             
|
The
BIG
Question…
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| Cost for the Long Term - What is my Best Solution |
Firstly it depends how you look at this. You need to ask yourself one question.
Are you ready to change your life and be committed to exercise or are you just on a ‘im sick of the way I look’ short term goal?
Because if you are then I would suggest to go straight to your local Health Club and purchase a 1 month membership. This will kill the feeling and save you the heart ache of spending more than you need to and turning any home exercise equipment into expensive clothes dryers!
On the other hand if you are keen to look at the long term I have some great suggestions for you.
Health Club – Membership costs around $700 per year for the budget gym, $900 for the Mid-Range and the Luxury 5 star Health Club... Well that can be anywhere around $1200 a year! Most will include Gym, Cardio equipment and classes (some a pool/spa/sauna)
Comparing this to Home Exercise Equipment.
If you buy the cheapest Home Exercise Equipment on the market then it will last you around 1-2 yrs. To be honest within the 1st year you will outgrow the Equipment. Budget Home Exercise Equipment starts at around $1000.00.
I recommend to spend a little more and start with Mid-Range Home Fitness Equipment. If you have the money then of course State-of-the-art Home Exercise Equipment has it all.
For Mid range expect to pay up to around $2000. The Luxury begin from the $3000 mark. Both these type of Home Gyms will last you minimum 10 years. There will be a few smaller items to add to your equipment, just allow around $1500-$2000 over the 10 years.
Home Exercise Equipment Or Health Club..???
| Signing up to a Health Club for 10 yrs | Purchasing Home Exercise Equipment & Cardio Equipment that will last 10yrs |
| Cheap $7000.00 | Cheap (Replaced every 2 yrs) $6500.00 |
| Mid-Range $9000.00 | Mid-Range (Added on $1500* over 10yrs) $3500.00 |
| State-Of-The-Art $12000.00 | State-Of-The-Art (Added on $2000* over 10yrs) $5000.00 |
*Included in the additional money would be smaller things like, adjustable weight bench, dumbbell set, fitness exercise balls, training gloves, maybe a few workout DVD’s. Once you have got yourself good quality Home Exercise Equipment that has a good range of exercises you really are sorted for quite some time.
So if it’s purely cost that you are looking at, then it is by far a better investment to buy Home Exercise Equipment… (Most offer payment plans) Here a few reviews I have put together for budget, mid-range or state-of-the-art home exercise equipment.
Here is also a link on finding the best Cardio Program if that is what you are mainly interested in!
I must stress right from the start, you do need to check out the information on beginning an exercise program – Lesson #1 What am I training for? Before making any major decisions as this information is crucial to your success.
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That brings us to the next factor to consider…
| Socialising or Results - What is my real aim for working out? |
If it’s meeting new people, being part of a place where people go or even getting out of the house; then Home Exercise Equipment may not be the solution for you.
A Health Club can be a great place to escape to. Some have crèches set up to you ‘ditch the kids’ for some peaceful time. Often included in the cost of your membership. But it does give you somewhere to go on a regular basis as the variety can be great.
If you work out a set routine to become a regular at your health club, you will see the same people and eventually make new friends. This can obviously be great as you meet like minded people wanting to achieve health and fitness goals.
As we all know there are pros and cons associated with everything.
Cons associated with meeting new people at a gym
- Many have a vision that because they are a member of a Health Club, results just ‘happen’
- The Health Club can become a socializing place rather than a place to achieve the goals you once strived for
Pros associated with meeting new people at the gym
- Chance to meet new people
- If you find a training partner that is serious about results they will certainly lift you to achieve more for longer
So to summarise you need to search deep to find out what it is your wanting from your training. If you are serious and don’t mind being at home, plus have the space available. Then Home Exercise Equipment is definitely the way to go.
You can also hold your own personal Yoga, Pilates or Aerobic class by finding the latest DVD’s available. Plus there is also Treadmills and other Cardio equipment that even have built-in 7 inch Creens with DVD players to keep you motivated!
On the other hand if you are looking for an atmosphere where many people go to train and are looking for that extra kick, then I recommend checking out a few Health Clubs in your area. Just be warned if it doesn’t ‘feel’ right from the start then it won’t be.
Unfortunately unless you have a money to afford a Personal Trainer than the better Health Clubs out there are more focused on getting your money rather than getting you results. They focus so heavily on the frontline. There is always a million people jumping over you to help you when you first walk in.
Don't by any means think this is normal! Be aware and ask what continual services they provide to members. Many will offer a couple of free sessions with Personal Trainers, try these out, the difference will astound you!
