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Going Solo - Working Out at Home Plus Gift Ideas! By Tom Bonanti
 There
is certainly a wealth of fitness facilities in South Florida.
Your taste may lean toward the truly fabulous club with pools,
racquetball courts and juice bar. Or you may prefer a literally
stripped down gym with plenty of iron, sweaty studs and no
frills. Yet recent studies seem to indicate that more people are
opting to go solo by training at home. One reason why people chose to train at home is economics. Many modern centers resemble country clubs more than gyms. They offer bays of free weights and equipment, cardio machines galore, child care and even belly dancing classes! All of these benefits are marvelous, but they often come at an extremely high price, especially if all you want to do is pump iron. To avoid the frills and the cost, many folks find that a few pieces of sturdy yet inexpensive equipment set up at home can help them get into shape nicely. A second reason many opt to set up a home gym is the time factor. They’re simply too busy to get to a commercial gym three times a week. By having your own home gym you are not shackled by time. You can workout at any hour of the day or night. A third reason why a great many people prefer to train at home is they feel more comfortable in that setting. You can try new exercises you’ve seen in magazines without feeling self conscious. By yourself you can listen to your own music, workout at your own pace, and wear grubby sweats or nothing at all. It can be a nice change just doing your own thing without a bunch of snarky muscle queens around to give you attitude! There are also disadvantages to working out at home alone. At the top of the list is motivation, or more accurately, the lack of motivation. There is much to be said for the inspiring eye-candy at commercial gyms. When you’re alone, motivation has to come from you, period. That’s why you need to set goals. It doesn’t matter what they are, but it helps to have something to shoot for. Losing belly fat, getting bigger biceps, etc. are all noble goals. Safety is a major concern for anyone who trains alone. Since there are no spotters around, some exercises should be avoided or done with moderate weights. The bench press and squat come to mind. Don’t even try to max out on these by yourself unless you have a power rack (a simple metal structure with grooves for you to rest the barbell between sets, or when you are fatigued). GIFT IDEAS: Now let’s get to the equipment. Remember it’s almost Christmas and you can put some of these items on your wish list. A power rack is great but, if you can’t swing that, a staircase squat rack is the next best thing. You will need an adjustable bench on which you can do flat and incline benches, a bar, plates, and a couple of sets of dumbbells. Crunches can be done on the floor with your legs elevated over a bench. It’s not a good idea to order a piece of equipment out of a catalogue without seeing it and trying it out first in a showroom or gym. Avoid machines that have cables or chain links. Eventually they will break and it’s a bitch finding replacement parts. So there you have it – a blueprint for your own home gym. Now all you need is a cozy space, a new 2011 beefcake calendar on the wall and you’re set to pump in a new year! Don’t forget…if you have any questions regarding your home fitness program contact trainertomb@aol.com!  TOM BONANTI IS A CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER AND OWNER OF PUMP’N INC GYM AT 1271 NE 9TH AVENUE FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33304, www.pumpnincgym.com. |
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