One of the things you really need to watch for as the owner of a Home Gym is overtraining.
Although having goals and being aggressive is great you can take it too far. The more aggressive your fitness goals…the more diligent you will need to be with your training, nutrition and sleeping patters.
Know when it’s time to hang up the gym clothes and give your body a rest, because if you push your body too hard….chances are you will be overtraining your body.
Recovering from over training can be detrimental to your workout regimen which can mean losing several days of workouts.
You will know right away if you have pushed your body too far because you just won’t have the energy to get through a complete workout, and you will feel completely exhausted all the time.
I’ve even heard of extreme cases taking several months to fully recover!
By all means…don’t hold anything back during your workouts. Go full throttle…but make sure you know your limits. Overtraining can set you back months on your fitness and body building schedule.
Some people are mainly interested in gaining muscle mass for looks, but for most of us the real goal is overall fitness for our bodies. Too much of the time, health buffs overlook the health and fitness benefits that go along with serious weight training.
When you strength train with weights your muscles going to get stronger and you’ll also work the ligaments and tendons that are connecting bones, muscles, and other tissues. This reduces the chance that your body becomes injured when participating in other physical activities. Weight lifting will increase also your bone density and help ward off osteoporosis or stress fractures in the future.
Many people think running is the best exercise for increasing bone density, but running actually promotes muscle breakdown in the body, while weight lifting, which is an anabolic process, helps to promote the building of tissues and is going to be much better for preserving your bone mass.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that regular weight training can have a positive effect on health by reducing the rate of insulin resistance, blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.
Most immediately, weight training raises your metabolism and helps you prevent the buildup of fat, which everyone is interested in and which has enormous health benefits.
A solid weight training program does far more than people realize to make you health and keep you fit. The simple addition of a Total Trainer to your home gym can be the key to overall fitness that has been missing in your life.
The Bodylastics Terrell Owens (TO) Super Strongman Edition is the premier compact, portable workout system in the world. More than just ordinary exercise bands, Bodylastics is a complete home gym with over 140 exercises that you can use to simulate cable machine exercises, core stability training, circuit training or anything else you can dream up.
Unlike traditional exercise bands that can’t adjust and aren’t very versatile, the Bodylastics gym comes complete with (7) interchangeable latex bands with aluminum spring clip ends. The aluminum clips make it a snap to add or decrease the resistance level between 5 – 127 pounds per side in just a few seconds.
You can also workout with a partner on the Terrel Owens Edition as each gym comes complete with a total of (4) handles and (4) ankle straps for simultanious use of all this gym has to offer.
A smart addition to any home gym, and perfect for the vacation traveler or a business road warrior who can’t get to the gym, Bodylastics will keep you fit – without breaking the bank or taking up an entire room in your home.
What You Get:
FREE Terrell Owens Workout & Diet Guide – The bottom line here is that if you Train and Eat like Terrell, you will look like Terrell. This guide provides the exact diet and workout for the man himself, from the man himself. It’s a great addition for anyone that wants to take it to the next level.
FREECircuit Training DVD – The 36 minute DVD features 3 full body circuits with resistance and cardio moves for the beginner, intermediate and advanced exerciser. It’s designed to burn fat and tone your muscles at the same time. This is not an aerobics video but a resistance training video that incorporates cardiovascular factors to ensure the fastest results and optimum fat burning.
Additional components include:
1 yellow elastic (5 lbs), 1 green elastic (7 lbs), 1 red elastic (13 lbs), 1 blue elastic (19 lbs), 1 black elastic (23 lbs), 2 orange elastics (30 lbs. each) 4 foam covered handles, 4 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, 1 user manual, 1 Circuit Training DVD, 1 travel bag.
You know that you need to drop a few pounds and tighten a few muscles. You want to fit back into your jeans and rediscover your trim body from your twenties. But how are you going to meet those fitness goals? For many the obvious solution is to set up a home gym. It is easy, convenient and always there for you when you need it. What could be better? But before you rush out to purchase equipment to stock your home gym it is wise to take a bit of time to determine your needs. Considerations for your home gym should include your budget, your fitness goals and the best equipment to meet both of these criteria.
