Setting up a home gym involves a major up-front outlay of money… or does it? And working out at home gets you less of a workout than at the gym… or does it? In this article, we will look at the research evidence to find out how to answer those questions.
Home Gym Versus Health Club
The pandemic created a revolution in the home gym, and it appears to be here to stay. As fitness facilities became mandated to stay closed during lockdowns, the industry was forced to refocus its approach. In-person classes became live-streamed, and sales of home fitness equipment more than doubled in a matter of several months. Fitness equipment that could be used at home or close to home (such as cross-country skis) became a hot item.
But are home workouts effective? A 2019 clinical study evaluated the impact of a home exercise program in adults. The study found that over 12 weeks, the prescribed home workout program, combined with a healthful diet, resulted in significant decreases in body weight, body fat, resting heart rate, and blood pressure, and an increase in aerobic fitness in men and women.
Research has shown that home-based exercise produces the same health benefits and long-term adherence as going to the gym. Further research has also shown that home-based workouts remove barriers to exercise, largely because no memberships, traveling to the gym, or “comparison-anxiety” exists when exercising at home. As well, the flexibility of home workouts gives people more control over their time.
Even working out at home can have some of the social benefits of going to the gym, due to activity trackers, virtual coaching, online classes, and exercising with a friend or family member.
Why Work Out at Home?
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health document lays out evidence-based recommendations for exercise for adults. Their recommendations are based on proven outcomes that reduce your risk of multiple serious diseases, such as diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and depression. The U.S. National Library of Medicine provides a summary of the WHO exercise recommendations for each age group.
The WHO exercise recommendations are not at all arduous or time-consuming; they are probably a lot less involved than you may think. Nevertheless, despite the multiple mental and physical health advantages of even minimal exercise, 8 out of 10 American adults do not meet the WHO physical activity guideline recommendations.
A home gym may be a positive way to get more people to benefit from the positive effects of the WHO exercise guidelines. People with home exercise equipment have been shown to be 73% more likely to begin an exercise program. Maybe some home equipment is what you need to improve your health and fitness.
What Do You Need for a Home Gym?
How you equip a gym at home depends upon your fitness goals, your budget, and the space you have available. The two broad categories of exercise defined by WHO are “moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity” (MVPA) and “muscle-strengthening activity” (MSA).
MVPA includes such activities as walking, running, and cycling, but may also include brisk housework or yardwork. Some individuals may prefer purchasing a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical trainer, or some other piece of equipment to use at home. These can be used at any time of day, in any weather, and allow the exerciser to engage in other activities while working out, such as watching television. Other people may prefer something less expensive and space-occupying to get their MVPA, such as walking outdoors or following exercise videos on YouTube.
MPA is obtained through strength/resistance training. This type of exercise involves contracting your muscles against resistance. The resistance can be from your own body weight, resistance bands, weights, or weight machines. The goal of resistance training is to increase muscle mass, strength, and endurance.
TIPS for Saving Money on Exercise Equipment
Even people who decide to build out their home gym with equipment may do so on the cheap. Exercise equipment has become expensive when purchased retail, but it is easy to find tremendous deals on used equipment. Often, the used equipment is nearly new because the owner bought it with good intentions that never panned out. Garage sales, online marketplaces, and even some retailers that offer second-hand equipment are great places to look.
It is advisable to start small. Rome was not built in a day, and neither should your gym be. Buying all kinds of home equipment right up front may result in you being one of the second-hand sellers. For example, perhaps starting with some resistance bands may be a good way to learn some basic exercises and see if you enjoy that kind of exercise. Then buying some dumbbells and a weight bench may be a logical next step if you wish to take your MPA to the next level.
Be careful about unconventional, gimmicky, or even goofy exercise equipment that may be offered in click-and-buy ads. For example, “ab stimulators,” the “slim suit,” or “shake weights” have all proven to be a waste of time and money.
