Most people like to have at least one piece of home cardiovascular equipment in their home gym. Picking out home exercise equipment isn't always the easiest task, however. This is one situation where a commercial gym has the leg up; you can just walk in and have your choice. However, at home there are usually the considerations of space and budget. That means that you need to be careful when you're picking your equipment.
One of the less commonly thought of pieces of cardio equipment for the home or garage gym is a rowing machine. It's amazing to see how open these usually are in a commercial gym. The rower has somewhat fallen out of favor from its heyday 30 years ago, and there's no good reason why. Rowing is tough work, but a good quality rowing machine will give you a cardiovascular workout like no other. The reason for that is the element of resistance it gives as well as it utilizes a great deal more muscles at one time over a treadmill or bike. You'll be able to accomplish more of a workout, in a natural motion; in a lot less time than if you were on another piece of cardio equipment.
Rowers can be usually be obtained for a lot less than a treadmill or stationary bike because of their lack of popularity and lack of electronics. A good quality rowing machine is a great home gym investment as well since they're very sturdy. They don't have a whole lot of moving parts and don't need much maintenance. You won't have to spend all of your time repairing or worry about repurchasing your rowing machine.
Rowing machines can take up some floor space, but many models fold up to be placed in a corner or against a wall. This is better than a treadmill or bike in that it doesn't have to become a permanent fixture in a room.
A stair climber is the other piece of home cardio equipment that is often overlooked but can provide a fantastic workout. Since it uses more of your bodyweight for resistance than other pieces of aerobic equipment the stair climber can provide a very intense workout. Until you get used to using a stair climber it can be pretty tough so a lot of people pass it by.
Like the rowing machine it's easy to find a good quality stair climber at a fairly reasonable price relative to treadmills and exercise bicycles. They aren't as popular and so the demand price is lower. They do tend to be more expensive than rowers since they have more electronics and mechanical parts.
Stair climbers don't usually fold up and so become more of a permanent fixture in a room. In a dedicated home gym area this isn't a big deal. If you plan to use the room for other purposes then be aware that the stair climber might be more present. They do have a smaller floor footprint than most treadmills, elliptical machines, and exercise bicycles, though.
The rowing machine and stair climber are two pieces of home cardio equipment that are often overlooked, and it's too bad. Both of them provide great aerobic workouts, take up less space than more traditional equipment, and can be purchased quite reasonably. Before you shell out for an exercise bike look go ahead and try these two cardio machines out. You might change your mind!
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Picking a Home Treadmill: Five Considerations
So you've decided to shell out for a treadmill for your home gym. If properly chosen, a good treadmill can be a great piece of home exercise equipment and last you a long time. Here are some things to think about before you go to the store so you don't end up with something that
you don't want.
Number 1: What are you going to use the treadmill for? Let's think about the stress that you place on a treadmill. If you run then it become the equivalent to about twelve times your bodyweight hitting the machine, where as if you walk it's only 3-4 time your bodyweight. Also take into account your bodyweight. I'm a pretty big guy, and if I chose to run on a treadmill it would take some abuse. I would need to invest in a high quality, commercial-caliber treadmill for that activity. If I were simply going to walk on the treadmill then I probably wouldn't need as expensive a unit.
Number 2: Does it have the features you want? I personally like to walk at a very high incline on a treadmill, sometimes as high as a 15% grade. Most home treadmills only go up to a 10-12% grade. For me it's important to be able to go higher so I would spend the extra money, but if it isn't an issue for you then don't pay for a feature you don't need.
Many home treadmills don't go as fast as runners would like, so if you plan to run on the treadmill then keep that in mind as well.
Number 3: Check out the belt length and width. Try out the treadmill before you buy it. Some home treadmills are very short and have narrow belts. This is great as far as not taking up much room, but some of them are so small that I have a hard time getting into a full stride, and I am only 6'1". Bring some good shoes with you to the store and make sure you feel very comfortable with your treadmill before you buy it.