Before beginning any program or visiting any Health Club I must stress you need to read the information on beginning an exercise program – Lesson #1 What am I training for? This information will lead you in the right direction to attaining your fitness goals.
The next factor to consider…
| If I do join a Health Club when is the best time to Train? |
This is one that has frustrated me for years. Choose your style of
training and read all about it!
Strength
Training Equipment
Aerobics/Group
Fitness Classes
The Peak Times at
a Health Club are from 7:30am – 10am and 4pm – 7pm
Pros
i.
If your times to train reside outside
of these hours – Perfect! Join
a gym! You will get full use of the
facilities and be able to use any machine you want (just about!) when
you want.
ii.
If you choose a health club that is of
a good standard the equipment will also be of a good standard. It makes
a huge difference
if the equipment you use is of good quality. The
gym must suit you, it must feel right. Otherwise you will never stay
around!
iii.
The selection. Again if you choose a
good gym the selection of the equipment and amount of exercises you can
do are tremendous.
Cons
i.
If your schedule only allows you to
train during the Peak times. This will simply mean that there will be a
huge number of people training as well. This in turn means equipment
availability will be low and eventually will become very annoying.
ii.
If you are easily intimidated then this
is not the place to be. So many young people that are in the gym for
one
reason. To look great!
This isn’t a bad thing. It just becomes one if you
are there for general health and maintenance and you have to put up
with monkeys that 'control' the gym area.
iii. Training
at the peak times with
‘meat-heads’ becomes frustrating. If just hearing these words
is a
problem for you, then my advice is to skip to our sister site to find
the Best Home Fitness
Equipment and save yourself the hassle
of even
thinking about
joining a Health Club!
Peak times for the best classes are similar to
Strength Training
7:30 – 10am & 4:30pm – 7:30pm
Pros
i.
Good Aerobics classes combined with great
instructors are one of the
most rewarding places to be involved! They truly are so much fun!
ii.
The normal person either works from 9-5 or wants to use this
time to
get things done. Plus all the best classes start at the peak times 9am
or 5:30 – 6:30 pm. These are the peak times when it feels like the gym
has every person in your local area attending!
Cons
i.
If you want to attend classes the
room
is so full that you may be lucky enough to workout in a claustrophobic
spot!
ii.
If your weight training the gym floor
is so full of ‘meatheads’ that you can never get onto the machine you
need!
A great thing
about a Health Club is if you have a friend that trains there already
and
is committed, this is a great way to help you stay for longer
and become 'addicted'
and gain long term results. But be
careful! Do not join a gym if your friend is lazy!
Most Health Clubs and all Personal Training Studios have Trainers that
work with you one-on-one to motivate
you to be disciplined
for your
workout routine. This of course comes at an additional
cost. You can
expect to pay around $40 for a 30-45minute session right up to
$100 per
session.
Please remember to check out Beginning an Exercise
Program – Lesson #1
What am I training for? Before making any purchases on Health Clubs or
Home Exercise Equipment.
| Time - How much do I have and how much do I need to invest? |
One of the most
important factors to consider will be how much time you
have to invest in yourself.
What are your goals? Lose 20 pounds by this date, tone up this area by…
and so on.
You need to be realistic with yourself and achieve your
goals safely with the intention of continuing on until you
can't
continue on any longer. If your
biggest goal is to lose weight then I recommend you checking out the
section weight
loss exercise program for the best information.
If your goal is to completely change your lifestyle and engage in the
long-term benefits of exercise then the minimum amount of time you need
to invest per week
is as follows:
• 3x 30 minute cardio workouts
• 2x 45 minute weight bearing workouts
• 1x 1 hour pilates session
• 1x 1 hour Yoga session
• Total
= 5 hours per week
Considering there is 168 hours per week and the recommended
sleeping
time is 7 hours per night that still leaves you with 119
hours per week
to
find some time to invest in your body.
If you work a full time job minus that out of the 119 and that still
gives you 79 hours p/wk.
What so great about exercise is that it will boost your energy levels
by getting the blood flowing around your body. So the 119 hours you are
awake per week you will energised, awake and excited!
Other great
benefits…
• It will help your organs to stay and be
in
the correct places helping your body function at the ultimate level.
• The general overall body will feel
great! Helping you sleep better for the recommended 7 hours per night!
To summarise please do yourself a favour and realise that real results
will come with determination,
persistence and willingness to change
your lifestyle. Permanent, lasting results take time. If your are not
happy with your body right now think about this…
Q.
