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An Über-Gym for Under $5,000
By Seth LaFlamme

Follow these guidelines, and your palace of pump shall gather no moss.

Ah, the joys of the fitness club: packing a gym bag, waiting for the bench press nut to finish his 10 sets and getting stuck on the iffy treadmill again. All this just to end up showering with members of the same sex in a foot fungus swap meet, wasting valuable time behind the wheel, and (hopefully) unpacking the gym bag before it gets too ripe. It’s no wonder many of us try the home gym route.

What could be better? Get dressed in privacy, experience no-wait blissful workout efficiency and shower alone (if so desired). Heck, who in their right mind would ever set foot in a health club with such a nirvana of pumpitude sitting right at home? Why are these profit-mongering muscleheads still in business?

Let’s see if this picture from my youth doesn’t ring a few bells: A rickety old bench with mismatched weights in a dank, partially reclaimed corner of the basement. For cardio: a jump rope and a heavy bag. For ambiance: gray cement walls and an old AM/FM cassette player with a broken antenna. In about 10 weeks time the clutter reasserted dominance, while a layer of dust and rust settled over the whole shebang. Clearly not a success.

To get some expert advice on doing it right, I spoke with Mark Tidwell of the Atlanta-based Temple Group (templehomegyms.com). The Temple Group breathes rarefied air; it’s one of only about four companies nationwide that designs and implements home gyms. After a short interview with Tidwell, and finding out what’s involved, it became crystal clear why the cheap-equipment-in-a-dank-basement approach rarely pans out. How do you set yourself up for success? Here are the basic needs of a good home gym:

Dedicated Space: If you can, clear at least a 14' x 14' area (about 200 sq. ft.). All done? OK, now repeat after me, “I solemnly swear to put nothing but exercise equipment and paraphernalia in my home gym.” Decorate it well, and make sure the ventilation is good. In the $5,000 budget for our example gym, I set aside almost a grand for decoration, mirrors, stereo, TV/DVD player, a ficus … you get the point, which is; you have to enjoy being in this space. The area should be apart from the rest of the house, not in your bedroom or living room. If it is, congratulations! You will have a very expensive clothes hanger/magazine rack on your hands. Also, make sure there is enough room to get around. Clutter it up, and your shining new fortress of flex will turn back into a pumpkin lickety-split.

Quality Equipment: Mark’s advice: “Better is better. Money you spend will be forgotten if quality is there. Put your heaviest investment in the cardio.” If you’re on a tight budget, start small, but don’t be tempted to get El-Cheapo versions of this stuff. There is no good and cheap workout gear. Think high value versus low price.

The Right Equipment: If you already exercise at a gym, you may know your likes or dislikes. If not, consider talking to a trainer. When I asked Tidwell for the five basic home gym essentials, he recommended: an adjustable bench with incline and decline, an exercise ball, 5 to 40 lb. fixed dumbbells, a plate-type multigym functional training machine with adjustable cable arms, and a treadmill (most versatility and durability for your cardio dollar). He also highly recommended a good set of resistance bands. When I asked for some brand names and where to buy, Mark cited the fact that there are, for example, some 53 treadmill companies out there, all with different makes and models. Checking it out for yourself and consulting a pro are a must.

So, with the mission of finding the above-mentioned gear, I spoke with some trainer friends, scoped a few stores and scoured the online resources. After a lot of digging, (and being too cheap to fork over $26 for access to Consumer Reports online) I found a great website run by Brett Spotke, exerciseequipmentexpert.com. Using the extensive reviews, buying guides and sale price links found there, I compiled this list of good quality high-value stuff along with websites for ordering. It consists of gym basics within the $5K budget and money to burn for atmosphere. Of course, if my picks strike you all wrong, check out Spotke’s website yourself. Aside from a slight typo problem, it has my full endorsement. The goods:

Multigym: Bodycraft Xpress, $1,900, bigfitness.com. Versatile, space-efficient functional trainer with a lifetime warranty and lots of great features.

Treadmill: Sole F80, $1,500, soletreadmills.com. Best in class with a better warranty than the competition, which says “quality.”

Dumbbells: 5 to 45 lb. Powerblock set, $250, powerblock.com. Not fixed as per Mark’s recommendation, but compact, and cheaper than hexes and a rack. I recommend a podium for these ($120), because changing the weight settings on the floor is a mega pain.

Bench: Ironmaster Super Bench, $270, amazon.com. Rated to 1,000 lbs. Incline to 90 degrees and good decline with cool design.

Exercise Ball: $20-25, bigfitness.com. A ball is a ball.

Resistance bands: Bodylastics, $46, bodylastics.com. Great additional resistance option for relative peanuts.

Mats: Util-a-Mat puzzle mats, $20 for eight 2'x2' squares (32 sq. ft.) at Sam’s Club. Pad as you see fit. Reversible for black or multicolor appearance.

Seth’s extra: Fitness step with risers, $100, bigfitness.com. Lots of different uses. Go club quality.

That comes to $4,111 for the equipment, leaving $889 for decoration and ambiance. Remember: mirrors, a stereo, workout tracking posters, TV/DVD player, maybe some paint or a garden gnome. Whatever calls to you, but don’t skip the big mirrors or the stereo. Of course $5K may seem like a big chunk of change, but consider the alternatives. Good luck and happy sweating!

Upgrade Options
Hey, big spender! Want something a little more? You know you do…here are some upgrades well worth the money if it’s burnin’ a hole in your pocket. Way better for you than a Lexus or a Rolex, I promise. Outdoors: the ultimate treadmill. According to a Wake Forest University study, treadmill users get lower performance and less enjoyment from their run than their alfresco peers. Consider saving the ‘mill for rainy days, wintertime and ozone alerts (or if your neighbors own lots of guns).

BOSU ball, not all it’s rolled up to be? According to the May 2008 issue of Fitness Rx for Men, BOSU balls may interfere with proper form during exercise, thus eroding rather than building up stability.

Kettlebells, schmettlebells! The exercises for these things involve some serious elbow traction and overextended wrists. Nothing you can do with these that you can’t do with a dumbbell you already have. Gimme an F! Gimme an A! Gimme a D! What does that spell? FAD!

Perfect Pushup … please sir, may I have some more (useless garbage shoved down my throat)? Simulated boardroom suggestion: “Hey, let’s take an exercise you can do for free, and invent a gadget that commercializes the raw, pure pleasure of the simple pushup!” General nodding and agreement followed by three martini lunch.

Ab Lounge, Ab Roller, Thighmaster, Gazelle and other unitasking TV junk: You cannot get great abs by lounging, and working only the adductors could never possibly burn fat off your thighs. Easy exercise is a myth and a cruel lie. This whole class of single-purpose products deserves your complete and unwavering avoidance. Crunches are free, and you can work your inner thighs with sumo squats. Just say no to clutter and disappointment. Stick to the Über Gym, and everything will be fine.

©2008 Today's Chiropractic