Your Budget
The nasty truth is that fitness equipment for your home gym can get expensive quickly, especially if you sink money into a bunch of pieces that you do not need or will not use. Before you head out to your fitness store, determine how much equipment you will be able to afford. Then buy the best pieces that your money can buy. Sounds easy? If you are having trouble coming up with the cash to outfit your home gym, try calculating how much money you are spending at Starbucks and McDonalds. You may be able to find those extra pennies easier than you think, and time spent in your home gym will be much healthier time than that spent at either of those other two places! Keep in mind that a home gym can begin with as little as a few hundred dollars, or as much as a few thousand. It all depends on what you buy.
Your Goals
If you are looking to lose more than a few pounds, a good piece of cardio equipment may be the first obvious choice for your home gym. On the other hand, if you regularly walk your neighborhood, but need a method for building strength, perhaps a total weight training set will be more in line. Some can afford to buy a little of each, which will give you a complete workout from the get go. But if you aren’t in a position to buy it all at once, determine your initial goals and purchase appropriately. You can always throw a few extra pieces into your home gym as your budget allows and your fitness needs change.
Shopping for Equipment
Once you have a pretty good idea of what you want and how much you can spend, the best rule of thumb is to buy the highest quality of fitness equipment that you can afford for your home gym. This is especially true when it comes to cardio equipment like treadmills and ellipticals, and full home gyms for all of your weight training needs. The models on the lower end of the price scale are simply not designed to withstand the wear and tear of daily use for as long as their more expensive counterparts. Buy the best pieces that you can afford and you will be enjoying your home gym for many years to come.
Having your own fitness equipment in a home gym enables you to do strength training. Using strength training equipment allows you to exercise with weights that provide resistance. Resistance training works to increase muscle mass, enabling you to tone and sculpt your body. In traditional-style home gyms, resistance comes from a weight stack.
Weights can be disc or blocks and are attached to the machine with a system of cables and pulleys. Weight stack machines are the work horses of both the health club and home gym. A typical weight stack should support weights as low as 10 lbs. and as high as 200 lbs. or more.
Recently, home gyms have come on to the market that utilize bows or heavy-duty elastic bands to provide resistance. These machines are often less expensive than weight-stack models, but require more adjustment and resetting when changing exercises.
Features to look for in a home gym include:
Adjustability
If the machine isn’t easy to adjust, chances are you won’t fully use all its features. Be sure the seat is easy to move and that it locks firmly in place. It should be simple to change the resistance level and simple to swap accessories. Adjustability is particularly important if the machine will have multiple users – it shouldn’t be a hassle.
Construction
The frame, cables and pulleys are critical features of home gyms. The frame should be made of 11 or 12 gauge tubular steel. Gauge refers to the thickness of the steel. The greater the gauge, the more sturdy, safe and durable the machine will be. Also look for frames that are welded rather than bolted in critical places where stress could become an issue. Cables on the home gym should be able to withstand up to 2500 lbs. of force before breaking. Aircraft cables covered with a nylon coating are best. Ergonomics and comfort
The gym has to be usable – it should fit your height, size and limb length. People shorter than 5 feet 8 inches should be especially careful to make sure their home gym has an adjustable seat. If you’re a larger person in either height or weight, check to see that the machine is tall and wide enough to accommodate you. You shouldn’t feel either stretched or cramped when using the gym. Benches should be generously padded and have rounded corners. Handgrips should be covered with rubber or foam padding to provide cushioning and prevent blisters. The best way to evaluate the ergonomics of a machine is to try a variety of exercise. If it’s not comfortable in the store, it’s likely to be even less comfortable at home.
Weight range and number of exercises available
The weight range of a home gym should accommodate all the people who will be using it. You can exercise to build muscle or just tone and strengthen. Toning requires lower weight and is often preferred by users with general fitness goals. Be sure your machine supports weights as low as 5 or 10 lbs. Although 200 lbs. is the usual upper limit of a weight stack, the machine should be expandable beyond it.
A quality home gym should allow you to perform most health club exercises including:
• Leg extension (may require additional attachment or accessory)
• Leg curl (may require additional attachment or accessory)
• Butterfly (may require additional attachment or accessory)
• Bench press
• Bicep curl
• Lat pulldown
• Tricep pushdown
• Leg press
• Squat
• Military press
• Donkey press
• Back of neck press
Safety, maintenance, cleaning, lubrication
If the home gym moves or wobbles when you give it a good shake, you should be concerned about it’s safety. If the machine is made of lower gauge steel tubing, there’s a chance it will flex under load. These unexpected motions can cause injuries. The weight stack should have a cover (shroud) to prevent injury, especially to small children
Warranty
The length and scope of the warranty are good indicators of the quality of the home gym.
