep fresh air cycling in the room.
Hallway Type Gyms - some people use portions of their house more similar to long, narrow hallways than actual rooms. The dimensions of this type of gym room are usually just wide enough for two people to walk comfortably, and are long enough for a brief sprint. If this is type of your room, any sort of weights training equipment should be off the list. Matting the room and using it for callisthenic exercises is the best idea, and if the length of the room is enough, you can practice brief sprints across it. For martial artists and fencers, this is an ideal specialized type of sparring room where lunging and retreating sparring can be practised exclusively as both fighters will be unable to use flanking and sidestepping techniques.
Odd Shaped Rooms - if your room dimensions are irregular, with nooks and crannies, then plan your gym according to the average floor space of the main area itself. The smaller cubbyholes can be used for storing equipment like barbell racks, lockers for clothing, water coolers, and the like, but restrict your plans for the main gym equipment to the floor and ceiling space of the main center of the room.
Garage Gyms - lastly, some people use their garages as a home gyms. The dimensions of this type may seem roomy at first, but you have to consider that the garage will have other things occupying it, not the least of which will be the family car and any home improvement type work benches and their corresponding power tool racks. Take all of the extra items that will be in the garage into account before picking up any equipment. After all, you really don't want to be pumping iron less than 5 feet away from your sedan.
Home Gyms | Guidelines To Assemble Home Gym Equipment Easily
Infomercials that sell exercise equipment pretend that their machines either require no assembly or at least allow easy, interlocking pieces. This is key the to buy a home gym. There are many types of equipment that look good in the brochure or ad but actually require much learning just to assemble home gym. This matter is important to you because if the home gym equipment is easy to assemble, you can immediately start using it and feel good about buying it as well. Here are guidelines on how to choose a home gym machine that not only works well but is easy to assemble:
Go for the simplest.
In general, the simpler the machine, the easier it is to assemble. In the same way, the fewer its parts, the easier it is to put them together. When going to buy a home gym equipment, consider the built and design. No matter what type of equipment it is, the more complicated its design, the more difficult it is to assemble. If it has a lot of parts that can be broken apart or disassembled, prepare to spend some time finding out what part goes with which part.
The only disadvantage about buying a simple home gym equipment is that it might be so simple that it won't be able to offer a lot of variations in terms of workouts. If you simply aim for easy assembling of the unit, you might miss excellent features that could help improve your fitness levels significantly.
Furthermore, certain exercise equipment belong to the mid- to large-size categories such as the Weider Platinum, BodyCraft Family Xpress and the Tuff Stuff CFM series to name a few, come with parts which can be easily locked together, in spite of the fact that they are a bit bulky. To make sure that you don't miss terrific exercise options, check out the features instead and then find out if the assembling of the machine is simple enough for you.
Check the instruction manual.
Everything you need to know about any home gym equipment is there in its instruction manual. Before you buy any home gym equipment, always ask if the unit comes with instructions or a user's manual. Manufacturers will give you the set of instructions to assemble their product.
A glance at the parts and functions page can also be a big help. You can use this reference to determine how parts will be assembled. The way the parts connect will give you a pretty good idea of how easy the home gym equipment is to assemble.
Use reviews for reference.
Another way to find easy to assemble home gym equipment is to check online sites for professional and consumer reviews. Although manufacturers' sites are quite useful, you might not always see reviews there that offer frank appraisal of the machine. Visit distributors’ and retailers’ sites or forums instead or use a search engine and type in the model and brand of the equipment you're eyeing.
Ask the salesperson to help.
When shopping for home gyms, ask for assistance. The salesperson in charge will be more than happy to help you find out easy way to assemble. Tell that salesperson the fitness requirements you have and then ask for suggestions regarding home gyms that don't require a lot of work. Ask about design, the number of pieces involved when it's shipped and how the machine works. Simply by understanding how to use the equipment will help you to assemble the machine on your own.
How long is too long?
Sometimes, the amount of time it will take to assemble a good piece of home gym equipment doesn't really matter. It's the idea of the task that does. To one person, for example, completing the assembly of equipment in less than 45 minutes means it's easy to assemble. To another, this is a lot of time.
Manual dexterity also has a lot to do with it. The more skillful you are with exercise machine parts and a few screwdrivers, the easier it will be to assemble the equipment. Sometimes, the inability to recognize the specific part that should go with another part can also be a factor.
Generally, though, for simpler machines, you should be able to assemble one in 15 to 25 minutes on average. For larger, more complicated machines, you should be able to get your home gym ready to use in 30 to 45 minutes, give or take an allowance of 10 minutes for more nervous new users.
Go for the simplest.
In general, the simpler the machine, the easier it is to assemble. In the same way, the fewer its parts, the easier it is to put them together. When going to buy a home gym equipment, consider the built and design. No matter what type of equipment it is, the more complicated its design, the more difficult it is to assemble. If it has a lot of parts that can be broken apart or disassembled, prepare to spend some time finding out what part goes with which part.
The only disadvantage about buying a simple home gym equipment is that it might be so simple that it won't be able to offer a lot of variations in terms of workouts. If you simply aim for easy assembling of the unit, you might miss excellent features that could help improve your fitness levels significantly.
