Many people embarking on a fitness lifestyle are choosing to train at home. Some want to avoid crowded gyms, monthly fees, and annoying contracts. Others may want the convenience and time-saving aspects of doing home workouts. Whatever their motivation is to get fit in the comfort of their own home, almost everyone begins with the same question. What equipment do I need?
The choices for home-gym equipment are immense. This can present the novice exercise enthusiast with an ocean of information she can drown in. There are ellipticals, treadmills, trampolines, stair steppers, stationary bikes and rowers, multi-station machines, racks, barbells, dumbbells, benches, power towers, inversion tables, exercise balls and wheels, ab boards, and elastic bands. Whew! Now, add to this list the endless variations and brands of the above choices, and you may want to throw up your hands, and say, “I think I will just get a bowl of ice cream, sit in the recliner, and watch a show”.
Hold on! That is NOT moving toward your goal of losing weight, toning up, and feeling great. So let’s get serious. Ready?
Start setting up your home gym!
If you are on a budget, like most of us are, we will get the bare necessities first.
The most versatile and useful piece of equipment is an adjustable dumbbell set. You can get a simple set of bars and plates for around $50. Money, time, and effort well spent. Find a used set, and save even more. Used is fine because dumbbells last forever. The only disadvantage of the bar and plate style is that you have to constantly add or take away plates throughout your exercise session. A better option might be to invest in a nice adjustable block style. Changing the weight on these is easy and instantaneous. Block style dumbbells range anywhere from $140 to $900. They are easier to handle, thus safer, and they are so convenient to use.
You could stop here if you wanted. The dumbbell set alone provides hundreds of exercises that work the entire body.
But, if finances and room permit, the next item to get is an adjustable bench. Just this one piece of equipment will add greatly to the number of exercises you can do.
Next on your list is a barbell set. Olympic style is the best, because you will be able to do more exercises than the standard set allows.
Round off your home gym with a squat rack. This is one of the best investments you will ever make. Barbell squats are arguably the best exercise that exists. They are much safer and easier if you have a squat rack. Later, you can get the add-on features available for most squat racks, which will allow you to do movements with pulleys.
Now, put down that ice cream, and get started.
Teri
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