One of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions in the United States is to resolve to get in shape, or some variant on that theme: lose weight, exercise more, et cetera. Many people who make these resolutions will join a gym to help further their goal. Of course, many people ultimately do not succeed in their quest to get in shape, so it should come as no surprise that many gyms run membership sales during the month of January.

However, one way to increase your odds of meeting your goal of weight loss or muscle gain is to build a home gym, rather than joining a commercial one. Home gyms can run from the very rudimentary to the very expensive, but there is something for every person’s budget, and it is a lot easier to lift weights for an hour in your basement than to spend just as long just getting to and from the gym that you joined. By building a gym in your house, you stand a better chance of losing unhealthy weight and keeping it off.

Many people equate “gym” with weightlifting. While lifting weights is certainly a great way to improve muscle tone and definition, buying several different sets of free weights is usually a very expensive proposition, and also takes up quite a lot of space. A better option for those looking to exercise at home with weights is an all-in-one weight training machines that incorporate several different exercises into the same piece of equipment. This can greatly condense the space that you need to dedicate to your home gym.

Another important part of any kind of fitness program is a cardiovascular component. While weights can pump up the size of your muscles, you need to make sure to keep your heart in shape, because the heart is the muscle that is pumping blood to all of those muscles. One of the best cardiovascular exercises is running. Certainly, this is something that can be done outside, but if it is dark or there is inclement weather or you just do not want to run outside, a treadmill is a great piece of equipment to have in your home gym. If running is not your cup of tea, exercise bicycles can give you a great workout, and they have an adjustable level of resistance, so you can push yourself as hard as you like. Elliptical machines and stair climbers are just two of the many other options available to you for cardiovascular equipment.

It is crucial to people seeking good physical fitness to have a strong core-that is, strong abdominal muscles. Traditional sit-ups and crunches work great here, but they can only do so much. Consider using an exercise ball. For about the cost of a steak dinner, an exercise ball is a piece of equipment that will last you a long time and can be used in an infinite number of ways to improve your core strength.

When it comes to getting in shape, a home gym is a great way to increase your odds of winning the “battle of the bulge.”

Author Bio: I write for TIR Massage Stone about hot stone massage and massage stone therapy including hot stone therapy.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: building a gym,weightlifting,gym,cardiovascular component