5 Sure-Fire Tips To Save You $1000's On Your Home Gym

It always amazes me when people say "Home Gyms are expensive! I just don't have $1000's of dollars lying about" These people obviously haven't looked very hard because nowadays home gym equipment doesn't have to cost 2, 3 or even $4000 dollars.

Below are 5 great alternatives that won't cost you the earth but can do just a good a job as many of the commercial fitness equipment found in local gyms.

1. Dumbbells

For resistance weight training you can't go past dumbbells for their practicality and versatility. You can perform any number of exercises with dumbbells that even the more expensive weight machines can't do. These days you can get adjustable dumbbells which allow you to use add or remove weight from a single dumbbell with a simple pin, just like with traditional pin loaded weight machines.

This feature means you don't have to buy different weight dumbbells for different exercises and you save on floor space which can be used for cardio equipment like ellipticals or treadmills.

You can easily get a good quality quick change dumbbell set for less than $500. At that price you'd be silly to spend money on larger, muscle specific equipment even if you did have extra cash floating around.

2. Remanufactured

A lot of people these days are buying remanufactured exercise equipment, and for good reason. Remanufacturing involves taking a used machine and completely restoring it with new parts to make it look, feel and function like a new machine. Often the only part of the equipment that is not brand new is the frame.

By buying remanufactured or refurbished fitness equipment you can realistically save 50% off the normal, new retail price.

3. Used

Buying used or second-hand equipment can be a cost effective way of setting up your home gym. The only problem is you don't know how the previous owner treated the machine and if it has any problems. The last thing you want is for the machine to breakdown 6 weeks after buying it and finding out that it's not covered by warranty.

Sometimes the actual machine may seem like a bargain but future unforeseen expenses may make you regret your purchase. If at all possible get to test drive the machine and ask about the warranty.

4. Buy direct from the factory

Some online stores offer factory direct fitness equipment. By doing this you cut out the middle man and save big time. Remember just because it is cheap doesn't mean its poor quality. With so much competition online these days online suppliers are cutting costs to get market share. That means more money in your pocket!!

5. Added bonuses from reputable online suppliers

Some online suppliers will include free shipping with their products. This can greatly reduce the cost of piece of equipment if you add delivery to it.

Also make sure you check out the machines warranty. You can save yourself a lot of heart ache down the road if you make sure you're covered by a decent warranty which included motor, parts and labor.

Look for at least 6 months for parts and labor and 1 year for the motor for remanufactured equipment and 1-2 years parts, labor and motor for new equipment.

Now that you are armed with this information go and have a look around yourself you'll be surprised at what you find!
Dean Iggo is a keen fitness enthusiast and home gym user. He is also the webmaster of http://www.home-gym-buyers-guide.coma website providing unbiased home exercise equipment tips and reviews.

How to Avoid Using Your Home Gym as a Clothes Rack

So heres the situation

You have a home gym, treadmill, elliptical trainer, or some other piece of home fitness equipment. But its sitting in the corner of the room being used as a clothes rack. You havent gotten any use out of it for months, and you might be thinking of selling it off.

Theres a reason why you initially bought this piece of equipment, and I can bet that it wasnt meant to hang your clothes on (there are much cheaper alternatives than that).

It was probably along the lines of toning up or losing weight or getting fit and so on and so forth.

You know its probably a good idea to start exercising again, but you might be thinking:

1. Im too busy with (insert your reasons here), and I just dont have the time right now.

2. Ill do it later.

3. Im not too sure what exercises to do.

4. I just dont have any motivation right now. Maybe in the future when I get fired up Ill start again.

5. Im feeling pretty tired these days with everything going on. Ill get to it once I have some energy.

But what were the reasons that made you buy this machine? How long did you actually use this machine? Why did you stop? And why arent you using it now?

What youll do is examine your reasons why, and give you an actionable guide to get you off your couch, take the clothes off your home gym and start using it the way it was meant to be used (and start achieving your goals!)