If you have a home gym you need a Smith Machine. It’s a must for those looking to work on their glutes and legs utilizing squats. The Smith Machine is by far the best way for those with a home gym to do squats and significantly more effective than free-weight squatting.
A Smith Machine is a rack with a suspended barbell that moves up and down on steel runners. There are safety pegs there to catch the weight if needed, so it is perfect for your home gym when you want to lift heavy weights but don’t have spotters handy.
You can get the Smith Machine here from Home Gym Deals. They are currently selling Smith machines about $200 to $300 off the list price.
The Smith Machine squat is very similar to a barbell squat. Here’s how to do it:
Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart.
Place the bar just above the shoulders on the trapezius muscles (the meaty part of the shoulders). Keep in mind that some Smith Machines will reduce the weight of the bar and some won’t, so take care when adding weight the first time.
Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees are at 90-degree angles OR before you lose the natural arch of your back.
Contract the glutes and legs while stabilizing your body with a strong torso.
Slowly stand back up without locking the knees and repeat for 1-3 sets of 10-16 repetitions. Keep the knees in line with your toes.
Doing a variety of squats in your workouts and you can keep your body balanced and strong, and the Smith Machine is terrific used in this manner.
Check out this neat video of how to do the drop set with the adjustable Powerblock Dumbells.
Powerblock Dumpbells are the the heaviest, most compact, quick change dumbbell on the market today. If you haven’t tried adjustable, quick change dumbells you really should consider these. They are perfect for your Home Gym and save space to the max.
The Body Solid EXM1500s has been extensively reviewed as a consumer best buy by a leading consumer publication and as the Best Home Gym in its’ price range by numerous home gym review websites online.
It has a compact size of only 49″ long and 36″ wide and the exm1500 is packed with functionality and versatile club quality features like a 160 pound alloy weight stack, a high pulley station for lats and tricep exercises, a chest press station, a mid-pulley ab crunch station, a leg extension and leg curl bench station and a separate low pulley point for performing back strengthening and bicep exercises.
This is a powerful step-up from those cheap “me too” home gyms at the big box store. The Body Solid EXM1500s is a real home gym that you’ll actually enjoy using to build your strong and healthy new body.
Many bodybuilders don’t know that dumbbells can be used effectively in solid chest exercise routines.But dumbbells can be used to do many of the various chest exercises necessary to develop a large, muscular and lean chest.
You need to use a variety of chest exercises at various angles to properly stimulate growth. A variety of angles on chest exercises is necessary to achieve maximum benefit from any chest exercises. Dumbbells, being free weights, give you that variety.
For instance, you can combine dumbbells and a flat bench for a great workout.
Flat bench dumbbell press exercises.
For this exercise you will need a flat bench and your Troy VTX 5-50 lb Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set or a comparable set of dumbbells.
This is an extremely effective exercise and helps to build over-all mass very well and stimulate your entire chest muscle. And, since you use two separate weights in dumbbell pectoral exercises your body is forced to use more stabilizer and assistor muscles.
This will help keep your bones and joints in a secure position while your chest muscles are being trained. To begin flat dumbbell exercises, sit on the end of the flat bench with one dumbbell in each hand resting on your knees.
In one smooth motion, roll onto your back while bringing the dumbbells up to a position slightly outside and above your shoulders.
Your palms should be facing forward. Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle so that your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Press the weights out over your chest in a triangular motion until they meet above the center-line of your body.
As you lift, concentrate on keeping the weights balanced and under control. Then follow the same path downward as you lower the weights until your arms are slightly below parallel to the floor.
If you feel yourself tensing your neck or raising your shoulders during any chest exercises, it’s usually a sign that you’re using too much weight and need to lighten up in order to use correct form.
Also, make sure that you keep your back, butt, shoulders and hips on the bench.
As a trainer and a home gym owner I use the Troy VTX 5-50 lb Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set. It’s a quality set at an affordable price. You need a set comparable to the Troy VTX 5-50 lb Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set to give you the range of weights you’ll need for these exercises. One tip, it’s better to buy the Troy set online at sites like Home Gym Deals that keep them at sales prices.
If you are using an ab bench you want to make sure you are doing the right exercises to maximize your workout. One of the most popular ab benches is the Body Solid Ab Benchand you can check out the proper exercises in this video:
One of the things you really need to watch for as the owner of a Home Gym is overtraining.
