BUILDING YOUR HOME GYM
PAGE 1Size Matters: Building Your Home Gym
2012 Davey Wavey, Inc. All rights reserved.
If youre someone who leads a very busy
lifestyle or someone who doesnt have the
budget to afford a pricey gym membership,
you might want to consider building a home
gym.
Its a common misconception that a large,
commercial gym is required to see great re-
sults. The truth is, you can have a fantastic
workout right from home.
Moreover, home gyms provide a few impor-
tant advantages.
First, you save a great deal of time not having
to commute. If your gym is 15 minutes away,
thats 30 minutes of round-trip traveling time
added to your workout.
Additionally, your home gym is open 24 hours
a day. Whether its sneaking in a workout be-
fore work or getting in some late night exer-
cise, your home is always open.
For those individuals with children, a home
gym reduces the need for childcarewhich
can be very pricey. You can let the kids play
nearby, or have a workout during naptime.
Lets look at a few important tips for building
successful home gyms.
An Changeable Set Of Dumbbells
For strength training workouts, a good set of
changeable dumbbells is greatand it can
really complement any bodyweight exercises
(like push-ups, pull-ups that you perform).
With dumbbells, the number of different exer-
cises that you can perform is limitlessand
by moving to heavier and heavier amounts of
resistance, you ensure enhanced results.
Rather than buying dozens of dumbbells at
varying weights, save yourself money and
space by buying one set of changeable
dumbbells. With changeable dumbbells, you
can adjust the weight accordingly for each ex-
ercise. Its really an ingenious solution and a
must-have for home gyms.
A Squat Rack
If budget and space allow, consider buying a
squat rack complete with a barbell, weight
plates and an adjustable bench.
Squat racks, also sometimes called power
cages, open your workout to a number of
powerful exercises including squats, incline
press, bench press, shoulder press, deadlifts,
rows, lunges, etc. Its perfect for a great total
body workout.
An Exercise Ball
I love inflatable exercise balls. While theyre
not a mandatory piece of equipment, theyre
great for a number of exercisesand can re-
ally help work your core.
You can use the exercise ball with dumbbell-
based exercises, or use it to reduce your sta-
bility. Because the ball constantly shifts and
rolls, you need to engage your core to keep
everything balanced.
Theyre also quite inexpensive, making them
one of the more cost-effective pieces of
equipment. Just be sure to select a size that
works well for you.
PAGE 2Size Matters: Building Your Home Gym
2012 Davey Wavey, Inc. All rights reserved.
A Skipping Rope
Home cardio equipment tends to be very ex-
pensive. If its in your budget to buy a tread-
mill, great. If not, a simple skipping rope is a
fantastic alternative. It costs next to nothing
and will give you an amazing cardiovascular
workout.
Of course, avoid jumping on overly hard sur-
faces like cement. You may need to put some
padding on your floor to avoid joint pain or in-
jury. Skipping on mats, grass or carpet while
wearing running shoes is advised.
A Mirror
Last but not least, find a large, full-body mir-
ror for your home gym. Though often over-
looked, it can really make a big difference.
By monitoring your exercises in a mirror,
youll be able to notice and correct any errors
in your form. Poor form can lead to dimin-
ished results and injury, so its really impor-
tant to install a mirror in your home gym.
Moreover, youll be able to see your progress
as muscles become bigger and more notice-
able than before. This can be great motiva-
tion!
Of course, your home gym is your home
gymso feel free to modify or add to this list
accordingly. For example, you may prefer re-
sistance bands to dumbbells. Thats fine. Do
what works for you!
And keep in mind that many home gym items
can be found online (on Craigslist, eBay, etc.)
at significantly lower prices than in retail
stores. Used gym equipment is much
cheaper and usually just as goodso theres
no need to break the bank.
Enjoy creating your home gym! It can be a
fun projectand its a great thing to do for
yourself.
