Setting up a home gym: what you'll need to get started

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by: bythesea
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Word Count: 522
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 Time: 10:42 PM
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With the New Year coming up quickly on the horizon many people's resolutions will be dominated with thoughts of getting fit and losing weight. For many, though, the enthusiasm displayed at the beginning of January tends to give way to apathy by the time February rolls around. Heading out to the gym in the cold weather slowly becomes a less attractive prospect - but there are ways around the problem. With an abundance of affordable gym equipment on the market, it's a great time to think about setting up a home gym and keeping fit in the comfort of your own home. Here's a list of five pieces of equipment that would sit well in a new home gym set-up:

Treadmill

Treadmills are a perfect piece of kit for anyone wanting to boost their general fitness levels, build up their stamina levels or lose weight. The best thing about treadmills is that anyone with the ability to walk or run already knows how to use one: step on, hit the start button and start shedding the calories. Of course, those who want to do more with their machinery can programme more complex routines for a more rounded workout. The main thing to think about before buying a treadmill is space; generally, you'll need the same space as you would for a single bed.

Cross trainer

If you're after a more low-impact workout, meaning that your joints aren't put through as much punishment as they would during more traditional exercise, then a cross trainer is ideal for you. These machines help to tone your upper body and legs while also flexing your stomach and sides with gentle twisting movements. Expect a great general fitness workout with a focus on losing weight and improved aerobic fitness.

Rowing machine

Rowing machines are perfect for fat burning and body building while offering a relatively low-impact workout with little stress on hips, knees and ankle joints. Depending on what you want to get out of your sessions, you'll perhaps want to look for different types of rowing machine. A basic machine with light resistance is fine for weight loss, while models with more tension levels are the order of the day for strength building.

Exercise bike

This is another simple but highly effective piece of equipment that's a doddle for virtually anyone to get to grips with. Perfect for building leg strength and general cardiovascular fitness, exercise bikes come in a number of different styles, so do your research before committing to one in particular. The most common bike type is the upright model, which you sit on in a similar way to a regular push bike, but recumbent models are also available, which see the user ‘riding' in a lean-back position.

Multi-gym

You'll be wanting more than just aerobic exercise if you're looking to build and tone your muscles, so a multi-gym is a perfect piece of equipment to add to your collection. Again, space is a consideration here; you'll need the kind of space you'd usually reserve for a double bed to fit one into your chosen room, so measure up before you go shopping.

About the Author

Get into shape in the new year with some gym equipment, like treadmills and cross trainers.