Here is a Solution

You need to set some goals, and you need to set a plan to get to those goals. Thats right, just like what all the self help guru preaches, this is what you need to do. The reason why you need to set goals is that then youll have something to work towards.

And Im not talking about some up-in-the-air, vague goals like, I want to look toned, or I want to lose weight.

Im talking about detailed, specific goals. Something along the lines of, I will lose 10 pounds of fat in 60 days.

Also, along with setting goals, you need to write down your reasons why you want to achieve this goal. Losing 10 pounds of fat in 60 days is fine and dandy, but youll be way more motivated to exercise if youre constantly reminded that your wedding is in 60 days!


Heres an acronym that will help you set and attain your fitness goals:

S.M.A.R.T-R (pronounced smarter)

SMART-R stands for:

S-Specific

M-Measurable

A-Action oriented

R-Reasonable

T-Timed

R-Reasons why

Lets go into details of each point:


Specific

The more specific and measurable your goal, the more quickly you will be able to identify, locate, create, and implement the use of the necessary resources for its achievement. -Charles J. Givens

"I want to lose weight" is different from "I want to lose 10lbs of fat and gain muscle mass by doing 3-5 cardio workouts and 3-5 resistance training workouts per week at the gym over the course of the next 3 months."

Your fitness goals should be detailed, clearly defined, and stress exactly what youre going to do and you want to achieve.

For example, instead of setting a goal to lose weight, set a specific goal to lose 3 inches off your waist, lost 5% body fat, or lose 3 pounds of fat.


Measurable

"Make measurable progress in reasonable time." -Jim Rohn

If youre not keeping score, you dont know whether youre winning or losing! And keeping score is all done with numbers. Do you want to lose 3 inches off your waist? Do you want to drop down from 20% to 12% body fat? Do you want to lose 10 pounds?

Whatever goal you choose, make sure that you can measure it. You need to do this so you can see and measure the progress over time. For example, losing 1 pound per week would be a goal that is measurable over time.

Also, the things that you cant measure (happiness, etc.) will come along with achieving your goals.

Action-Oriented

You'll always achieve more through movement than meditation -Gary Halbert

Virtually no goals can be attained unless theres some action taken. If you plan to lose 10 pounds of body fat, you have to figure out the action that you need to take the attain this goal. What resistance training exercises are you going to do? What cardiovascular exercises are you going to do? How often should you do them? In this step its helpful to recruit the assistance of a fitness professional who can provide you with their expertise and advice to help you reach your goal.


Reasonable

"Every noble work is bound to face problems and obstacles. It is important to check your goal and motivation thoroughly. One should be very truthful, honest, and reasonable. One's actions should be good for others, and for oneself as well. Once a positive goal is chosen, you should decide to pursue it all the way to the end. Even if it is not realized, at least there will be no regret." -Dalai Lama

Now that you might have started to think of some goals, you have to remember to keep them reasonable. Losing 30 pounds in one month is not reasonable! In fact, this could be potentially dangerous to your health and be detrimental in the long term. In this case, you would probably be losing water weight and muscle mass, and in the long run, you would gain all that weight back, and have less muscle mass (its your muscles that burn fatthe more of it you have, the more fat you can burn. But the less you have, youll be burning less body fat).

Keep your goals reasonable or you might find that youll be putting your health at risk, or at the very least, youll be disappointed.


Timed

"A goal is a dream with a deadline." -Napoleon Hill

Set a deadline. Deadlines move us to action.

Theres nothing worst than having a goal, working towards it, but never finishing it! Its almost like a major school project thats assigned to you. Imagine if this project didnt have a deadline, and youre asked to complete it whenever you want.

Do you think youll complete it soon?

Probably not! If theres no deadline, theres no pressure to finish a task.

Its the same with exercise and fitness. If you set a goal to lose 10 pounds of body fat, but you dont set a deadline, youll probably be trying to lose 10 pounds of body fat forever!

Set a deadline for your fitness goal, and try to achieve it. Once the deadline passes and youve reached your goals, set a new one and a new deadline, and strive to achieve that!


