One Fit Geek

Part 2 – What you need

At this point, you made up your mind and you decided you really want to get some gym equipment for your home.

What should you get? You could get one machine for cardio exercises, such as a stationary bike, a treadmill, an elliptical or a rower. My favorite in this group is the elliptical, with the resistance wheel in the back. I shred a large part of my excess pounds on the elliptical. Later, I added a rower with water resistance. I love my rower, but I have a hard time doing any more than 10 minutes on it so I always go back to the elliptical with its various preset training programs.

Then you will need some equipment for strength training. You do not need any elaborate contraption for this. Free weights and kettle bells are perfect. You can start with a few small weights and purchase heavier weights as your performance improves.

One day last summer, while being at a park with my sons I joined them on the monkey bars and realized that for the first time in my life I could hold myself on the bars. That revelation gave a large boost to my motivation and I started looking into door frame supports to train and develop this newly found ability. After some research I opted for a more elaborate setup, a standalone pull-up station. This requires some floor space but I am pleased I got that.

Another item I love and use often is a BOSU ball. The name stands for BOth Sides Up, in reference to the multiple ways the ball can be positioned. This is a half ball, with a flat side. It looks like a stability ball cut in half. The BOSU ball is excellent to strengthen the lower back, especially when used with weights on your chest or behind your head.

One last word of advice on buying gym equipment: there are great deals in the used marketplace. Instead of buying an entry level version brand new, for the same price and often even less you could find a commercial grade equipment.

Photo by Rule4 Building Group. See more modern home gym designs

Part 1 – Should I buy gym equipment?

If you are a typical geek like me, you would rather workout at home instead of going to a gym. And chances are that you already own some equipment which is either defective or not accessible, deeply burden under boxes or used as a laundry dryer rack.

I am serious.

Think about it.

I had an elliptical which we were no longer using because the battery compartment trap door was broken. I have a friend who has a treadmill with a defective computer display. Another one has an exercise bike with a non operative resistance. I know so many people in this same situation. Buying the machine was the easiest part. Using it was already more demanding. When it needs repair or some work to be operational again, it surely seems like a chore.

You need to sort this out. Either fix it, get it fixed or get it out. As long as you have this non-operational machine you will not be able to buy any other equipment. Either your subconscious mind or your spouse will remind you that you already own some equipment which you are not using. You need to take action.

If you did not already have something that only needed to be repaired, or if you did but concluded that it is beyond repair, then you might consider buying a new machine. But hold on – do you really need a machine? For cardio, running does not require much more than a good pair of running shoes. And I am sure you can find some stairs close by if not in your house.

For weight training, look into body weight exercises. An excellent book on that topic is You are Your Own Gym, by Mark Lauren. There is also an app to complement the book.

I understand that some people do need to have some equipment anyway to find the motivation to train at home. The motivation can come from the desire to justify the expense or the space it occupies in your living room. Either way, if you do want to purchase some equipment, I have a tip for you. Look into the used marketplace. Craigslist, eBay, kijiji or your local supermarket bulletin board have plenty of deals on lightly used home gym equipment. Once installed in your home, it will not make much difference whether you bought it brand new or used, except for significant savings.