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HOME WORKOUT VS. GYM WORKOUT
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

By Kevin Valluzzi

You pull into the parking lot to find that there are no spots left. Once you do park and get inside you see that it is very crowded and not only are all of the machines in use but the only treadmill that’s available is not working. Does this sound familiar?

In this brief article I will explain to you how and why setting up a small gym in your home his one of the easiest and wisest things you will ever do.

Before we get into the actual training benefits of a home gym let’s discuss some of the things mentioned in the very first paragraph. Your own home gym is always going to be right there for you open 24 hours a day and even on holidays, you’ll never have to wait to use a piece of equipment, it will always be clean (provided you keep it that way) and you did not have to pay a monthly membership fee to use it. And that’s without mentioning that you don’t have to deal with the annoying people that do nothing more than socialize and talk your ear off while you’re trying to work out (I’m assuming you’re one of those annoying people!).

Since we’ve covered the obvious “extra” benefits of home workouts let’s talk about how and why working out at home is the best thing you can do to change your body.

The main reason is functionality. Assuming you don’t have a home gym full of machines and all you have is a bench, free weights, etc. then you’re in business. Now that’s not to say that machines are bad and you shouldn’t use them for some exercises. But if you want to get the most out of your workout you’re better off with a simple bench, barbell, free weights and stability ball (on a side note you could probably get all of these pieces of equipment for the price of one machine).

When you workout on machines you’re usually sitting down and only using the targeted muscle. The reason for this is because exercise machines are designed in such a way that only allows you to push the weight in a set path or set direction, thus only using the targeted muscle.

Just the opposite happens when using free weights. During free weight exercises (dumbbells or bars and weight plates) you are forced to balance the weights thus forcing you to use more of your muscles including the supporting muscles.

Let’s look at an example: doing a chest press sitting down on a machine that you would find in most gyms with your back supported. This chest press machine does little more than just work your chest muscle. On the contrary, when you do the chest press with dumbbells lying on a stability ball you now have to balance the weight in each hand causing you to call on the supporting muscles like the shoulders and triceps. You will also use your core (abdominal muscles and low back) and your legs to help keep you balanced on the ball.

Which way do you think will give you more of a workout?

Looks like the free weights to me.

Remember the chest press is just one example. This applies to a lot of other exercises as well. This is not to say that you can’t do free weight exercises at the gym. Of course you can. But as I mentioned earlier you run the risk of getting stuck in traffic on the way, the gym being very crowded, running into that girl that always wants to chat, etc.

Why not get all the benefits of a great functional workout that will get you the results you want in the comfort of your own home?

Let’s now talk about the specifics on what you should have in your home gym. Of course depending on your financial situation you might be able to get a little more than we mention here, but this is really all you need.

The first thing you need is a bench (preferably one that inclines and declines). You most definitely need a few pairs of dumbbells. Depending on how strong you are will determine the amount of dumbbells you need. Remember you can always get heavier weights as time goes on and you get stronger. A stability ball is also a great piece of equipment to have. This can be used for lots of exercises and you should look for a ball that is right for your height. This information is usually listed on the box of the ball. Another great thing to have it is a set of exercise bands. These bands are color coded and can be paired together to add tension and make the exercise harder. A great company that makes bands is Bodylastics. You can check them out that my web-site, www.thefitnessleader.com, on my “Products” page.

If you get more advanced and are looking for more diversity or a little more of a challenge you might want to consider purchasing a weight bar and weight plates. If you go to any of the national sporting goods stores like Sports authority, Modell’s, etc. you can find a nice bench/weight bar combination “home gym” for usually under $200 (on sale).

The other things mentioned are all relatively inexpensive. As of this writing stability balls are around $30, the exercise bands come in a package that is a great value at under $50. The most expensive item might be the dumbbells. Prices vary depending on style, weight, etc. But keep in mind; you won’t have to deal with any more monthly membership fees, initiation fees, etc. In the long run you will be saving a lot of money.

So the next time you get stuck in traffic on the way to the gym or wind up next to the chatterbox ride on over to the sporting goods store and setup your home gym ASAP.

About the Author:

Kevin Valluzzi is the owner of “The Fitness Leader,” an in-home training business located in Bergen County NJ. He has helped hundreds of women lose fat and redesign their bodies through training, motivating and empowering. More information can be found on his web-sites: www.thefitnessleader.com and www.redesignyourbody.com. You can reach Kevin Directly at: .