Home Exercise Equipment Adviser

Building a home gym can be an incredibly daunting proposition.  Exercise equipment for home use ranges in cost from $20 for a set of free weights to a few thousand dollars for a high end treadmill or all-in-one workout machine.  When beginning your search, you will quickly find that there are many  exercise equipment choices available. The first thing that one should keep in mind when shopping for this equipment is that it is not necessary to create a smaller scale version of a professional gym.  Instead, buy only the best exercise equipment that will help you work toward your personal fitness goals, whether they are muscle building or general fitness and weight loss.

Most workout experts recommend a mix of aerobic exercise and weight training to maximize fitness.  In general, these two types of exercise will require their own set of equipment.  Aerobic exercise can be anything from brisk walking to jogging, rowing to stair climbing.  The most important thing is that it raises the heart rate for at least 30 minutes at a time.  Many who are designing a home gym choose to invest in a treadmill for aerobic exercise.  Leading manufacturers offer models that allow users to adjust both the speed and the incline of the treadmill, so one may quicken their pace or increase the resistance as their fitness improves. Many of the best treadmills feature pre-loaded workout programs that operate as at-home trainers.  These programs will help anyone with circuit training exercises, automatically adjusting speeds and inclines to continually challenge the user.  Functions such as these are often paired with heart monitors and calorie counters.  Use of these features will ensure that one is getting the aerobic benefits and remaining on track to meet their goals.  Nordic Track has long been a leading name in treadmills, and the company offers models at price points starting at around $600.  Fully equipped versions may be priced at $2,000 or more.  Those with a limited budget should consider shopping for used treadmills online and through local resale listings.

Elliptical trainers are another great option for home workouts.  This equipment operates in much the same way as a treadmill, but put far less stress on the joints.  For anyone who is just beginning a workout regimen, or anyone who has had joint problems in the past, elliptical trainers are the best way to reduce the chances of injury.  Life Fitness is a high end company with a stellar reputation in the industry.  Their model comes with many of the functions offered on the best treadmills and can be purchased for around $2,100.  Elliptical machines that are not mechanized, and therefore lack some of the heart monitoring and programming functions, are far less expensive.  Proform sells a model for less than $500, while a Gazelle brand version is less than $200.

Exercises that promote muscle building can be done with inexpensive free weights.  Free weights are available in weights as light as 1 pound, which can be used for toning exercises that require many repetitions, and higher.  In general, the lighter the weight the cheaper it is.  Those starting out should consider investing in at least one set at each of the following weights:  5 pounds, 10 pounds and 20 pounds.  For exercises like bench presses and squats, a free weight set that includes a bar and weights that may be added to either end in varying amounts is necessary.  While free weights are less expensive that other workout machines, they offer little guidance in terms of form, and may be difficult for beginners.

The last type of exercise equipment that is popular is the all-in-one workout machine.  These facilitate resistance exercises at home, and can often be used for upper and lower body workouts.  The Total Gym is probably the best known option in this category and is sold with prices as low as $1,500.  Those considering this type of in home exercise equipment should bear in mind that they tend to take up a great deal of space, and it may take some time to become comfortable using them. Making good home exercise equipment choices when building a gym will increase the chances that you will stick with your new workout routine and meet your fitness goals.

What Are They?

Wrist and ankle weights are the weight packs that can be attached to the arms and legs like bangles. There are a number of different size options on the market and you can get sets purpose made for men or women. Womens sets tend to be brightly colored and can be covered with a variety of feminine patterned fabrics whilst mens sets are often more conservative. These weights are often touted as being great for burning extra calories while you walk, run or even carry out your daily activities, but whilst this might help sell lots of units, these weights should be approached with caution.

Can Using These Be Bad For You?

The main issue with these weights is that they are sold to individuals as an easy way to increase the effectiveness of a standard workout at little cost or effort to the user. The user is advised, generally, to use while walking or running to increase calorie burn. The truth is that using these weights in this manner can be problematic. Essentially, using these weights can add stress to your joints. By placing extra load on the joints you can risk potentially permanent damage to tendons and ligaments in the hips, ankles, knees or elbows.

For overweight individuals looking to lose weight the temptation is to use these weights as a short cut. If you are already overweight you are carrying an extra load on your joints and heart so using these sets may be a mute point. The risk is that you may put further unnecessary stress on an unfit heart and joints and cause unnecessary damage.

How To Exercise With Ankle And Wrist Weights

To safely use wrist and ankle weights they should be incorporated into a strength training exercise regime that is stationary or carried out at a slow pace. Specifically, these weight sets are ideal for trimming and toning when used for certain exercises such as leg raises, pull ups, side leg lifts, arm swings or other stationary strength exercises. Only fit, experienced individuals, under guidance should use these weights in high intensity workouts.

What Sizes Are Commonly Available?

Ankle and wrist weight cuffs are generally available from 2 pound through to 20 pound weights either measured per cuff or per pair. Most cuffs are sold in pairs and can often be used (especially on smaller weight sets) for either ankle or wrist although buying a purpose made set for either the ankles or the wrists is often preferred by regular users who want higher levels of comfort . Many sets are adjustable in size to suit most body types and limbs and some sets are made with detachable or removable weights so you can buy a heavier set and remove weights to create the perfect set for your strength level and develop into higher weight levels.

What Do Ankle And Wrist Weight Cuffs Cost?

Expect to pay from $10 through to $50 for a set of cuffs depending on the weight involved and the “brand value” associated with the manufacturer. These cuff sets are manufactured extensively so choice is not limited to the odd maker and as a result prices can vary widely.

What Do We Think?

We think these cuff sets can be useful if you are looking to tone up certain muscle groups or improve strength in certain areas. The ankle cuffs can be particularly useful for developing exercises such as leg raises into tougher, more effective workouts although there is great potential to replace wrist cuffs with dumbbell sets for most stationary strength exercises of the upper body and arms.

The risks associated with using these weights for high intensity cardio workouts seem to great to warrant use for beginners although experienced or individuals with higher fitness levels may find use of the lighter cuffs useful for some cardio exercises if used with caution. It is worth considering vest weights for higher impact regimes as these can give you a balanced core load that although still stressful on your joints/heart is unlikely to lead to the same level of problems that ankle and wrist weight cuff sets may bring.