Number 4: Does it have programs and are they what you'd like? I'm a get-on-the-mill and go kind of guy, or I adjust the machine manually, but a lot of people love hill-type programs. Some treadmills come with great programs that will run you through famous places in the world like a segment of the Great Wall of China and whatnot. These can be a lot of fun if you're looking for something to break the boredom.
Number 5: Warranty or service plan. If you're buying from a store then you want to make sure that the treadmill works! Pay attention to the maintenance of the treadmill and you can definitely extend the life of your purchase. Assuming that you're not exceptionally hard on your treadmills then you should able to use it for a very long time. However, if something does go wrong then it's important to know your warranty will cover it or that there's a regular service plan. These machines aren't cheap and there's no sense in wasting money on one.
If you've got a little bit of space a treadmill is a great piece of home fitness equipment. Check into your purchase before you make it and you'll have a great piece of machinery that will help you get leaner, healthier, and fight the blues!
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you don't want.
Number 1: What are you going to use the treadmill for? Let's think about the stress that you place on a treadmill. If you run then it become the equivalent to about twelve times your bodyweight hitting the machine, where as if you walk it's only 3-4 time your bodyweight. Also take into account your bodyweight. I'm a pretty big guy, and if I chose to run on a treadmill it would take some abuse. I would need to invest in a high quality, commercial-caliber treadmill for that activity. If I were simply going to walk on the treadmill then I probably wouldn't need as expensive a unit.
Number 2: Does it have the features you want? I personally like to walk at a very high incline on a treadmill, sometimes as high as a 15% grade. Most home treadmills only go up to a 10-12% grade. For me it's important to be able to go higher so I would spend the extra money, but if it isn't an issue for you then don't pay for a feature you don't need.
Many home treadmills don't go as fast as runners would like, so if you plan to run on the treadmill then keep that in mind as well.
Number 3: Check out the belt length and width. Try out the treadmill before you buy it. Some home treadmills are very short and have narrow belts. This is great as far as not taking up much room, but some of them are so small that I have a hard time getting into a full stride, and I am only 6'1". Bring some good shoes with you to the store and make sure you feel very comfortable with your treadmill before you buy it.
Number 4: Does it have programs and are they what you'd like? I'm a get-on-the-mill and go kind of guy, or I adjust the machine manually, but a lot of people love hill-type programs. Some treadmills come with great programs that will run you through famous places in the world like a segment of the Great Wall of China and whatnot. These can be a lot of fun if you're looking for something to break the boredom.
Number 5: Warranty or service plan. If you're buying from a store then you want to make sure that the treadmill works! Pay attention to the maintenance of the treadmill and you can definitely extend the life of your purchase. Assuming that you're not exceptionally hard on your treadmills then you should able to use it for a very long time. However, if something does go wrong then it's important to know your warranty will cover it or that there's a regular service plan. These machines aren't cheap and there's no sense in wasting money on one.
If you've got a little bit of space a treadmill is a great piece of home fitness equipment. Check into your purchase before you make it and you'll have a great piece of machinery that will help you get leaner, healthier, and fight the blues!
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home exercise equipment, home gym equipment, home exercise, fitness, gym equipment
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Top Ten Reasons to Build a Home Gym
So you've been a member of a public gym for a while now and the frustrations are mounting. We've all been there. One of the best solutions is to build a home gym. I know, you're thinking that buying and assembling home exercise equipment is a lot of work and a space/money eater. Well, it doesn't have to be. To get you started, here are some reasons to think about building your own fitness facility.
1. No competition. You feel like bench pressing? Go to it! How about hitting some cardio? Yep. Public gyms get busy, and you get to wait in line. In your own facility there's no line and no wait.
2. Cost Effectiveness. I bet you're thinking that a home gym will be a big outlay of cash! Well, a good home gym can be put together for a few hundred dollars. Most gym memberships go for at least $40.00 per month, so that's about $500 per year right there! Assuming your spending was under control it wouldn't take long to get your money back at that rate.
3. Time Convenience. Making it to the gym can be tough on most schedules. You've got to drive there and back, which takes time. If you don't work a normal schedule then you might be stuck trying to work around gym hours (unless it's a 24-hour facility). With your home gym you can work out when you want to, on your schedule, and there's no wasted time driving to and fro.