Furthermore, certain exercise equipment belong to the mid- to large-size categories such as the Weider Platinum, BodyCraft Family Xpress and the Tuff Stuff CFM series to name a few, come with parts which can be easily locked together, in spite of the fact that they are a bit bulky. To make sure that you don't miss terrific exercise options, check out the features instead and then find out if the assembling of the machine is simple enough for you.
Check the instruction manual.
Everything you need to know about any home gym equipment is there in its instruction manual. Before you buy any home gym equipment, always ask if the unit comes with instructions or a user's manual. Manufacturers will give you the set of instructions to assemble their product.
A glance at the parts and functions page can also be a big help. You can use this reference to determine how parts will be assembled. The way the parts connect will give you a pretty good idea of how easy the home gym equipment is to assemble.
Use reviews for reference.
Another way to find easy to assemble home gym equipment is to check online sites for professional and consumer reviews. Although manufacturers' sites are quite useful, you might not always see reviews there that offer frank appraisal of the machine. Visit distributors’ and retailers’ sites or forums instead or use a search engine and type in the model and brand of the equipment you're eyeing.
Ask the salesperson to help.
When shopping for home gyms, ask for assistance. The salesperson in charge will be more than happy to help you find out easy way to assemble. Tell that salesperson the fitness requirements you have and then ask for suggestions regarding home gyms that don't require a lot of work. Ask about design, the number of pieces involved when it's shipped and how the machine works. Simply by understanding how to use the equipment will help you to assemble the machine on your own.
How long is too long?
Sometimes, the amount of time it will take to assemble a good piece of home gym equipment doesn't really matter. It's the idea of the task that does. To one person, for example, completing the assembly of equipment in less than 45 minutes means it's easy to assemble. To another, this is a lot of time.
Manual dexterity also has a lot to do with it. The more skillful you are with exercise machine parts and a few screwdrivers, the easier it will be to assemble the equipment. Sometimes, the inability to recognize the specific part that should go with another part can also be a factor.
Generally, though, for simpler machines, you should be able to assemble one in 15 to 25 minutes on average. For larger, more complicated machines, you should be able to get your home gym ready to use in 30 to 45 minutes, give or take an allowance of 10 minutes for more nervous new users.
Home Gyms | All About Home Gyms And Fitness
One needs to exercise regularly, to stay fit and healthy. One of the best ways of exercising regularly is to have a home gym. All fitness lovers would like to know more about the idea of home gyms and how they can be utilized to improve your general levels of fitness.
Features of Home Gyms and Fitness
One should get as much information about the home gyms as possible to ensure a good health, well being and good fitness levels.
One may enroll himself at a local public gym but it is not convenient as the task of traveling to the gym on a daily basis is quite difficult and one generally ends up skipping a few days in
his routine. However with Home Gyms you can make sure that you cut out the time required for traveling and spend that much saved time on exercising.
In addition to that the amount you spend as charges towards monthly fee of the gym may be too much. Whereas if you have a gym at home you spend much less and also enjoy the
comfortable environment of your home.
Moreover, in case you are a bit fat and are uincomfortable to work out in public then a home gym is the ideal solution for you. Home gyms and fitness allow you privacy as and how you desire at whatever time. You can choose to work alone or can opt for exercising along with a partner.
However, before purchasing gym equipments one should carefully plan the budget and make expenses accordingly. Since gym equipments are expensive, one should start with buying a few machines at first and then gradually build up their repertoire. This makes sure that you do not spend too much too soon and end up with an economical outcome.
A treadmill is one of the bare essentials that one should have as a part of home gym since its the most important equipments required for exercising at home. Not only it gives you overall workout, it can be easily procured and it is quite cheap.
Another equipment that one may want to have is a medicine ball since one can perform a variety of exercises through it. After getting these equipments one should take necessary precautions and commence working on a proper regime and therefore keep adding more equipment as and when one's pocket allows.
Features of Home Gyms and Fitness
One should get as much information about the home gyms as possible to ensure a good health, well being and good fitness levels.
One may enroll himself at a local public gym but it is not convenient as the task of traveling to the gym on a daily basis is quite difficult and one generally ends up skipping a few days in
his routine. However with Home Gyms you can make sure that you cut out the time required for traveling and spend that much saved time on exercising.
In addition to that the amount you spend as charges towards monthly fee of the gym may be too much. Whereas if you have a gym at home you spend much less and also enjoy the
comfortable environment of your home.
Moreover, in case you are a bit fat and are uincomfortable to work out in public then a home gym is the ideal solution for you. Home gyms and fitness allow you privacy as and how you desire at whatever time. You can choose to work alone or can opt for exercising along with a partner.
However, before purchasing gym equipments one should carefully plan the budget and make expenses accordingly. Since gym equipments are expensive, one should start with buying a few machines at first and then gradually build up their repertoire. This makes sure that you do not spend too much too soon and end up with an economical outcome.
A treadmill is one of the bare essentials that one should have as a part of home gym since its the most important equipments required for exercising at home. Not only it gives you overall workout, it can be easily procured and it is quite cheap.
Another equipment that one may want to have is a medicine ball since one can perform a variety of exercises through it. After getting these equipments one should take necessary precautions and commence working on a proper regime and therefore keep adding more equipment as and when one's pocket allows.
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