Home Gym Buyers Guide – Discover These 5 Key Tips
Home gyms, or multi-gyms, can be useful exercise equipment to own, offering the chance to enjoy a total body workout in the privacy of your home. With a good fitness system in your residence, you no longer have to suffer the inconvenience and expense of going to a health club to exercise.
The downside? Shopping for one of these machines can be a confusing, time-consuming process. There are so many questions to address. For example, how many exercises should each machine provide? Should you get the optional attachments? What should you look for in a warranty?
Buying a piece of fitness equipment as large as a multi-station gym is a major investment, and the time you spend researching will be well spent. Here are five key tips that will help you save money and get the best equipment for your needs.
1) Evaluate available space
A home gym will require as much square footage as a wall-unit entertainment center. Before you go shopping, take measurements of the height, length, and width of the area in which you're planning to set up the equipment.
Plan on having enough space to maneuver around the machine, too. There's nothing more annoying than bumping into walls and furniture while you're trying to work out. If you can set aside an entire room, section of your garage, or corner of your basement to your gym, that would work best.
2) Range of exercises
Most home gym systems offer the capability to perform dozens of exercises. Having variety is good -- it will keep your workouts interesting.
At the minimum, the equipment should include a chest/shoulder press, high pulley, low pulley, leg extension, and leg curl/exercise attachments.
Don't let a slick salesperson talk you into buying extra attachments just yet. Get the machine home first, use it regularly for a few months, and buy the add-ons once you're certain you'll use them.
3) Resistance Type
The majority of gyms offer fixed weight stacks, plate-loaded systems, or rods. Each type of resistance feels a bit different. This is when you'll benefit the most from visiting a sports equipment store in person and trying out various models.
A basic unit should include at least 200 pounds of resistance. Although it's good to have the option to upgrade to additional poundage in the future, unless you're training for a power lifting tournament, it's unlikely that you'll ever need more than 200 pounds.
4) Construction Quality
The frame should be heavy, and sturdy enough to resist wobbling. Look for equipment constructed of tubular or rectangular steel, as these tend to be the most durable.
5) Warranty Coverage
A solid warranty provides 10 years of coverage for the frame, 1 year for moving parts, and 90 days for upholstery. Should you get an extended service plan? Honestly, if you purchase a quality product, you won't need one, because the better home gyms on the market will usually include a comprehensive, long-term warranty.