By Pyc Fitness
©2004-2008
Creating a home gym that works for you requires that you do a little work up front.
Rod Peterson, exercise physiologist for Kronos Optimal Health Co. in Phoenix; Ronnie Schwartz, fitness coordinator and personal trainer at the Louisiana Athletic Club in Alexandria, La., and Louisiana personal trainer and gym owner Roger Crockett offer these suggestions:
Advertisement
• Do your homework. Read magazine and online reviews of equipment's safety, quality and durability. Also check classified ads and reputable resale stores for lightly used equipment, especially dumbbells and cardio machines.
• Take some time. Spend at least 20 minutes trying settings and programs on a treadmill, elliptical machine or stair-stepper, watching for such problems as excessive vibration or noise. Do a set of 10 repetitions when testing strength equipment. Consider ergonomics on a machine with multiple workout stations: Does it work equally well for people of different heights? Does it adjust easily as you perform different exercises?
"You want to look at all the moving parts," Crockett says. "If there are pulleys and cables, you want to make sure they are sturdy. If it's just a thin plastic roller on a screw, you need to either buy that equipment and replace them or go to something more expensive."
• Weigh extras. Extra features can increase price without adding value to your workouts. For example, will the heart-rate printout on a treadmill help make you healthier?
• Don't overestimate your abilities. If equipment takes a long time to master and requires lots of concentration and coordination, you're likely to give up. So instead of an elliptical machine with independent upper- and lower-body motions, start out with one that has stationary handles.
• Check the warranty. "When you buy a treadmill, you need to read that warranty and make sure that if something breaks, they will send someone to fix it," Schwartz said.
Leg Master , Leg Magic , AB Lounge XL , trampoline , exercise bike ,Bowflex Home Gym , perfect pushup , Air climber , the bean exerciser ,