The convenience of exercising in your familiar home is one of the advantages of purchasing your own fitness and exercise equipment. It's also a worthwhile investment in your health. Good weights and exercise equipment aren't cheap, but they're also supposed to be durable and have a long life. It is also for your own safety to buy equipment that is solid and cannot break or malfunction with regular or heavy use. The following considerations and steps can help you make informed decisions about investing in weights and equipment to build or upgrade your home gym.
Assess your fitness goals and needs
Be realistic about what your short-term and long-term training goals are. This will help you determine what weights you will need for your exercise routines. If you want to focus on weight training, do research on weight machines specifically designed for bloating, slimming, increasing endurance, or a combination of goals.
Which weights are right for you?
Strength training weights come in a variety of shapes and styles. Consider the different types of weights, from weight plates to kettlebells. A multipurpose barbell set can be useful and can be supplemented with a set of simple dumbbells. You can mix and match as you wish, then opt for other factors to personalize your weight tracking.
- Fixed or adjustable: Fixed weights are sturdy, simple and effective, but the weight cannot be adjusted and they can take up much more space. Adjustable can save space and can be changed as you increase your strength.
- Round or hexagonal shape: Round weights can be more comfortable as they have no edges, but hexagonal weights don't roll around. It's a matter of personal preference and sometimes experimenting with both can help you decide.
Weight material
As for the material, quality weights are always made of steel, but there are two popular skin materials to choose from:
- Rubberized weights have a rubber layer on the outside that makes it easier to grip, safer to use, and less loud when dropped on the floor. The only downside is that the rubber material can crack or wear out over time and with heavy use.
- Bare or "bare" steel is a more traditional, industrial look that you may prefer. Bare steel weights have no additional coating other than possibly an anti-rust coating.
Know your strength
Wherever you're reaching your training goals, whether you've been training for a while or are just starting out, knowing how much you can realistically lift without overdoing it is important. This baseline will give you a better idea of which weight range to buy. You can always invest in more weights as your strength increases and you make progress in your training. Try not to overestimate or underestimate your strength. Be goal oriented and push yourself forward, but also be aware of your limits and don't take on too much too quickly. This will also stagger the amount of money you spend on weights. You don't need everything at once.
Take accurate measurements
Measure the space you will use for lifting and exercising, and create a rough floor plan to determine the designated area for your home gym. In addition to being heavy, weights take up a lot of space depending on the type of equipment you're buying. You want to optimize and maximize the space you have to exercise, with enough space to move around and not feel cramped or restricted in your freedom of movement. Once you have an idea of what will comfortably fit in your floor plan, check out the dimensions and weights of the equipment that you are interested in. Most importantly, make sure that what you are buying is the right size for your height and body.
Select Based on Efficiency
Weights and items such as benches can be multifunctional and used interchangeably with other devices. You can spend less money and take up less space with equipment that is more versatile and compatible with other weights and parts. If you want to use a cross-functional fitness kit that will allow you to train your entire body, there are a few options available to you:
- Lifting stations: metal frames with supports and sometimes with a built-in bench. These can offer a number of exercise options.
- Home / Multi-Fitness Studios: Holistically designed to target and strengthen different parts of the body, this is an all-in-one device. These are equipped with a cable and pulley system that establishes a resistance point for each exercise, and they come with a variety of attachments and features.
Weight benches: Efficient, versatile, simple, light and easy to move in the tightest of spaces. They're usually very affordable, but are generally sold separately from the weighted plates used with them. This can get expensive depending on the weight you're trying to lift.
Choose additional accessories for convenience, safety, and proper use
Comfort and safety should be your priorities when exercising with heavy weights. You optimize your training by using weights correctly and efficiently. There are a wide variety of fitness accessories on the market, not all of which are essential for every weight lifter, but some that can be particularly useful or even essential for your individual purposes. Additional exercise equipment that you might consider include gloves, weight rack and storage, collar, belt, straps, and floor pads. Depending on the type of flooring you are lifting on in your house, some type of floor protection might be a good idea to protect it from scratches or other damage from the heavy steel weights you are using.
Conclusion
After you've done your research and decided what type of weights and equipment is best, you can search online or in stores for the information you want and need. Customizing your weightlifting center at home can be an exciting experience that can motivate you to reach your fitness goals. You also don't have to worry about the gym fees and have the privacy to focus on yourself and develop a healthy routine.