4. Sanitation. This is of course up to your personal sanitation levels, but you're not sharing locker rooms and showers with hundreds or thousands of people. Some gyms are cleaner than others, but even well maintained gyms can't match the sanitation you have at home.
5. Fuel/Transportation fare savings. You probably didn't think of this, but if you're driving or using public transit to the gym it isn't free. Since it's a frequent trip those costs can really add up over time.
6. Your personal motivators. Do you like to work out to loud country music? Do you enjoy watching Rocky movies while you do cardio? In your own facility you can listen to your music, watch your movies, put up your own posters, and decorate any way you like.
7. Rude people. Gyms can be a haven for rude people. It's just the way it is. You don't have to deal with it in your own place.
8. Nobody's watching you. Chances are people aren't paying as much attention to you as you think, but if you're self-conscious in a gym then this is a good alternative.
9. No limit on exercise selection. A lot of exercises like tire flipping, deadlifts, and olympic lifts are frowned upon in public gyms even though they're great and effective exercises. There won't be anyone to get in your way if you have your own little corner.
10. A constantly evolving facility. As your fitness needs evolve your gym can evolve. Nobody says you have to start out with the same equipment that you're going to end with. It's easy to get started with a few simple items and as you become more fit and/or your interests change then add, remove, or modify equipment as necessary.
Those are just ten easy reasons why it's worth looking into getting some home gym equipment. Even if you don't give up that gym membership it might be worth it to develop a small home gym for those days when making it in to the public gym isn't feasible.
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1. No competition. You feel like bench pressing? Go to it! How about hitting some cardio? Yep. Public gyms get busy, and you get to wait in line. In your own facility there's no line and no wait.
2. Cost Effectiveness. I bet you're thinking that a home gym will be a big outlay of cash! Well, a good home gym can be put together for a few hundred dollars. Most gym memberships go for at least $40.00 per month, so that's about $500 per year right there! Assuming your spending was under control it wouldn't take long to get your money back at that rate.
3. Time Convenience. Making it to the gym can be tough on most schedules. You've got to drive there and back, which takes time. If you don't work a normal schedule then you might be stuck trying to work around gym hours (unless it's a 24-hour facility). With your home gym you can work out when you want to, on your schedule, and there's no wasted time driving to and fro.
4. Sanitation. This is of course up to your personal sanitation levels, but you're not sharing locker rooms and showers with hundreds or thousands of people. Some gyms are cleaner than others, but even well maintained gyms can't match the sanitation you have at home.
5. Fuel/Transportation fare savings. You probably didn't think of this, but if you're driving or using public transit to the gym it isn't free. Since it's a frequent trip those costs can really add up over time.
6. Your personal motivators. Do you like to work out to loud country music? Do you enjoy watching Rocky movies while you do cardio? In your own facility you can listen to your music, watch your movies, put up your own posters, and decorate any way you like.
7. Rude people. Gyms can be a haven for rude people. It's just the way it is. You don't have to deal with it in your own place.
8. Nobody's watching you. Chances are people aren't paying as much attention to you as you think, but if you're self-conscious in a gym then this is a good alternative.
9. No limit on exercise selection. A lot of exercises like tire flipping, deadlifts, and olympic lifts are frowned upon in public gyms even though they're great and effective exercises. There won't be anyone to get in your way if you have your own little corner.
10. A constantly evolving facility. As your fitness needs evolve your gym can evolve. Nobody says you have to start out with the same equipment that you're going to end with. It's easy to get started with a few simple items and as you become more fit and/or your interests change then add, remove, or modify equipment as necessary.
Those are just ten easy reasons why it's worth looking into getting some home gym equipment. Even if you don't give up that gym membership it might be worth it to develop a small home gym for those days when making it in to the public gym isn't feasible.
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home exercise equipment, home gym equipment, home exercise, fitness, gym equipment
Monday, February 4, 2008
Welcome to Home Exercise Secrets!
Welcome to Home Exercise Secrets. If you don't like going to public gyms or just want the convenience of setting up a home gym, here's the blog for you!
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