Reasons Why

"Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to; all they need is one reason why they can" -Willis Whitney

This is probably the most important step in the goal setting process. Not only is your reason why the motivation for you to achieve any goals, but its probably the reason that caused you to buy a home gym or home exercise equipment in the first place!

You must define your reasons for wanting to achieve a goal. If you lack clear reasons why for doing so, all the goal setting and planning might just go to waste (if you dont have a reason to do something, why would you do it?)

Spend some time and give some serious thought to this step. The more compelling your reasons are for exercising, the greater your odds will be for meeting your goals.

Every person has a different reason for exercising. Some people just want to lose a few inches off their waist because of an upcoming event (such as a wedding, a high school reunion, a day at the beach to impress members of the opposite sex), but for others, exercising could mean the difference between life and death.

Whatever your reasons why may be, make sure that theyre compelling, and accurately represent your reasons for your desire to achieve your goals.

Some Tips To Keep On Top of Your Fitness Goals

Grab a pen, a few pieces of paper, and prepare to do some writing.


Use this formula to form your goals:

I, _________ (name) WILL __________________________ (specific, reasonable, and measurable goal) by doing _______________________ (action oriented) by ______________ (timed-date).

I will achieve this goal because ___________________________ (insert your reason why)

Signature: _________________ (your name) Todays date: _____________

Write this down and make photocopies if you want to. Now, post your goals everywhere (bathroom mirrors, in your home gym, in front of your toiletanywhere that is highly visible), and read it everyday. The more often you come across seeing your goals in writing, the more likely its going to be in your daily thoughts, and the more likely youre achieve your fitness goals.

Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So, if youve been leaving your home gym equipment to collect dust or to hang your clothes on, start with the single step of writing down your goals by following the methods above. Trust me, you wont regret it.

John Phung is a Certified Personal Training and successful writer for http://www.HomeGymsOnline.infoproviding valuable tips and advice about free weight exercise equipment, home gym equipment, cardiovascular training equipment and more.

What to Look for When Buying a Home Gym

When buying a home gym there are several things you will want to educate yourself on before making a final purchase in order to ensure you buy the best home gym for you and your family. While there are many things you will need to consider, your budget, goals, space, and personal needs are some of the most important topics to keep in mind. Evaluate all of these points before you start shopping for home gyms.

Budget

First and foremost you need to establish a budget for any strength training equipment you plan to buy. The reason for this is you only want to shop within your budget so as not to cause a financial burden. Once you have evaluated your budget for a home gym you will know what is available to you.

Goals

Before buying a home gym you should also evaluate your goals. Ask yourself why you need a home gym and what will it help you accomplish. Also, ask yourself if there is other fitness equipment that would help you meet your fitness goals. When you know what you are hoping to achieve by purchasing commercial fitness equipment for your home then you will have a better view of what you should buy.

Space

This tip is really important as well because you cannot buy a home gym you do not have space for. If you do this you will certainly never experience any of the benefits because you will not be able to use it. Before shopping for home gyms, or even reading reviews, find an area in your home where you would like to put the exercise equipment and measure the amount of space you have exactly. Take into account as well you will need to maneuver around the machine as well.

Needs

Evaluate your needs when it comes to getting into shape and working out. What parts of your body need the most work and what type of machine will best help you achieve your fitness goals? There are many types of home gyms on the market with a variety of different accessories and options, so you should know what you need and want before shopping and getting talked into a machine that does not meet your needs at all.

Finding Machines that Meet Your Criterion

Now that you are aware of how much you can spend, how much space you have, your personal goals and needs in a home gym then you can start reading reviews about the home gyms and exercise equipment that will meet your criteria.

The best suggestion is to go online and do some product reviews and find out what ratings each machine has that meets your basic standards of price, space, design, and needs. These reviews will really prove helpful because they will shed light on different aspects of the machine that really work and those that do not. Previous owners of the machines also frequently have their e-mail addresses posted so you could respond or either ask a question about a particular machine if you wanted. When you have this information then you will be prepared to start shopping for a home gym knowing that whatever you buy it will be perfectly suited to your needs, fit in your space available as well as your budget.

