| When you are picking out the equipment that you are | | | | on their fitness regimen, then they say 'I told you I |
| going to use to build your new home gym there are | | | | would not stick with it.' If they would have spent the |
| several things that you will want to consider. First, you | | | | money on the equipment that would hold their interest |
| will want to decide how you are you going to build | | | | and meet their needs, then they would have made it |
| your home gym. You can either buy everything at | | | | passed those first 30 days and would have |
| once and start off fully equipped right out of the gate, | | | | incorporated exercise into their daily lives. Make sure |
| or you can buy the most important piece and slowly | | | | your equipment purchasing strategy is one that is well |
| build as you go along. There are arguments to be | | | | thought out and takes into consideration all of the |
| made for both methods of equipping your home for | | | | necessary factors. After all, the reason you are buying |
| your new exercise regimen. If you buy everything at | | | | fitness equipment in the first place is to reach your |
| once, you may find that you are less likely to get | | | | goal. The pieces of equipment are merely the tools |
| bored and will find yourself using the equipment more | | | | that you need to reach them. |
| frequently because the variety keeps you interested. | | | | Finding The One Piece That Is Right For You |
| However, it can also be fun and rewarding to buy a | | | | If you are starting out with one piece, then you must |
| new piece every six months until you have everything | | | | chose that piece carefully. Forget all of the research |
| that you need. As you consider which option may be | | | | about which piece will get you the best results. Most |
| best for your unique situation, it is important to point out | | | | research only considers biomechanics and other |
| that your first 30 days working out at home are the | | | | technical information. What you need to figure out is |
| most important. If you stick with your new exercise | | | | which piece you are likely to use most often. Even if |
| plan for 30 days consistently, you are likely to make it | | | | you buy the best treadmill on the market, if you do not |
| a part of your everyday life and will end up sticking | | | | get on it, then it did not do you any good. It would be a |
| with the plan long term. | | | | better investment to spend $1,000 on a bike, than |
| Therefore if you only buy one piece to start off, and | | | | $6,000 on a treadmill if you are more inclined to use |
| you get bored, then you may never get around to | | | | the bike. It is that simple. With that being said you need |
| buying the other pieces. Whereas if you buy | | | | to figure out which piece you feel most comfortable |
| everything at once you may find it more exciting and | | | | using. You will want to pick something that you feel is |
| more interesting and may make it through those first | | | | natural and something that you can see yourself |
| 30 days. The main deciding factor should be your | | | | enjoying. |
| budget. If you can afford to put in multiple pieces all at | | | | You will often find that you will have a gut instinct |
| once, by all means do so. However, if you are on a | | | | about which piece is going to be the one that you will |
| tight budget you should choose that first piece carefully | | | | enjoy the most. Trust this instinct, it will not let you |
| and actively save for additional purchases in the future. | | | | down. If you are buying one piece of equipment for |
| It can be quite rewarding to anticipate a future addition | | | | multiple people to share, then this process can become |
| to your home gym, and it certainly will give a burst of | | | | slightly more complicated. It is important to not worry |
| energy to your workouts when you finally get that | | | | so much about the people who will only be using the |
| additional piece. When deciding which method is best | | | | equipment occasionally. You do not want to invest |
| for you, it is important to consider your first 30 days of | | | | thousands of dollars on something that you personally |
| working out. If you feel that you might fizzle out and | | | | will not enjoy, regardless of who else will be using the |
| become disinterested, then you should make the | | | | equipment. The biggest caution when trying to decide |
| investment and buy multiple pieces at once. | | | | on a single piece of equipment for multiple users is |
| If you feel that you are disciplined enough to stay | | | | having the decision put on hold while you contemplate |
| consistently involved with only one piece, than you | | | | what is the best investment. All too often couples will |
| should feel comfortable buying only the single piece to | | | | talk for months about what piece of equipment to buy. |
| begin with. Buying a home gym is both a commitment | | | | This delay keeps both of you from working out at all. It |
| and an investment. It is often tempting to want to start | | | | is better to take an educated guess, or come up with |
| out with only one piece to 'see if you will stick with it.' I | | | | some sort of compromise that allows you both to |
| caution you on this mode of thinking because many | | | | start working out as soon as possible. You do not |
| times people do not buy enough equipment to hold | | | | need to start big, but you do need to start! |
| their interest and meet their needs. When they give up | | | | |