GYM EQUIPMENT 

I Have worked in the fitness industry for the last 10 years and throughout that time have come across many types of fitness equipment, gizmos and gadgets, ranging in cost from just a few pounds to hundreds of pounds, and in quality from utterly useless to superb.

Choosing fitness equipment can be very confusing, there is so much choice out there, perhaps a little too much choice. 

So what should you look for when buying fitness equipment?

Firstly look straight through the sales copy that has led you to read about the product you are considering. Remember that YOU WILL ONLY GET GOOD RESULTS BY USING THE EQUIPMENT regularly and correctly. Sporadic use without considering the basic principles of exercise...progression and consistency will only reduce the size of your bank account and not your waist.

Secondly, you should only consider spending a lot of money on something if you are very certain you will get a lot of use out of it. Second hand fitness equipment has a very low resale value. Having said that it is definately true that the more you spend on fitness equipment then the better quality it will be. The movement, comfort and positioning of the equipment will be far superior.

Finally don't choose a certain model for its appearance or design as a lot of the best equipment isn't necessarily pleasing to the eye. Generally speaking if you are choosing a treadmill, bike or cross trainer for example then you would be well advised to test drive it, feel it, shake it. Better quality machines will be quite heavy and cheaper versions much less durable and lighter in weight.

What Equipment Do You Actually NEED?

My recommendations for a home gym which will get you started and progressing well in to the future are as follows: -

A piece of aerobic equipment: - Exercise bike, treadmill, cross trainer, rower etc. These will serve as a good warm up and cool down to any weight training workout, but also provide a good cardiovascular workout, ideal for fat burning and improving fitness levels. If any of these seem too expensive then a good quality skipping rope or a staircase would be a suitable alternative.

A thick and durable mat: - Essential for any floor work - core strength and stability, pilates, yoga and stretching movements. These are generally cheap to buy, although for a good quality mat which will last for years you could expect to pay around £35.00 - £40.00. Workout mats

A range of free weights: - Probably the easiest and most practical is to buy a set of dumbells. It is vital to buy enough weights, not only for today's workouts but tommorows, next weeks, next months etc. If you are training correctly you should be impreasing your strength constantly and therefore needing more weight to stimulate further progress. Dumbell sets come in a number of packages. A cheap plastic set will usually be sold as a range of 3 pairs of dumbells ranging from 1kg - 5kg. My recommendations are to buy a set of dumbells ranging in 1kg increments from 1kg to 10kg, this way you can consistently push yourself forwards in both strength and fitness. Dumbell sets

A cheaper alternative is a bulk set of weights which will include a straight bar and dumbell bars, also a number of free weights, typically 50kg in total.

An adjustable bench:- This is a very important piece of equipment, without it you are seriously limiting the amount of variety you can give to a home workout, not to mention possibly jeapordising your own safety. The bench should adjust from flat to 90 degrees quickly and easily. It should be of sturdy design with good padded upholstery. Usually commercial benches will cost around £500.00, but you can get some good ones a little cheaper than this. Weight benches

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