By Jean Sealey
Northeast Florida Builders
Association
Do you huff and puff excessively after climbing a flight of stairs?
It may be time to join the growing number of Americans who exercise on a regular basis. Increasingly, evidence shows that exercise pays off, even for those who start a routine late in their lives. “But,” you say, “I just don’t have time, and health clubs are too expensive!”
Here are some tips from the Northeast Florida Builders Association to help you hurdle those obstacles by bringing the gym home. The home exercise facility offers what every American seeks - convenience and value. And it significantly cuts the number of viable excuses for not sweating off those extra pounds.
You could save enough for a down payment on a house with the money you might spend in some health club dues over the next five years. But if you’re budget conscious and choose your exercise equipment carefully, you can get in shape at a reasonable price by setting up a home gym.
Budget conscious folks can convert a spare room into space for exercise. Just clear the space out, obtain the needed equipment, and you have an exercise room.
With a home gym, you save the time you would spend traveling to a health club. With a home exercise room, you don’t have to pack up the sneakers and get ready to go someplace.
Even if you have a health club membership and like the facility, you probably can’t always make it there as often as you’d like. Again, the best solution is to set up an exercise room in your home. Studies show that 56 percent of people with gym memberships also have home equipment.
Some homeowners are transforming bedrooms, patios, garages and large closets into miniature health clubs. And those who can’t spare whole rooms are putting exercise equipment almost anyplace it will fit. Just remember to put your equipment in a space large enough to accommodate it. You need room to walk around your equipment and make adjustments or repairs.
Many people buying or building a new home mark workout space at the top of their wish lists, right next to home offices and media centers. So many upscale houses now on the market include an exercise room.
Before you buy home exercise equipment, try it out. If you know what you’re getting when you buy it, you’ll be less likely to stuff the equipment into a dusty corner of the attic. Test all machines for at least 15 minutes to determine stability, smoothness and comfort.
Don’t limit the equipment in your home gym to exercise only. Consider adding these items to motivate and entertain.
• TV, VCR, DVD. Time in the gym will pass more quickly when you can watch your favorite show. And you can play an exercise video on the VCR.
• Stereo. It’s more fun to work out with rhythm.
• Large wall clock. You should time your workout.
• Book holder on your stationary bike or treadmill. You can increase your knowledge while decreasing your waistline.