Why A Home Gym?

Thinking about a home gym? It may be one of the few life luxuries that's actually good for you - an investment in your well-being, and in your quality of life, too.

With a home gym certain things begin to fall into place, beginning with your schedule, because now you can work out whenever you want. For example?

Have a 4 a.m. plane to catch and won't be able to fit in another workout for a week? Don't sweat it. Just walk a few rooms over and you've got it covered.

Have only fifteen minutes to work out and not a single second to spare? Your home gym is there at the ready - with no one else EVER (besides possibly your spouse or kids) ahead of you on your favorite fitness machine.

So with a home gym there's terrific convenience, while you're also creating exercise on your own time and on your own terms. What else?

You eliminate having to drive back and forth to the health club, saving time, effort, and aggravation.

You'll never be intimidated by a gym full of strangers.

And the fact is- the remarkable convenience of a home gym may make you just that much more motivated. Which, as we all know, is the absolute key to an effective workout program.

A home gym isn't just pure convenience, either. It's an investment. When you buy a piece of fitness equipment for your home gym- quality equipment- it may contribute to your fitness and well-being for years. Possibly for decades.

What about the two of the biggest concerns about home gyms and home gym equipment? Say, cost and space?

Let's just say that home gym equipment doesn't need to be expensive or space-hogging. Simple, low-cost, compact home gym equipment is widely available and can be a great way to start any home gym. If space is a major issue, a balance ball can be a great way to start. Balance balls are small, portable and can be used for numerous exercises, including stretching, abdominal workouts, balance-building and all-body toning. Prices for basic balance balls begin at $20-$30 and usually include a pump and instruction manual or DVD.

Other starter-type home gym equipment? Look at step benches, which can be used in many types of home workout plans, a simple but solidly built barbell set, or possibly a compact treadmill (though compact treadmills are unlikely to be as full-featured or as easy to use as their larger, beefier treadmill counterparts). For extreme space demands, consider rubber exercise bands, or an ultra portable fold-up treadmill.

Will simple, inexpensive exercise equipment be enough to give you a rock-solid workout? The answer is an unequivocal- maybe. For the experienced exerciser or athlete, the most basic home gym equipment may not provide the challenge that fuller-featured, more robust home gym equipment can, but it can be a nice way to start, especially if space, commitment or budget are limiting factors.

But if a gym in your own home really is one of life's healthiest luxuries, even a little home gym equipment will be a luxury worth having.