This is not meant to be an exhaustive article on fitness equipment and health club memberships. It is simply some “food for thought” for you and hopefully by the end of this short article you will realize that your own gym is a very real possibility and a gym membership is not a secret to getting in shape.
The truth is although there are a handful of health clubs out there trying to do the right thing by teaching it’s members the true technology of physical change, most are staffed by sales people no better than used car salesmen. When I first enrolled in the nutritional and exercise science program I’m currently in, I was surprised that much of the information is not being taught at the local health club. Why is that? I soon realized why.
After being in the fitness business for 7 years, I have seen and been around many facilities. It’s pretty much always the same thing. The head staff person or “trainer” is a young kid who would rather be hanging out with his friends than teaching someone how to transform their body. The reason for this is overhead. I am good friends with a long time gym owner and the expenses for running a commercial health club are unbelievable. One way to offset the expense is to hire under qualified people. The exercise physiologist is going to gracefully decline a $9 per hour job when he can earn close to $40,000 annually. There IS an alternative and it IS possible for health clubs to hire qualified trainers and have them be an asset instead of a drain but that is a different article altogether.
While there are definitely some negatives to a home gym such as distractions like possibly not having a workout partner, the telephone, family, and television, I’m going to focus on the positives. Although there have been times when I’ve had two or more gym memberships, I often opted to workout in my home gym.
You will save money in the long term.
Below I will list what I have in my home gym and if you have any further questions you can e-mail or call at anytime for more details.
Resistance
1) I have
adjustable dumbbells and have been using them for years without one single complaint. I like the convenience, the affordability, and the space that they save. With them, I can do almost any traditional dumbbell exercise as well as some additional ones that can’t be done with regular dumbbells.
2) I also have a bench that inclines made by Parabody. With this I can do exercises such as pressing movements both flat and inclined and bodyweight exercises such as dips and leg raises.
3) I also have an array of other functional equipment. I have medicine balls, stability balls, a power pushup II made by Lifeline USA, theraband, and resistance chords. With this equipment I can perform functional exercises that will help me with my martial arts as well as any other real life activity. It’s also very fun. The power pushup II is for anyone who feels like a regular pushup is too easy. Try one out and you’ll see what I mean.
4) I also have a Powerbody squat rack which I can do bench presses, squat variations, and deadlift variations with. Many people feel that these exercises are essential to building a strong, sexy, functional body.
Cardiovascular
1) I have a ski machine made by Nordictrack. They are relatively inexpensive and after acquiring the skill and the taste for it, you might like it.
2) I have many jump ropes but prefer my beaded rope the most. Rope skipping is my favorite form of cardiovascular activity as there are so many variations that it doesn’t get boring.
3) If you can find some real steps or some hills you can do stairs and hills for cardio without having to purchase a machine.
4) I also have a heavy bag for cardio and interval training but make sure you get permission from your landlord (unless you own your own home) before drilling holes.
Other
1) A heart rate monitor might be a good idea as well because you can make sure that you are in the correct target heart zone for your specific goal. This way you can optimize your program rather than just spin your wheels.
This is far from a complete list. It’s just some ideas to get you thinking about your options. The truth is you don’t need any equipment. For cardio you can walk outside or inside and for resistance you can do bodyweight exercises. The equipment simply adds options and variety. While a gym membership can be a great investment (if you view it as a place where you work out), your body is the only piece of equipment you need. Other than that you just need the right technology to get in shape and that’s where I come in.
My suggestion if you are considering starting a home gym is to start slow and progressively add things only when you are comfortable. Of course consider space and money. After that all you have to do is use the stuff regularly and don’t forget to eat right.
I hope you enjoyed this issue of Get Lean! This newsletter is for you so if you have any questions or topics you would like me to write about, let me know.
Also, please let me know if you know anyone who would like to receive this newsletter. Either have them sign up or send their name and e-mail to me at billy@howtogetlean.com and I can send them an issue as a gift from you.
Until next time, be a Functional Fitness Freak,
- Billy Hofacker
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Hofe-Man Fitness Systems, LLC
Billy Hofacker, Certified Personal Trainer
Specializing in Mens Fitness Programs
Serving Lindenhurst, Long Island, Suffolk County, and New York
Lindenhurst, NY 11757-1672
Phone: 631-225-7831 • Fax 631-225-0693 • E-mail:
billy@howtogetlean.com
