You’re slouched on your favorite corner of the couch, mindlessly flipping TV channels with the remote control until an image flickers on the screen that snaps you out of your lull: Arnold Schwarzenegger and his Mr. Olympia-winning body rippling with muscles as he fights his enemy in “The Terminator.”
Comparing Arnold’s bulging muscles with your bulging waistline, you’re uncomfortably reminded that the only exercise you’ve had lately is running from the couch to the refrigerator in Olympic-record speed to devour leftover holiday treats.
Your New Year’s resolution to finally exercise was broken on Jan. 1; the only heavy weight you’ve been carrying since then is the guilt of not working off those newly gained holiday pounds. You shrug off the guilt with your usual excuse that you would, indeed, exercise if you only had a treadmill, and then sink back into the couch to resume channel surfing.
For the space-squeezed apartment dweller, a home gym may seem an improbable adjunct to a cramped decor, but today’s fitness market offers space-efficient and affordable home-exercise equipment that leaves everybody with far fewer excuses not to get off the couch and get into a home-exercise routine.
“Exercise equipment has evolved from an in-the-gym industry to a retail, consumer-oriented industry, which recognizes space limitations in apartments and homes and produces decorative, super space-saving machines,” says Bob Armour, director of merchandising of Dallas-based Fitness Warehouse, a specialty fitness retailer with 11 Chicago-area stores.
A well-rounded cardiovascular and strength-building workout can be achieved in any size apartment–from a studio on up–because it’s possible to buy slimmed-down or foldable versions of exercise equipment that you find at local health clubs or gyms, including fold-up treadmills and weight benches, stair climbers, stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, corner-angled weight machines and hand-sized dumbbells.
According to fitness experts, fold-up treadmills, which allow users to lean the apparatus on a wall or roll it to another location, and stationary bikes are top choices for the space-cramped apartment dweller because they take a minimal amount of room but give a maximum cardiovascular workout.
The compact and sleek styles blend in with the decor instead of standing out as clunky metal objects.
For the time-pressed renter, owning some form of home-exercise equipment also is a convenient answer to accommodating exercise into a hectic schedule, with the on-the-spot availability of running on a treadmill or pumping iron any time of the day or night.
“People today need to exercise when it’s convenient for them,” says Armour. “It might not always be convenient to go to the gym, so the health and fitness benefits of exercise is driving people to own one or more pieces of exercise equipment.”
Rolling out of bed and into your workout routine is, for many, an ideal alternative to lugging workout duds to the health club, changing, then waiting to use a machine–not to mention a more private alternative to having an audience watch your face, dripping in sweat, express the anguish you feel during your last jogging mile.
Owning some form of fitness machine at home while still retaining a health-club membership reflects the trend of time-crunched people who want the accessibility of exercising when scheduling–or motivation–allows.
“Sixty-three percent of those who are members of health clubs also own home-exercise equipment,” says Gregory Florez, president of First Fitness Inc., a Chicago-based fitness training and consulting company. “That way, people have something at home for the times they can’t get to the gym.”
Convenient workout
For Caroline Walter, getting to the health club was one-half of the workout battle; the other half was paying a hefty monthly membership fee, even though she only used the club’s stationary bike.
“When my club sent me a note saying it was time to renew my yearly membership, it reminded me how much money I waste paying for services I don’t use,” says Walter, who recently purchased a stationary bike for her one-bedroom vintage apartment unit in Chicago and, subsequently, canceled her health-club membership. “It’s less time-consuming for me working out in my place than going to the gym. At home, I can jump on the bike in between chores and any other time I’m ready.”
Before thinning your pocketbook for a fitness machine, you need to carefully research and shop for equipment specifically suited for your budgetary and health-fitness needs.
Florez says the first thing you need to ask yourself is: what specifically are my exercise goals? Walking or running long distances or bulking up muscles? From there, he advises, you’ll be able to determine what type of and how much equipment you want to commit to in money and space.
“The buyer must beware,” says Florez. “Shop at a reputable fitness retail store, where fitness consultants will match your needs with the proper equipment. You’re buying results, so only trust a fitness professional, not a salesperson who’s trying to sell.”
Before entering the store, conduct a thorough assessment of the space you’re allocating to a machine: measure the space’s entire dimensions, including floor to ceiling; and learn your electrical outlet specifications to ensure a full-speed treadmill or elliptical trainer can be safely plugged into the wall.
Home-fitness equipment, from stair climbers to dumbbell sets, stretch within broad enough price ranges for first-time buyers to find items within their budget. Fold-up treadmills, for instance, can range from $400 to $5,000; stair steppers from $300 to $2,000. Prices vary, depending on brand name and any additional newfangled feature or accessory attached to the machine.
Florez says paying a bit extra for quality is worth the long-term investment to minimize home maintenance. The key elements of a machine’s quality, he says, are its durability and sturdiness, as well as a quiet motor, a warranty and a nearby repair service.
Reducing noise level
“A machine’s noisiness is a big issue with apartment dwellers who don’t want to disturb their neighbors,” adds Adrian Lanton, store manager of Fitness Warehouse in Chicago. “Noise level really will depend on the building’s structure, such as thin walls or hardwood floors. You can buy special rubber mats to place underneath motorized equipment to absorb noise and to protect carpeting or hardwood floors.”
Lanton also recommends other inexpensive training items for apartment dwellers that can be tucked in a drawer, shoved in a closet or stored under a bed, such as a jump rope, hand-sized push-up stands or pull-up bars for doorways.
“If you’re unsure about a home work-out routine but you want to purchase equipment, start small,” says Florez. “Buy a few dumbbells or other small items, then buy the bigger and more costly equipment.”
The one aspect of a home gym that can’t be purchased is motivation. Opting to sprawl on the couch after a hard day’s work may seem more appealing, if not easier, than biking five miles. Heading toward your weight machine instead of the refrigerator is strictly up to you.
Experts agree placing the equipment in view of the TV is one sure-fire way to get you on the machine and keep your mind preoccupied during your calorie-busting workout.
And if it’s motivation you need, there are plenty of Arnold Schwarzenegger movies on TV to remind you that you can’t escape squeezing in exercise, even in a space-squeezed apartment.
