Best Equipment For A Home Gym
When choosing equipment for a home gym, the options can be confusing. Is an all-in-one machine the route to take? Is that treadmill better than this treadmill? Are the abdominal machines really isolating the correct muscles? There are clear steps to take to design the perfect home gym at a realistic cost.
The best place to start is with a piece of equipment which provides a cardiovascular workout. Narrowing the choices to a treadmill or elliptical machine is the easiest way to begin. A treadmill can offer resistance if the track has incline capabilities. An elliptical machine also offers resistance with tension controls on the machine. Both types of machines offer low-impact workouts, which makes them perfect for beginning weight-loss programs. Some elliptical machines also offer attachments for upper-body exercises, but free weights can be used to add these as well. Make sure to try both types of machines at the store before purchasing one or the other. Many stores that sell gym equipment even offer in-home trials so that the decision is easier to make. Ask about a warranty, especially if the machine has optional electronic displays.
Once the treadmill or elliptical machine has been purchased, an abdominal exerciser is the next option. Isolating abdominal muscles by doing crunches is hard on the back and neck. Abdominal exercise machines offer neck and back bracing while working the abdominal muscles. Many of these machines have swiveling or rotating movements which allow a person to exercise all muscles of the abdomen. A good abdominal machine is one of the best additions to a home gym. These machines are rewarding to use because the results are quickly noticeable. Losing several inches off of the abdominal area is a reward by itself.
Free weights are the last significant purchase that should be considered for a home gym. Free weights allow for many different types of exercise with adjustable resistance. Using free weights to exercise builds muscle and strengthens bones. The weights are relatively inexpensive and last through a lifetime of use. Kettle bells and dumb-bells are both affective styles of weights. Simple exercises like curls and squats are more taxing when weights are added to the exercise. Building muscle through the use of free weights can actually speed the metabolism and create faster weight-loss. Learning to use the free weights properly is also essential, so practicing first at a gym can be beneficial.
Adding jump ropes or resistance bands and yoga mats to a home gym are inexpensive ways to improve the number of workouts that are available. Having this extra equipment does not cost much but allows a person to vary the exercises. This is especially beneficial when a weight-loss plateau has been reached. Changing the exercise program can actually motivate the person to pass the plateau and continue losing weight. Music from a radio or an iPod is another excellent piece of gym equipment. Workouts go much better with some motivational music in the background.
