I saw an ad this morning for a home chest exercise machine that is in “nearly new condition”. It seems like all used exercise equipment is in “nearly new condition”. Why is that? You would hope that exercise equipment would be sold as “well used and maintained”. Shouldn’t the only reason for selling exercise equipment be “upgrading” or “I joined a gym”? It saddens me to see exercise equipment that doesn’t look used—unless I am upgrading my own home gym.
There are viable reasons to selling used exercise equipment, but it should never be sold in “nearly new condition”. We bought a reconditioned Tectrix Climbmax 1000 stepper for our home gym in 2009 or so. It got a lot of use until the transmission went last year. It still sits in my garage—I keep hoping I can find the necessary part. Likewise, nothing in my home gym goes unused. This is because a) I always do my homework before I buy, and b) I use it.
The transtheoretical model of behavioral change suggest that we move through five (or six) stages of motivation: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance (and, perhaps, relapse). If you are considering buying exercise equipment, you are likely in the preparation stage—the stage in which we feel ready to change but are more likely to be disappointed and quit. This is when equipment that is to become “nearly new” is purchased. If one plans and executes exercise well, he or she is than likely to move into the action and, eventually, maintenance stages. Hopefully, one can avoid relapse.
Before buying any piece of home gym equipment, do your homework. Consider your likes and dislikes. Research the product. Try before you buy. Most importantly, start small.
If one has never exercised before, starting out by oneself at home is probably not a good idea. This would be an ideal time to try a gym membership and a personal trainer. If the idea of going to a gym doesn’t suit you, and you are confident you can commit to a home exercise program, consult someone with experience—and who will ask you questions about your needs rather than tell you what you need—about what to purchase and how to set up your home gym. (This should not be someone, e.g., a salesperson, who has a financial stake in what you buy!) Once the purchase is made, have someone knowledgeable get you set up on how to use it. A qualified personal trainer might be warranted here. Not knowing how or why to use exercise equipment will certain doom it to a fate of being sold in “nearly new condition”.
If you have had experience exercising in the past, what have you enjoyed? The best exercise is the exercise you like to do and will do regularly. The best treadmill is useless, if it sits collecting dust. Machines and free-weights only have advantages when they are used.
What are your goals? A heavy-duty power rack, bumper weights, and a lifting platform are not necessary if you just “want to get toned”. Likewise, a cheap bench and vinyl weights are not the best for your high school football player that is lifting to prepare for varsity. Ask yourself how you plan to use exercise and what you need to start.
Buy what you need to start and what will allow for growth. You may not lift a lot of weight now, but the intent is to get stronger. There is no need to have plates lying around unused. A benefit of free weights is that one can buy more as needed.
Weight machines can be great for true beginners—to learn how to lift in a more safe environment. The downside of machines are that they lack versatility, and they take up space. Weight machines have fixed weight stacks. So, at some point, you are going to be sitting with a fair amount of weight being unused or not having enough weight to overload the muscles. The former is fine—for a while—but the latter requires an overhaul of your gym.
I prefer free-weights for a home gym. They are versatile and expandable. They are also relatively inexpensive. If one is interested in lifting weights (and, in my opinion, everyone should to some extent or another), start with a modest quality Olympic set—the weights with the bigger hole and longer bar. An Olympic set usually comes with a 45# bars and a variety of plates from 2.5 to 45 pounds. Thus, this one set will allow for weights from 45 to 290 pounds (two 45#, two 35#, two 25#, two 10#, two 5#, and two 2.5# plates, plus the bar). The addition of an adjustable dumbbell set (a starter set usually includes two 5# bars and four 10#, four 5#, and four 2.5# plates—thus, 5 to 40# dumbbells) adds more versatility and can, with added weights grow. (I also have 25# plates and can load my with up to 160#.) More bars and weights can be added to make super-sets possible, as well.
Other than weights, the basic essentials for a free-weight home gym is a study rack and an adjustable bench. If space is a premium, there are well-made racks that can fold into the wall for storage. Other racks can be expanded with attachments. (I have a Yukon Caribou III Smith machine rack with a dual-lat attachment that costs about $1000. We added a dip station for about $55. I have saved more than the cost in gym memberships over the 14 years of use.) Look carefully at quality. It need not be commercial quality, but it should be sturdy enough to last years of personal use.
When you can, try before you buy. Be sure it suits you and is of the quality you desire. Also, be sure it fits the space available.
Buying home cardio equipment can be a more formidable challenge. We often want variety, but we rarely have the space (or the disposable income) to have multiple machines. So, choose wisely.
I do miss using my stepper. It gave me years of intense workouts. It also took up relatively little space—which was of greater importance when our available home-gym space was downsized in the move from Michigan to Oregon. Replacing it with a treadmill was out of the question. Instead, we replaced it with a spin cycle. I can do some intense HIIT workouts, but I do miss that stepper! Personally, I find treadmills to be a less-than-ideal purchase. First, one can most certainly run-walk outdoors as an alternative. Second, they are expensive. You get what you pay for, and one will certainly notice the difference between running on a moderate-priced personal treadmill and a commercial-quality treadmill. So, if you are considering a treadmill, be sure it suits your goals and your body type. Ideally, a quality treadmill should—minimally—go up to 13 mph and a 15% grade for optimal versatility.
In the end, it comes down to the question of what you like and what you will use. “If you build it, they will come” may work for a baseball field in Iowa, but one is naïve to think “if I buy it, I will use it”. Motivation to use the equipment has to be there. Don’t end up listing something for sale as “nearly new condition”!
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!