By: Lori Incledon, LPTA, CSCS

The following is an excerpt from the March/April 2007 issue of Muscle & Fitness:

In Case Of Emergency

Breaking out the bands and exercise ball when training at home is sometimes your only option. But beware: This routine may make you a home-gym convert...

RELATED TOPIC OF THE WEEK

Which Is More Beneficial: Training At Home Or Training In The Gym? Many people enjoy the privacy of training in their own home gym. There is no wait to use a machine and they can play whatever music they want- and it's open 24/7. But some enjoy the social atmosphere and variety at a gym. [ Click here to learn more. ] Suggestions For Next Topic Of The Week? What do you think would make a good topic for this section? What makes a good topic? [ Click here to give your suggestions. ]

It has always been my dream to have a fully stocked home gym. No rushing to get to the fitness center, no waiting for equipment, no stupid guys hitting on me. The only problem was expense: I mean, my home gym should resemble my go-to gym, right? I never believed that affordable tools, such as bands or light bars, could help sculpt my body. Neither could doing bodyweight exercises ever obliterate my love handles.

Home Gym Convert:

Still, I longed to have a little gym at home. So I made some space and decided to confront my fear that I couldn't get a challenging workout in my house. Using bodyweight exercises, an exercise ball and bands, I became a home-gym convert, and here's why:

Machines make you lazy. They support the body when you sit or lie on them and allow you to exercise only one bodypart at a time. As a result, you cheat yourself out of the extra calories you'd burn and the muscles you'd work by exercising in free space.

When you train without machines, you engage the entire body for support to help you complete the movement. This leads to not only greater calorie expenditure but extra training for supporting musculature and a more integrated and functional workout.

View Workout Resistance Bands Sorted By Top Sellers Here.

• Harbinger Presents: Resistance Adjustable Cable
• Altus Presents: Back & Chest Expander

View Exercise Balls Sorted By Top Sellers Here.

• Altus Presents: Anti-Burst Body Ball
• SPRI Presents: Xercise Ball Pack
• SPRI Presents: One Ball For All

Try this program for four weeks. I bet you'll find the convenience, economy and efficiency hard to ignore. You may even become a convert like me-or at the very least, you'll have another workout option.

For the entire Home Training Program, pick up the March/April 2007 issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers, available everywhere February 13th!

For more M&F, visit their website: www.muscleandfitness.com.

Lori Incledon, LPTA, CSCS

Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here!

Back To Other Writer's Main Page

Back To The Articles Main Page.

Related Articles
Bodybuilding.com Gym Of The Month: Metroflex Gym Arlington!
UFC Coming To Ohio With A Vengeance - UFC 68: The Uprising!
Bodybuilding.com Offers Free Live ISSA Webinar On Personal Training!

Double-T Sports NO Beta Explosive Power, Endurance & Vascularity! Learn More!