Ever thought about setting up a home gym for yourself?

Sure, the initial can be a little high, but if you average it out over the time you were going to pay for a gym membership then you can actually save money and gain convenience.

Many people would like to set up home gyms, but the equipment choices, price differences, and space considerations can boggle the mind. ACE, The American Council on Exercise, recommends these five steps for making intelligent equipment buying decisions (as well as my own
recommendations):

1. Identify your fitness needs:

The equipment should suit your interests and fitness level. Your chosen activities should be enjoyable and yet challenging enough that you’re able to progress to higher levels. For example, you should be able to increase the resistance, incline or duration of a given piece of equipment.

Every home gym should include basic components for both aerobic training and strength training along with a mat for stretching and abdominal work. Aerobic training – jogging, stepping, or cycling, for example – burns fat, raises your HDL (good cholesterol) and strengthens the heart and lungs.

Strength training uses free weights, elastic bands, or machines that resist your movement. It builds muscle, strengthens bones, boosts your metabolism, and can lower your LDL (bad cholesterol). Stretching keeps muscles and joints flexible and helps prevent injury and soreness.

Although most of the time you’ll separate your muscle building from your cardiovascular workouts, there are ways to combine both a strength and cardiovascular workout at the same time.

2. Determine your budget:

The number one rule here is that you get what you pay for. Keep in mind that high quality equipment that works reliably after several years of heavy use can’t be manufactured cheaply.

There are options available for every budget. For example, if a pricey $1,500 electric stair climber is out of your reach, you may be better off getting your cardio exercise by going outside and running or incorporating it into your weight training workout. This might be a wiser choice than spending $200 on a low-end stair climber that’s almost guaranteed to break after a few months.

In some cases, the price range on a particular piece of equipment can vary wildly. It’s important to do your homework and find out what the going rate should be.

If a piece of equipment is priced significantly lower than its competitors, it could be for a variety of reasons including:

• manufactured overseas rather than domestically
• cheaper components
• less rigorous design and assembly
• lower profit margin taken by the manufacturer
• less overhead
• or better engineering allowing for less costly assembly

By the same token, if a piece of equipment is priced significantly higher than comparable models you need to ask why:

• Does it work demonstrably better than lower priced models?
• Does it offer better features?
• Is it likely to last longer?
• Is it likely to require less service?
• Is it easier and less costly to service?

Keep in mind that it’s possible to purchase used exercise equipment. If you go this route, you may be able to buy more equipment, or higher quality commercial equipment, and still stay within your budget. Try to buy from a reputable dealer and get a warranty in writing.

Try doing a search on http://www.google.com for “used fitness equipment“, or a similar search term. Use the “quotes” for a more accurate search result. Or, do a search on www.craigslist.com.

Make sure you choose a machine where you can vary the speed levels pretty quickly.

Most treadmills I’ve used take too long for the speed to change when you punch the buttons. This is no good for the quick changes in speed you’ll need when doing the interval cardio workouts.

And to be honest with you, the old way of doing cardio is out the window. Latest research shows interval cardio training not only provides much greater fat loss benefits, but it only requires 1/4th or less the time.

3. Determine how much space is available:

Take into consideration the following:

• room usage
• safety
• traffic flow
• aesthetics
• desired equipment
• future expansion possibilities.

Plan for at least as much open space as equipment space.

Use the following guidelines to determine how much room
you’ll need:

• Treadmills – 30 square feet
• Bikes – 10 square feet
• Single-Station Gym – 35 square feet
• Stair Climbers – 10-20 square feet
• Multi-Station Gym – 50-200 square feet
• Rowing Machines – 20 square feet
• Free Weights – 20-50 square feet
• Ski Machines – 25 square feet

4. Examine the product: features, design, manufacture, safety, and serviceability:

Your body should move in a manner that is correct and safe.

The equipment should be adjustable, comfortable, easy to learn, and able to fit users of various sizes.

Parts should be easily removed and replaced. The device should be space-efficient, and the components should be the highest quality in the price range.

Think about the advertising claims. They should be backed up by solid research. Look for reviews by objective consumer publications. Again, doing a search on the Internet can provide you valuable clues into the different models of exercise equipment you’re considering, whether it’s a Bowflex, Nautilus, PowerBlock, Precor, or other brand.

Moving parts should mesh well. Welds should be clean and smooth and the frame should be thick and sturdy.

Check out the safety features. There shouldn’t be any design flaws or weaknesses that increase the risk of injury. (For example skiers with skis that can move simultaneously in the same direction, or a machine with poor stability.)

Look for features that enhance safety. For example, range-of-motion limiters on strength machines; weight-stack guards or any guards that protect moving parts; safety switches on treadmills.

5. Assess “bang for the buck” using a checklist as a side-by side comparison tool.

Things to consider in your evaluation:

• Price
• Safety
• Effectiveness
• Comfort and enjoyability
• Space efficiency
• Adjustability
• Durable Design
• Quiet operation
• Reputable manufacturer
• Written warranty
• Service plan and parts availability

Recommendations:

For my home gym I personally use PowerBlocks. With PowerBlocks I can perform all the exercises I normally do at the traditional gym I use at work. I just have to get creative with leg and back exercises (I’ll give you some examples in a future issue). And I can adjust the dumbbells from 10 to 125 lbs each by a simple pin movement.

Best of all they only take up a 2 x 3 foot footprint. I’ve had mine now for almost 2 years and I can vouch for their durability. Go to Power Blocks and check out the different weight options they have. Some of you may not need 125 dumbbells and would be wasting money if you purchased them.

Also, a good, sturdy bench that inclines and optionally declines is a must have as well. The PowerBlocks company sells a bench that’s relatively inexpensive. I have one at home as well as a more expensive model.

I personally like the sturdier bench that costs a little more. The PowerBlock bench will probably work fine, but I prefer the kind of benches typically found in good gyms. I know I’m going to be doing this for a long time and want to purchase with quality and durability in mind.

The bench I use is manufactured by the “Sport Strength” company. It’s an adjustable bench with a contoured back to ergonomically fit you. Plus, it’s virtually bullet-proof. You can see it here:

Sport Strength adjustable bench

They are ones I use and can recommend to you. For best results please follow the “5 – Point” checklist above for your home gym purchases.

Take Charge!

p.s. Want to: Learn the “Easy” way to get and stay in shape? Discover the secret to quick fat loss? How to exercise less and get better results? Discover the secret to ripped abs without doing endless crunches? Then be sure to get my “Amazing Fat Burning Formula” HERE.