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Workout Magic At Homeby Chuck AbbeLast month I outlined the advantages of working out at a gym. Advantages are many, but not everyone has the opportunity to go to a gym for their workouts. For some it's about money, for others it may be distance or maybe you just don't feel comfortable working out where other people can observe you. So lets talk about how you can get great workouts at home. Work out with a group even when by yourself!There are a couple of ways that you can have the advantage of working out with a group and an instructor without having to go to a class. One is to make use of the many fitness dvd's that are available. The beauty of DVDs is that you can choose the kind of workout you want. There are DVDs available for low intensity workouts, such as yoga or tai chi. Or you can go all the way up to something called Insanity: The Ultimate Cardio Workout and Fitness DVD Program. Just make some space in a room, turn on a DVD, and go for it. Another option is to check out your cable or satellite television provider. Many systems have something called Fit TV or Exercise TV, which provide many different kinds of workouts right on your television and the cost is already included in your cable or satellite bill. Body Weight or Pumping Iron?The least expensive way to increase your strength and tone your muscles is to use body weight routines. This simply means that you do a series of exercises using only the weight of your own body, thereby eliminating the need for any special equipment. Think push-ups, lunges, squats, etc. Doing body weight routines can be extremely effective with no financial investment. The other option for strengthening and toning your body is to use dumbbells, barbells, exercise balls, and other equipment that can be purchased from sporting goods or department stores. The advantage to using equipment is that as you get stronger and more fit you can increase the weights that you are using. There are many places on the internet where you can find workouts utilizing various types of equipment. One place you might start is a free website called SparkPeople, where you can find not only a great variety of workouts, but also nutrition and motivational resources, all for one low price - free! Or, If You Have Real Money to SpendIf you have some money to spend, there are a couple of ways to approach a home fitness alternative. First, find a little space in an extra bedroom and invest in a piece of cardio equipment and a pair of adjustable dumbbells. Cardio equipment could be a treadmill, an elliptical machine, a rowing machine, or stationary bike. There are various other types of equipment as well, from manufacturers such as Nautilus and Life Fitness. Cardio equipment at home is great because you can hop on any time you have a few minutes and get as intense a workout as you want. The adjustable dumbbell concept is relatively new. One of these is the BowFlex SelectTech. The beauty of this equipment is that you have two dumbbells, each of which can be adjusted from five to 52.5 lbs. This enables you to easily set the weight you need, and to change it quickly between sets of exercises. I highly recommend getting the stand, an option, as this puts the dumbbells right at waist height, making them even easier to use. Or, if you have a garage, you can convert it into a complete home gym. Extra room in the backyard - build your own free-standing home gym. For those willing and able to invest thousands of dollars, the result can be everything you could possibly need to get fit while never having to pay the monthly fee and go to a gym. You may want to start with a full-range piece of equipment, such as those offered by Bowflex. These have multiple stations on one piece of equipment - enabling you to work on upper body, lower body, and core merely by changing positions. Supplement this with barbells, dumbbells, and cardio equipment. Add exercise balls, medicine balls, mats, bands, etc. and you can invite your buddies over to work out with you. So, if you don't want to go to a gym, you don't have to. Spend nothing, spend a little, spend a lot - it's your choice. You can get fit at home!
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