Shopping for your home gym might begin online or else you might prefer to visit a sporting goods store. Regardless of where you buy, you should always be armed with your information and never let a good sale or salesperson sway you.

The reason for this is if there is a great sale on a machine you might be tempted to buy it, even if it does not meet any of your needs, space, goals, other than budget. Be very careful about this. Also, salespeople will frequently try to talk you into something you do not need or want. Avoid this at all costs and stay focused on the machines you want to look at.

In fact, shopping online might be your best option because there are frequently better prices and no salespeople to worry about and you will probably end up making a better decision and wont have to worry about loading a heavy machine into your car because it will arrive at your door.

Choosing the Right Machine

Now that you have started the shopping process you will want to locate the top three machines that meet your entire criterion, have the best reviews and ratings, and overall impress you the most. Once you have the top three machines in mind then you can start evaluating them one by one by making a plus and minus list for each machine. Make sure you duly note all things about the machine you really like and are impressed with as well as all of the negatives. After you have completed all of your lists you will then be able to easily compare the three lists and buy the home fitness machine that you have been dreaming of.

Accessories

Once you have purchased your new home gym you might also consider buying some accessories to facilitate your work out and help you get the most out of your fitness routine. Such accessories include stability balls and free weights, among others.

These accessories will not take up much additional room, if any, and can really help you vary your workout and get the most out of your effort. Plus, these accessories dont cost very much so you wont be going over you budget by adding them to your checkout.

Buying a home gym does not have to be a difficult or even scary process as long as you do the research and consider all the variables and information available. When you do this you will be sure to not only buy the best machine for you for the best price, but you will also save a lot of time and possible dissatisfaction caused by purchasing the wrong machine. Avoid all of this by simply following the tips outlined above and you will be working out in the comfort of your own home before you know it.
Laura Rupert is a successful writer for http://www.homegymsonline.info, your online resource for home gyms, commercial exercise equipment and home treadmills.
 

Home Gyms, Worth the Money or Not?

Home fitness is a huge industry, and most people these days have purchased at least some sort of exercise equipment or fitness video for home use. A lot of it ends up in a closet, in the garage, under the bed, etc. and is never seen again. Reasons vary. Some people just don't have the discipline to work out regularly from home while others realize the miracle-wonder-ab-slimmer (or whatever) isn't quite the high quality piece of equipment the midnight infomercial promised it would be.

What about home gyms? Like most of the junk sold by infomercial, they can be low quality, but if you're serious about working out from home and getting a quality piece of equipment, you can definitely find home fitness gear that is worth the money and will stand up over the years.

My personal favorite is the Bowflex. Yes, they're sold via infomercial and yes, they are expensive (especially the "ultimate" models), but I've had one for two years and not a single thing has broken on it. Yes, I even use it regularly.

There are other options as well. While I'm not a big fan of the Wieder Crossbow, I know others who swear by it. There are a lot of good home gyms out there that people are less familiar with (no infomercials). Powertec puts out a number of machines suitable for home use. The Powertec Leverage is a complete gym in itself.

For people who are more interested in free weights (but lack the space for an entire rack of varying weight dumbbells), the PowerBlock system is an option. It doesn't take up much room, but is basically a whole system of dumbbells in one. The newer Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells operate under the same principle.

But are these systems worth the money? I've used all of the ones I've mentioned, and I believe the answer is yes IF YOU USE THEM. The fanciest home gym that money can buy may be worth the fortune it costs, if you use it several times a week. But on the other hand, even a relatively inexpensive piece of equipment isn't worth the money if it's only used three times then stuffed into the cubby hole beneath the stairs. If you just don't know whether you'll stick to a home exercise program or not, but you're determined to buy a home gym, I recommend the Bowflex, if only because they resell very well on eBay.

In general, expect to spend at least a few hundred dollars for a home gym, and you can easily spend in the thousands. Be wary of home gyms that cost less than five hundred dollars. Not only are your chances of getting a quality piece of equipment pretty minimal, but you probably won't see the kind of results you're hoping for because you won't be dealing with real weight or something similar (i.e. the proven resistance technology the Bowflex and Crossbow use).

