Though you can work out effectively using only your body, a good fitness and exercise program entails the use of specialized and tuned exercise equipment that achieves excellent results. However, the results are not automatic even with the best equipment, and consistency is highly encouraged to see any meaningful improvement in your fitness goal. In addition, understanding the different types of equipment and how to use each one of them can help avoid injuries that could interrupt your fitness program.
When it comes to choosing exercise equipment for your home gym, remember that they vary a lot in terms of size, shapes, and price ranges. Therefore, it pays to examine consumer reviews and also consider important factors to help you make an informed decision on the right equipment to buy.
Choosing the Right Home Fitness and Exercise Equipment for Your Home Gym
If you are looking to create an ideal home gym, there are three exercise components you must consider: cardio exercise, weight and strength exercise. These components are designed to help you achieve your fitness goals, and they range in intensity from basic to vigorous exercise. Exercise equipment is designed to achieve varying results, but the most common fitness goals include improve muscle strength, flexibility, stability, and weight management.
Cardio Equipment
These are set of gym equipment designed to offer aerobic exercises and they include treadmills, rowing, spinning bike, kayaking, elliptical and more. Some of these equipment are motorized while others are not, but they are all excellent for cardio workouts that help improve cardiovascular health and weight management by burning excess calories and fat in the body. For home fitness equipment, consider the lighter versions which offer superior performance as the heavy-duty version often found in commercial gyms and fitness centers. Examples of cardio exercise equipment include:
- Ski machine
- Stair-steppers
- Elliptical trainers
- Rowing machines
- Indoor cycling bicycle
- Treadmill
There are some aerobic exercises you can easily do at home without needing robust cardio equipment. They include jogging, jumping rope, jacks, dancing, and swimming. Choose more compatible equipment for easy adjustment and storage around in your home gym.
Bodyweight and Strength Equipment
Bodyweight equipment are largely designed to help build strength by creating a resistance force through gravity, weight or tension. This type of exercise equipment comes in a range of styles and prices vary substantially from affordable lighter versions for a home gym to expensive models widely found in gyms and health centers. Start with some basic options like dumbbells and resistance bands which will save you a fortune but still offer excellent strength training exercises. Strength home fitness equipment includes:
- Dumbbells
- Leg press machine
- Body bars
- Free weights
- Sandbag
- Ankle wights
- Tubing
- Kettle bars
- Resistance bands
Pairing strength training with cardio exercise can help you achieve good results. Simple bodyweight exercises that don’t require machines include deadlifts, squats, hinges, pushups, swings, rows, dips, pull-ups, as well as power walking and running. Most importantly, you need to invest in a quality workout mat for your strength exercise. Consider buying a nonslip with superior cushioning that offers an ideal surface for workouts such as push-ups, stretching, and pilates.
When looking to buy exercise equipment for your home-based gym, here are some of the key factors for considerations.
- Understand your fitness goals Before you even visit a fitness equipment store, you’d want to first understand your fitness goals and what you want the exercise to achieve for you. This is especially important as it will inform the type of fitness equipment you need for that particular target. Are you looking to build muscles, weight loss or just fitness oriented?
- Develop a budget
With different types of exercise equipment, working on a budget will help you prioritize what’s important for your fitness program. Gym equipment may be very costly, and without planning, you may end up hurting your pockets. Do thorough research before buying and make sure you compare prices to ensure you get the best deal out there.Now that you understand the different types of exercise equipment and the components of a good fitness program, you can approach your purchase with more confidence knowing the right equipment. Also, ensure you do a nice setup for a home gym and allow enough space for movements.
