You can get great results with home gym equipment, but it is important to choose the right equipment. Find out how you can build a great body at home.

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The Home Gym Option

Almost 3 out of 10 Americans admit they don’t reserve time for physical activity, even though exercise is a proven method of staying healthy and in excellent shape. If you’ve decided you want to be more active this year and start working out, the easiest and most convenient way to do it is by building your own home gym. There are many different approaches that you can take to working out at home depending on your goals.

For example, if you want to improve your cardio and speed, then treadmills and row machines are your ideal match. For strength, perhaps a weight set or a squat rack. In this post, we will talk more about how to decide what kind of equipment is the ideal match for what you want to accomplish, as well as some helpful tips for creating your first home gym.

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Establish What You Need

The first thing to establish is what you need. Do you have a specific goal in mind, like losing weight, building muscle, or competing in a race? Having a clearly defined and focused goal can keep you stay motivated when you feel discouraged. Goals should be concrete, realistic, and manageable.

Something vague like “I want to get back in shape” has the drawback of not having clear success, increasing the chances of failure and lacking a particular deadline. You can choose to set just one goal, or perhaps a series of goals that increase over time, but the key is to have goals that are a balance between reachable and difficult.

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Cardio Equipment for Your Home Gym

Cardio equipment is great for getting good, all-around exercise. Working your cardiovascular system is an important part of staying in shape, so don’t skimp on this part.

Elliptical Trainer

If you decide to purchase an elliptical trainer, you should know that most of the new ones come with moveable handles, which makes it easier to exercise both your upper, as well as your lower body at the same time. Furthermore, according to a study, when people are operating an elliptical, they are actually working harder than they perceive.

Stationary bicycle

The stationary bike provides an easy workout and is suitable for people who are not able to sustain hard, intense periods of exercise. This type of equipment has the ability to strengthen the lower body without exerting too much pressure on the joints.

Treadmill

This is one of the most common cardio machines that you can exercise on. Depending on the type of treadmill you choose to purchase, it can be extremely versatile in terms of speed and incline. It’s great for beginners and it can help strengthen your bones and muscles, while also improving your posture.

A rowing machine is an excellent way to lose weight, while also strengthening your upper body. It improves your posture, while also strengthening your biceps, abs, and pecs.

Strength Equipment for Your Home Gym

Everyone should also do strength training to ensure that we keep our muscles toned and healthy. Free weights are a great option here, but if you have the room you may also go for resistance machines.

Ankle weights

Exercising with ankle weights allows you the chance to increase your physical endurance, tone your legs, and burn a lot more calories than if you were to exercise with just your body weight.

Hand weights

There are many different sets of weights available on the market, from 2 pounds to 5 pounds and 8 pounds. These allow you to tone and strengthen the muscles in your arms while performing sustained cardio exercises.

Resistance bands

These can be used for full-body strength workouts and their main advantage is that they’re cost-effective, lightweight, and easy to carry around.

Bench Press

The bench press is a great way to build muscle and strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s also a relatively easy exercise to do at home, with a few pieces of equipment.

A recent study found that bench pressing three times per week for eight weeks significantly increased muscle mass and strength in the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The study also found that bench pressing did not cause any significant injuries.

If you’re looking for a way to build muscle and strength, bench pressing is a great option. It’s a relatively easy exercise to do at home, and it’s been shown to be effective in increasing muscle mass and strength.

Make a Plan for Creating a Home Gym

​​​Once you know that, the next step is to make a plan. Health and fitness require knowing what you are going to do each day. If you try to wing it and hope that you will work hard enough on your own without guidance, then you will likely fall behind.

A plan to lift a little more weight each day or steadily increase your running distance each week gives you things to accomplish in the short run while working towards the ultimate goal.

The structure that the plan provides also makes it easier on yourself by ensuring that you don’t have to think out how much to do each day: the plan details your schedule and there’s no extra work involved.

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Do Some Research

Once you decide on your goals and make a plan of what you want to accomplish, you’re going to have to determine your budget and pinpoint exactly how much you’re willing to invest in this endeavor.

Once you decide on a number of products, make sure to read as many fitness equipment reviews as you can and try testing a few of them out before purchasing.

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Stay Home and Stay Fit

It is not a cliché that the right goals, plan, and home exercise equipment are the building blocks for everything else that comes with staying fit. Together, these provide you with the physical and mental tools that you need for success.

Following through on the plan and the goal is much easier when you have the equipment right at home. As long as you have a machine that is comfortable, appropriate, and supports your fitness goals, then it will come down to your own personal motivation to succeed.