Whatever home gym you decide on, good luck with your goals!

TC Thorn is a freelance writer and web content publisher. This article first appeared at http://www.fit-at-home.com and may be reprinted so long as this resource box is included.

How To Build A $100 Home Gym That Delivers Results

So you want to save valuable time traveling to the gym by building your own home gym. Do to the long hours worked, and strenuous commutes, more and more people are opting to squeeze there workouts in by exercising in the comfort of their own homes.

There are many advantages to creating your very own home gym. It is shown that people who have home gym equipment in their homes tend to exercise more often. Let's also not forget about saving valuable time, and money on monthly health club dues. It seems like all the new estates being built in Los Angeles plan for a room to be used for their own, personal home gym.

The only drawbacks to owning a home gym are its overwhelming cost, and space limitations. But wait, maybe not! Sure you can purchase individual station machines, a treadmill, a bike, and dozens of free weights. However, is that really needed to get outstanding results? Do you have to spend $10,000 plus to get yourself a home gym that really delivers results? The answer is absolutely not!

Yes, you can treat yourself to state of the art equipment, but will you get better results than a gym which costs less than $100? The answer is no!

Being an Exercise Physiologist in Beverly Hills, California, and author of Home Gym Shopping Secrets, I have proved you can achieve outstanding results using a home gym which costs less than $100. I see that proof each and every day while consulting with motivated clients throughout Los Angeles, California.

What I see daily is people not having the space for many pieces of home gym equipment, or not willing to make a big investment.

Listed below is one of many home gym solutions I mention in Home Gym Shopping Secrets. http://www.HomeGymShoppingSecrets.com/

The $100 Home Gym Solution

Dave, an Oscar winning screenwriter whom I consult with, uses his $100 home gym twice per week, and gets amazing results. As a matter of fact, he pays me much more each week for my services than he did for his complete home gym. His strength and endurance has tripled over the past year, all while losing 6% body fat. This has all been accomplished using his $100, cost effective, space saving home gym. As a matter of fact, we exercise outside, year round, in his driveway! His home gym is comprised of the following equipment which I have listed below. If your goals and medical history are compatible with this type of program, you too can do something similar. Please refer to Home Gym Shopping Secrets and Wellness WORD Multimedia Newsletter for additional fitness programming information.

**LIST OF EQUIPMENT**

• 1 Large Swiss Ball
• Stretching Mat
• Pair of 15 pound dumbells
• Pair of 20 pound dumbells
• 1 Heavy Black Ther-A-Band
• 1 Resistance Band With Handles
• 10 Pound Medicine Ball

That is it; simple as that! Now what you do with all this equipment is specific to your medical history, and personal, primary goals. For more information on individual fitness programming, please visit Wellness Word Newsletter, and Home Gym Shopping Secrets.

The program Dave uses is more of a core strengthening regimen using various functional movements. We even have him doing in the neighborhood of 250 pushups throughout his circuit training routine. Just remember, programs are created on an individual basis, and are not so called canned as one routine fits all. The two resources I have mentioned above will help you get started on creating the your proper program.

So the next time you think you can't afford a home gym, think again. YOU CAN!

(c) Jim O'Connor/Wellness Word, LLC - All Rights Reserved

To receive your complimentary subscription to Wellness Word Newsletter (multimedia), visit http://www.WellnessWord.com right now!

Discover all the tips, tricks, and truth in multimedia video, audio, and text.

Jim O'Connor, Beverly Hills Celebrity fitness consultant, has conducted thousands of personal fitness consultations with celebrities, business executives, and highly motivated professionals throughout Los Angeles. He is the Chief Exercise Physiologist for Wellness Word, LLC, a health, fitness, and nutrition promotion company. Jim is the author of a well known, world wide, multimedia newsletter called Wellness WORD, which is published online every other week promoting the health and fitness truth. He is also the author of Home Gym Shopping Secrets.

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