Strength Training and Home Gyms

It’s easy to find reasons not to go to the gym, regardless of how serious you are about fitness. Thankfully, having a home gym eliminates those excuses by allowing you to do your strength training or other workout routine in the comfort of your own home. You’ll can be your own fitness trainer and work out your body by doing squats, bench presses, and other strength-training exercises without leaving the house.

What are the benefits of a home gym?

Some benefits include:

• Saving time: With a home gym, you won’t have to waste time traveling to the nearest gym or pay to borrow someone else’s equipment. You also won’t have to worry about waiting for someone to finish with the dumbbells and free weights before you can use them.
• Maintaining privacy: You won’t feel self-conscious about people staring at you while you’re exercising. It eliminates the judgment that comes with lifting more or fewer weights than you’re expected to. You also won’t have to worry about how well the person before you cleaned the machine before you got to it.

What is a Bowflex?

A Bowflex is a strength-training machine that allows you to change the resistance for more or less intensity instead of using free weights. For example, increasing the resistance on a Bowflex when doing arm curls will eliminate the need for dumbbells and other weights. It allows you to get full-body workouts and increase your strength with a single machine. There are many different ways to adjust it, so you can be sure that there’s a strategy for working every muscle group.

What exercises can you do in a home gym?

Assuming you have the proper equipment, you can do any type of exercise you would normally do in a fitness center, such as:

• Cardio: With equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes, you can work on building a cardio routine at home.
• Weight Training: If you frequently include weights in your workouts, you should consider getting a weight machine that will allow you to safely bench press and squat without a trainer or spotter. You might also consider a rack or two to hold your dumbbells and other weights.
• Yoga: Stretching and strengthening techniques like yoga often follow a standard routine in order to focus on each muscle group. A simple poster with examples of all the different poses will allow you to effectively workout without a fitness instructor. Getting the proper mats will provide comfort when you assume poses and prevent unnecessary stress on your joints and muscles.