So your New Year’s resolution was to get fit – but you don’t want to drive to the gym and sweat it out with a bunch of strangers. Why not invest in a home gym? It’s easy and less expensive than you think to tailor a room to meet your fitness goals. Act quickly, and you might even be able to claim part of the cost before the February 1 expiry date of the federal Home Renovation Tax Credit.
Get motivated
Hal Johnson knows all about home gyms – he has one at home and another at the cottage. The genial host of TV’s BodyBreak has spent the past 22 years touting the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle. The first rule of fitness is making it fun, he says. It’s the only way to keep your New Year’s resolution past January.
"You’ve got to make an environment that you mentally want to spend time in," he advises. "If you put [your gym] in the garage and it’s dusty and smelly, you’re not going to be motivated to use it."
First and foremost, factor in entertainment. Watching TV or listening to music while exercising keeps your mind occupied while your body works out. TVs also make it easy to pop in an exercise DVD or fire up Wii Fit.
Johnson’s home gym doubles as a home theatre. A bike, stepper and treadmill line the back of the room. When in use, the equipment boasts a perfect view of a 110-inch flat-screen. The rest of the time, it can be concealed by simply drawing a curtain.
"When I designed the room, I wanted to be able to get on the treadmill, watch a two-hour movie and think, 'Wow, that time went by really quickly.'"
Get strong
The basics for weight training can be purchased for $300, says Johnson – half of that will be spent on a good, solid weight bench. Select one with an adjustable incline. Make sure that the bench is welded together, not bolted, cautions Johnson.
The next ingredient is a set of hand weights.
"Most people are just trying to build tone and strengthen. I’d start with something like 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 lbs. Low weight/high repetition is really going to win the day for most people. Choose weights that fit your hand; they’re all made a little differently. Actually lift them and find what’s comfortable for you."
After that, Johnson recommends, buy Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopaedia of Modern Bodybuilding. "It’s one of the best books ever written with pictures and illustrations on how to lift weights."
Get your heart pumping
"When it comes to cardio machines, buy the piece of equipment you’re going to use, not the piece of equipment that burns the most calories. If you don’t use it, it’s useless," Johnson explains.
A treadmill is the number one choice for Canadians. Though rowers and ski machines deliver excellent cardiovascular and strength training, they demand greater focus and effort, whereas a treadmill’s variable settings provide a longer, more versatile workout and, consequently, greater long-term appeal. Three years later, 75% of purchasers are still using their treadmill regularly. With a stepper, it’s 17%; a ski machine, 10%; a rowing machine, just 8%.
Cardio equipment is a bigger investment. Consider three factors when purchasing, says Johnson: your weight, your pace and your expected frequency of use. A solid entry-level treadmill, appropriate for a lightweight walker, might run $800. One that can take a 200-pound runner’s heavy-duty pounding might start at $1,700. Always take the equipment for a test drive to ensure that controls, seats, pedals, handles and water bottle holders are within easy reach.
Get building
Exercise rooms have just a few special needs around height, area and flooring. Eight-foot clearance is optimum to accommodate reaching and stretching, as well as the additional clearance for machines like treadmills and ellipticals.
"You can pack a lot into a small space," says Johnson. "Two hundred square feet is ample, but you could do it in a 10’x 10’ room if that’s all you had."
The best flooring choice is interlocking rubber tiles, available at fitness stores like Fitness Depot. The cushioned surface won’t dent under equipment or crack under dropped weights. It’s durable, prevents mould growth, deadens sound and washes up like a dream. Johnson installed it in both gyms.
“It’s easy to lay. I’m certainly no handyman and I installed it. The tiles fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.”
Finally, make your exercise space bright and cheery to motivate you to come back time after time. Light it well. Use mirrors on the walls to open up the space and add more light. As a secondary benefit, they’ll help you check and correct your form. Put up posters or prints and a sassy coat of paint to personalize the room. Don’t forget to plan storage space for weights, bands, yoga mats and other equipment.
It doesn’t matter whether your favourite exercise mantra is a grunted "one more set," a meditative "om" or a perky "three more...two more...one more," a budget-friendly home gym lies within almost every family’s reach. The bonus? Your gym is open around the clock, whenever you want to work out, with no expensive membership fees. Just wake up, warm up and work out.
