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Home Workout: Many People Get Fit, Lose Weight Without Leaving the House

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 January 2006, 12:00 CST

By Ann Weber, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio

Jan. 4--Last in a series Three years shy of his 50th birthday, Bill Beck looked into his future - and his mirror - and didn't like what he saw.

"I used to be active 20 years ago and just pretty much became a couch potato," the Archbold, Ohio, resident confessed. "I didn't want to turn 50 and be out of shape and overweight, and I just decided this was the time to get it done." Now 52, Mr. Beck is healthy, fit, and about 45 pounds lighter than he was five years ago when he got up off the couch and began eating right and exercising. First thing every morning, Monday through Saturday, he goes to the gym - conveniently located just a short commute down to his basement. "It's changed my life," Mr. Beck said. "I have more energy. I don't suffer from acid indigestion anymore. Foods I couldn't eat before I can eat now. I don't get sick with colds or flu. I'm a lot more healthy." Lots of people find that fitness starts at home. According to the National Sporting Goods Association in Mount Prospect, Ill., ex-ercise equipment represented $5 billion of the nearly $23 billion athletic and sports equipment market for 2004. For 2005, the association projected a 2 percent increase in exercise equipment sales, to $5.11 billion. Treadmills continue to be the piece of equipment with the largest sales volume, NSGA reported. Elliptical trainers were far behind but gaining fast, with sales up 18 percent in 2004 and up 20 percent in 2003. Unit sales of stationary exercise bicycles were flat, while the popularity of multipurpose home gyms and free weights/weight sets declined. Equipment is sold by general mass merchandisers, sporting goods stores, and specialty fitness stores. Prices for good-quality workout equipment can climb into the thousands of dollars, but there are plenty of low-cost options: jump ropes, step benches, exercise balls, videos, resistance bands, and small hand weights, for example. Variety of exercises Mr. Beck acquired his home fitness equipment in stages: a weight bench and dumbbells followed by a treadmill and a universal gym with multiple workout stations. He later upgraded his weight set and bought another multipurpose machine that exercises upper-body muscles. "I didn't want to get bored with my exercise, so I wanted to give myself a variety of exercises for the same muscles," Mr. Beck explained. He does cardiovascular and muscle strengthening/toning workouts on alternate days. His wife, Kathy, also works out at home six days a week, he said. Jon Hoag, general manager of American Home Fitness on Monroe Street in Sylvania, said the type of equipment that people buy depends on what they want to accomplish. "Most people are looking for weight loss. Also, there are people who are looking for general cardiovascular improvement," he explained. Others may be training for one sport in particular, or a specific sporting event such as a marathon or triathlon. One piece of home fitness equipment will do, Mr. Hoag said, but two are better - one for cardiovascular activity and another for strength training. The price of an elliptical trainer or treadmill depends on the quality of the components, Mr. Hoag said. Some models on the market sell for less than $500, but well-built machines start at $800 to $1,000, he and other retailers said. Higher-end models offer a more natural, fluid motion in the elliptical trainers, for example, and better cushioning and stability on a treadmill, Mr. Hoag explained. A variety of features affect price, too, including heart-rate monitoring, programming capability, and readouts showing time, distance, and the number of calories burned. Check warranties when deciding what to buy, advised Cliff Parisi, owner of USA Bicycle & Fitness Equipment on Monroe Street in Sylvania. A low-end machine may offer a 90-day warranty, while a good one may have a lifetime warranty on the frame and three to five years on parts and motor. And be sure to try out the equipment before you buy. "What works for one person doesn't necessary work for someone else," Mr. Parisi continued, noting there are more than 100 kinds of elliptical trainers alone. "Some have long, low strides, some are choppier, so there's a huge variation," he said. For muscle strengthening, a bench and weight set is a relatively economical choice. Paul Zaleski, assistant manager at MC Sports on South Reynolds Road, said a beginner can get a bench for $80 to $100 and a 160-pound weight set for $80. Multistation home gym A more expensive option is a multistation home gym that's set up for such exercises as bench press, leg extensions, and bicep curls. Moving quickly from one station to another also can provide a cardiovascular benefit, Mr. Zaleski said, adding that home gyms at MC Sports range from about $200 to $700. Space is a consideration in choosing a home gym machine, Mr. Parisi said. A fairly compact unit occupies only about three by four feet, he said, while elaborate machines that can be used by several people at the same time can cover a 20-by-22-foot area. But even the most elaborate home fitness center won't work if you don't. "You have to make it a lifestyle," declared Mr. Zaleski, who works out four to five times a week. "Talk to somebody who is more experienced or knowledgeable and have them set up a program for you, tailored to weight loss or muscle gain. But the key is you have to make it a habit." Keeping a record of your workouts and progress is a good way to stay motivated, he suggested. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise program, recommended Jennie Ulrich, an exercise specialist at the Mercy Center for Health Promotion at St. Charles. She said a good next step, especially for novices, would be to seek out a personal trainer or get a one-month membership at a health club in order to get one-on-one attention from an expert, learn how to use equipment, and determine what you need to do to reach your weight and fitness goals. Exercise videos also give step-by-step guidance for home workouts, but Mrs. Ulrich said they're of limited value. "They will only take you to a certain level and you may need to go to the next step once you master the video," she pointed out.

Aim for at least three workouts a week, she advised, and give yourself some kind of entertainment: "a radio or TV - something to take your mind off exercising." Mr. Parisi of USA Bicycle & Fitness agreed. "Let's face it," he said. "Exercise is kind of boring." Contact Ann Weber at: aweber@theblade.com or 419-724-6126.

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Source: The Blade

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