There are many reasons to create a fitness area in your home, such as being able to exercise when it suits you, or privacy and safety, through to the desire for a shared space the whole family can use.
Whatever the reason may be, the most important decision when creating a home gym will be choosing the right fitness equipment. But with all the different types of gym equipment available, how you will choose the one that is best suits your goals, budget and lifestyle?
Here are our top tips to help you choose the right fitness equipment for you:
Tip 1: Be true to your interests
Getting and staying fit is a lifelong journey. So it’s vital to choose equipment that you enjoy and actually want to use. There is no point buying or hiring an exercise bike when you prefer walking or jogging and would therefore benefit more from a treadmill. Ask yourself: what sort of activities do you enjoy? Let the answer help you select the type or types of fitness equipment you want in your home gym.
Tip 2: Consider your space
Planning your space before you purchase any fitness equipment is essential. Once you decide what you want to buy and are ready to hit the shops, you need to take measurements with you to ensure a good fit in your home.
When establishing how much space you need for your desired exercise equipment, it’s important to take into account not only the size of the actual equipment itself but also
- Any extra space needed to ensure you can safely get on and off the gym equipment
- Ceiling height as equipment such as treadmills or elliptical trainers often raise you up off the floor by more than 20cms
- Any required storage space
Here is a short overview of the types of fitness equipment that suit particular spaces:
Fitness Equipment Suitable for a limited space:
- Treadmills (foldable)
- Rowing Machines (foldable)
- Steppers
- Free Weights / Abs rollers / Kettle Bells etc
- Exercise Bike (foldable)
- Elliptical Trainer (foldable)
Fitness Equipment that needs more space:
- Multi-Gyms
- Elliptical Cross Trainers
- Non-Folding Treadmills and Rowers
- Exercise Bikes
- Ab Trainers
Tip 3: Watch the noise levels
Certain types or exercise equipment are noisier than others. Whilst this may not be an issue for some, if you live in an apartment or will be exercising after the kids have gone to bed, you may need to consider how much noise your gym equipment makes. For example, certain treadmills are sometimes noisy and weight gyms can clatter whereas elliptical trainers, rowing machines and bikes all tend to be quieter machines.
Tip 4: What is your primary fitness goal?
Sometimes your choice of fitness equipment is driven by your primary fitness goal. Perhaps you want to gain muscle? Burn fat? Or maybe you’re after a cardio workout? If you find yourself with fitness goals that overlap across these areas, which makes it impossible to find one sole piece of fitness equipment that does it all, you need to decide what you want to achieve the most, and use this to decide what best suits you.
Here is an overview of the most common fitness goals and the types of exercise equipment that are most suited to each -
- Muscle Gain: multi-gyms, free weights, ankle weights, exercise mat, hand weights, resistance bands (or related accessories).
- Burning Fat: rowing machines, exercise bikes and elliptical cross trainers.
- Cardio Workout: steppers, treadmills, skiing machines, rowing machines, exercise bikes and elliptical cross trainers.
- Tone-Up: elliptical trainers, steppers, ab trainers.
Tip 5: Establishing your budget
It’s important to know how much you can afford, or are willing to spend on each piece of fitness equipment you’re after.
You will find that there is a wide range of prices for just about every kind of exercise equipment. How much you choose to spend will be determined by several factors, including how much you value certain functionalities or features of a piece of equipment. Sometimes outlaying slightly more can mean a better quality build, better tracking and monitoring, a longer warranty, better after sale support and quieter, smoother resistance.
Tip 6: Time management
Life is hectic. Between work commitments, family and friends, everyone’s schedule is increasingly full. These busy lifestyles are why ‘not having the time’ is the number one reason people give for not exercising
It’s vital to think about how much time you can dedicate to exercise on a regular basis. Knowing your time limitations, in combination with your fitness goals, budget & preferences for certain activities will help you choose gym equipment that best suits your needs and circumstances.
For example, if you’re short on time and want shorter workouts (under 30minutes), steppers, ab trainers, and elliptical trainers are ideal. However if you prefer longer workouts (30minutes+) that burn calories less intensively then perhaps an exercise bike, rowing machine or a treadmill would suit better.
Tip 7: Last but not least..try before you buy
It’s prudent to try out your potential fitness equipment before you buy anything – walk or run on the treadmill you’re considering, hop onto the elliptical trainer or try out the weights machine. Trying before buying provides you with the assurance that you like the equipment, are comfortable using it and that it suits your needs.
Visit your local fitness equipment shop and speak with the staff. Get their opinions and advice on the different types of gym equipment available so you can make a more informed decision on choosing the right one for you.
At the end of the day..
We hope that you find these tips helpful when choosing the right fitness equipment for you. However the most important thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong answer when selecting the right gym equipment.
Exercise equipment comes in all sizes, shapes and prices. But no matter the functionalities or features, they will only deliver results when used on a regular basis. So, ultimately? It’s up to you to find something you enjoy and are comfortable using. After all, fitness is a lifelong journey, and the fewer obstacles we place in its path, the easier a journey it will be.
Want to find out more about the range of exercise equipment available? Come visit the team at MuscleMania Fitness Megastore – Sydney’s longest running fitness megastore since 1988. We’d be more than happy to have a chat about what sort of fitness equipment best suits you.
