How to Set Up a Home Gym
10/25/2012
How to Set Up a Home Gym
By Pablo BressanThere are many reasons to work out at home. It’s convenient, you can work out in private, you don’t have to pay gym membership fees, you don’t have to worry about being bothered by other gym goers, you can get into shape without feeling judged, you can work out any time you like, listen out loud to your own music, and have access to your own kitchen or shower immediately after. With so many benefits, it’s easy to understand why so many people are working out from home, but what exactly do you need in order to set up a home gym? How much money might it cost, and what should you buy? Do you need a permanent spot set aside, or just the space before your TV?
Clearly the answers depend on what kind of work out you are going to be doing at home. Let’s assume you are going to be following an at-home DVD work out. You’ve purchased your program, and for most, all you will need is the space before your TV along with a DVD player. Depending on the workout you might require hand weights which you can store in some out-of-the-way place (behind your TV?), a yoga matt to work on so as to not drip sweat on your floor, and a hand towel with which to mop yourself down. The requirements are minimal, and all you need space wise is enough room to do jumping jacks and push ups.
Let’s say however that you’re doing a more advanced program that requires a series of weights, pull-up bar and bench. These sorts of work outs require a little more equipment, but you still don’t need a dedicated work out space. A few free weights of various weight can still be stacked in a closet, and the bench can simply be any hard chair in your house. The pull-up bar can be also taken down, and simply requires a door close by. As a rule of thumb, free weights cost about $1/lb, so depending on how many you intend to buy, you could be racking up some slightly higher costs.
The third kind of work out is at the other end of the spectrum, and requires some serious equipment. Most novices will invest a lot of money in complex pieces of unnecessary equipment, the kind of alien machinery seen only on late night infomercials, but in reality all you need is a power cage. A power cage will allow you to squat, bench press, and do pull ups, and with the barbell you can do dead lifts, military presses, and power cleans. Along with a rack of free weights, you should be able to do any combination of serious work outs you desire. These of course require a dedicated space, and most people convert either a guest room or a portion of their garage to house this equipment. Depending on the quality of gear you buy, this level of home gym could also run you about $500 or more depending on the quality of the equipment you wish to buy.
So there you have it. The reality is that little space or equipment is needed, though there’s always room for growth. For convenience, efficiency and control there’s nothing like a home gym, and over the course of a year you’ll recuperate your costs in saved gym membership fees regardless.
About the Author: If you are interested in some excellent home fitness programs, check out the revolutionary Brazil Butt Lift workout, designed to give you the perky, lifted booty that will look fabulous in a pair of jeans. The Brazilian Butt lift is a blend of Afro-Brazilian dance, ballet moves and traditional lunges and squats--check it out!
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