The home gym: Exercise in any weather and at any time

Since it is a given that it is important to exercise to be healthy; our next decision is where to do it. Two options are to buy a membership at a gym or fitness center and to set up an exercise room in our home. At this moment, my yard is piled with snow. The last thing I want to do is put on my parka, scarf, mittens, and boots to go work out. If you feel the same way, you might want to set up a gym in your home. There are many places to get gym fitness equipment. There are two types of workout equipment. For cardio fitness equipment elliptical is a good choice because it is better for your knees, weight training is the other.

Most people are reluctant to create a home gym because they are afraid that they will not use it, and the money spent will have been wasted. However, if you set it up nicely and make it inviting, you will be more likely to make use of it. So, I am going to use my imagination now to come up with a home fitness center that will be inviting and thus utilized.

The equipment is our first concern. Remember that we want to cover two types of exercise: cardio training and weight training. There are different varieties of cardio training equipment. We use them to get moving and working up a sweat. Some people prefer walking or running. This type of movement is best done on a treadmill or elliptical machine. Another good machine that is easy on the joints is the stationary bicycle. The bike is my preferred cardio machine because I find it more relaxing and easier to read a book, but your choice depends on your likes and dislikes. For your weight training, you have many choices. A set of hand weights with different weights will allow you to exercise many of your muscles. Manufacturers offer different types of weight machines that provide the flexibility to work out all parts of your body.

So much for the ”business” part of the gym. Now, let us look at the ”pleasure” side. This aspect is important because, if you do not find your workout pleasurable, it will likely become a dust-catcher. How can you make your gym inviting? The first addition will be a television set. The easiest thing to do while you exercise is to watch TV. The TV experience is enhanced if you add a cable or satellite connection and also have a DVD player so that you can watch the movies of your choice.

A good supply of reading material is also good. Long stretches time can be spent pleasantly pedaling the bike or walking on the treadmill and reading a good book or magazine. You do not need an extensive library to do this; your county surely has a better library than you could ever put together. With entertainment, you will be apt to use this space that you set up. Oh, and invite a friend to keep you company.