How to Outfit Your Home Gym

There’s health, there’s quality of life, then there’s the place where the two of them meet. Yes, of course, health and quality of life often go hand in hand but in this case, we’re raising the bar…hopefully on both of them.

A good starting place, for people who can afford it, is building a health spa in your own home. Most people simply buy the piece of exercise equipment they think they might use the most. Others will buy two or three pieces of equipment to keep at home, often balancing out the workout gear with something relaxing, like a hot tub or a massage table.

The big “toys” are where you want to focus your attention, like workout equipment, a hot tub, a whirlpool, a sauna, etc. Once those needs are met, you can add the more modest equipment like a massage table and a hammock…though it’s true some people start and stop with the hammock.

Before you buy anything you should start with a trip to the gym to try out the different exercise and health building options that are available. If you’re unfamiliar with saunas, you should definitely try one before you build one. While you’re trying it out, ask yourself if you would use the sauna often enough to justify the expense.

For some the novelty of a sauna wears off fairly quickly. Then you’ve spent $2,000 or more on a toy you don’t use. and that price is just for the sauna itself. It does not include the price of installing it in your home.

Hot tubs have different uses both physical and social. Not many people drop by for a sauna, unless you have one large enough to accommodate a small crowd. It is common, on the other hand, to see four to six people lounging in a hot tub.

Whirlpools can either be built in to your hot tub or they can be installed as separate devices. These are often small tubs that include underwater jet streams that are built to massage sore muscles. Hot tubs, however, are frequently outfitted with underwater nozzles that function much like the whirlpool jet streams.

Here’s an option that not many know about: The indoor lap pool.

These pools are pricey. They typically range from $10,000 to $25,000. Sometimes they are called endless pools, because they are narrow, one-lane pools that include pumps to provide a current to swim against. The swimmer swims “upstream” but the current pushes back, forcing the swimmer to swim in place. It’s like a treadmill but for swimming.

Options for indoor exercise machines have expanded in recent years. The basics are still the treadmill, rowing machine and stationary bicycle. The elliptical machine, which simulates walking, running or climbing stairs, often with handles to allow for upper body exercise, is popular as well and have just about eclipsed the Stairmasters, which simulated climbing stairs.

 

After you’re done working out your muscles, you can make use of one of the multitude of massage tables available, from elaborate to easy-to use, there’s sure to be a table for you to make your after exercise regime complete.

 

Finally, let’s talk about the hammock. You’ve done the workout and had the massage, now it’s time to sleep. Two trees, some shade and a hammock complete the picture just fine.