In order to end up with the home gym best suited to your needs, you have to clearly understand what you are looking for and what options are available to you. This is done by researching in two areas.
Firstly, you research the market to find out what kinds of home gyms are available, familiarizing yourself with the different features, styles and price ranges etc. Secondly, you examine your own unique requirements in a home gym.
Research the market: Home Gym essentials
While working out in a gym can be a wonderful way to keep your body toned and fit, often, time constraints do not allow individuals to include this in their hectic lifestyle. One solution to this dilemma is the creation of a gym right in your home. While it may seem like a luxury, you will find that in the long run you are saving in both time and money, and creating a healthy lifestyle.
The first part of the research step is to investigate just what's available in the home gym market. The range of options can seem overwhelming, but you can make a good start by understanding the following major features:
Size: Will the home gym fit into your available space? Allow yourself enough room to set up and use the machine properly. If one machine is too big, two smaller, individual machines might work better.
Construction: The machine needs to be sturdy. It shouldn't move even when you use the heaviest setting. There should be lots of plastic or vinyl-covered dense foam at the points where your body touches the machine. These are the places that will wear out first.
Exercise Options: An all-in-one machine should have an adequate number of upper and lower body workout options. You should be able to easily alternate between them.
Weight Design: Traditional weight machines use iron plates and the weight is changed by moving a pin. An alternative is a machine that uses removable plates like those used on a barbell. You can also find machines that use springs or elastic bands. They can be a good bet if you have limited space.
Cost: Home gyms aren't cheap, though the best will make up for that by lasting for a lifetime. Be sure you understand your payment options. Check both the initial and total cost of any machine you consider. A good warranty can make a high-end machine a better buy than an inexpensive machine with a paltry warranty.
Weight: Does the machine have enough weight for the type of lifting you do? Can you add more weights in the future?
Research your needs: Questions to ask yourself
Now it's time to determine what your requirements are in a home gym. For example, will you use the home gym only occasionally or are you a dedicated exerciser?
You can start this process by considering the following questions - as well as any others you think of yourself - and recording your answers.
| Have you used a home gym before? |
| | If you have used a home gym, work out what you did or didn't like about the home gym. You may be looking for one exactly like it, hoping to upgrade, or even trying to avoid any particular features that you found inconvenient. |
| What is your primary purpose for purchasing a home gym? |
| | Do you want to get big? Tone your body? Lose weight? Are there specific parts of your body you want to work on, or do you need an all-over body workout? |
| Are you just beginning your exercise regimen, or are you a weight-lifting “veteran?” |
| | If you haven't had much experience using exercise equipment, take a trip to your local gym and try their equipment first. If you can, try and get some advice from an instructor before you invest your money in your own home gym. |
| How much room do you have for a home gym? |
| | A home gym can be quite large. Make sure you actually measure the area you have for your new home gym before going shopping. |
| How large is your budget? |
| | Can you be flexible for the right home gym setup? |
| Do you have any health concerns? |
| | Do you have any joint problems? A heart condition? High blood pressure? Back problems? If you do, it may be worthwhile speaking to your doctor before buying a new home gym. |
| How much time can you devote to your workout? |
| | How often are you planning to use your home gym? Everyday? A couple of times a week? The more you use it the more durable and comfortable you want the home gym to be. |
| How much experience do you have using weight machines? |
| | Although weight machines tend to be safer to use than free weights, it is still possible to cause yourself injury if your form is wrong. If you are inexperienced it may be worth paying an instructor to teach you how to do all the exercises correctly |
Understanding your needs is the key to a successful purchase and you can revisit your list of needs at any time during the buying process.
Once you complete this Research step, having informed yourself about the essentials of home gyms and identified your needs, you are ready to move on to the next step: Evaluation.
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