How long did
it take you for to put on the extra 20 pounds you want
to get rid of? 1 yr? 2 yrs?
Whatever it may be - You cannot expect to be at your goal in 6 weeks.
It took time to put it on, it’ll take time to get it off. Question the
promises that you read about that ‘guarantee’ results in short periods.
How safe is this and what are you doing to your body in the long term?
| The Quality of Home Exercise Equipment... Compared to a Health Club Equipment? |
This is a Yes and No answer… We will
discuss all the pros and
cons associated…
If you do purchase Home Exercise Equipment that is the from
the mid
to state-of-the-art range then you
are buying equipment that is highly regarded as the best in the
business.
A lot of cardio Equipment like treadmills and Stepers are of the highest quality and use the same components they use in Health Club quality. You would expect to pay around the $2000-$3000 range and above for quality such as this.
Home Exercise
Equipment in the form of strength training is a little
different. Most Anything lower is not going to be as good a quality as
what a
cheaper Health Club will offer.
A
typical Cheap to Mid-Range Health Club has equipment valued at around
$2-3000 per piece.
Where as a
five star Health Club can spend minimum
$20,000 per piece of equipment.
The question is. What exactly does a piece of equipment like this do
for
you compared to Home Exercise Equipment?
The commercial equipment is designed so people do not have to get in
each others way when training. They have the freedom to sit on there
equipment and complete the exercise.
Home
Exercise Gyms are lot more confined and some have
100’s of different
exercises that can be performed in a small area, but generally only one
or two weight
bars. It wouldn’t be very practical if 10 people were all trying to use
the Home Exercise Equipment at the same time! The
weight bar
just
couldn't handle this as all exercises are attached to it! It doesn’t
work!!
The more expensive
the Health club equipment is, the more amazing it is to use!
Funny That! The contours and
positioning of the machine truly have to be experienced. The way the
machine feels when you are working
out is Simply amazing.
Unfortunately this will not get you the results! It doesn’t matter what
the machine looks or feels like. It still comes down to one person –
you.
So the answer is Yes Home Exercise Equipment can provide the same
quality as a Health Club
| Online Trainer Vs Gym Instructor Vs Personal Trainer |
Your Online Trainer
The
only motivation you need here is to jump online and type
in Exercise-Program-Expert.com and read a few sentences and I
guarantee
you’ll be jumping out of your skin to get into your next workout!
Soon one of the features we will be launching you will be able submit
your results to win prizes and so forth.
But for now your motivation must come from within…
This will be all about mindset. One of the most amazing discoveries I
made when reading the book ‘Think and grow rich’ by Napoleon Hill. This
book is not just about growing rich financially. It goes deeper and
helps you to change your life, your mindset, your ways. Totally
recommended.
There are also a few communities online that have a big database of
people that train from home and share there stories, inspirations and
what not online (buddy
community)
Gym Instructor
This
is what this website is based on. To give you the best
information, with tried and proven techniques so that you can
do-it-yourself. Refer back when necessary.
This is the same when you attend a Health Club. Your first session a
gym instructor will take you around, show you a few pieces the leave
you to yourself. Herein the problem lies…
They leave you to yourself!! Not many Health Clubs provide the next
step, keeping you motivated…
If you are left to yourself what happens?
• You eventually get out of routine
through maybe going to holiday, kids get sick, etc.
• The routine becomes repetitive and
boring.
• Eventually you forget all the reasons
you joined up as it becomes too expensive
This is what frustrates me about the Fitness World. Unless you have
$1000’s to spend on a Personal Trainer 95% of people can simply not
sustain a consistent workout routine for the rest of there lives.
The key is the backup. It’s easy to have that day when you look in the
mirror and say ‘god I’m fat, I’m joining a gym.’
You get down the salesperson tells you how you’ll get your problem
solved for just $20 p/week. You sign up…
Your first session comes round you get taken around you feel special.
The second session your on your own. You can’t quite remember how to do
this machine or that machine. The workout is not as good
The Third – Well the kids need picking up and dinner must be ready by
6pm. You’ll go tomorrow
The Fourth – It’s the early session. The alarm wakes you up but it’s
cold. You decide tomorrow would be better.
By the time the first month is over your already heading down hill.
They say it take 21 consecutive days to form a habit, and just 7 to
break one… Make the right choice
Personal Trainer
Find
them in Health Clubs or Personal Studios. Some will come to you…
If you have some spare cash this is the way to form that habit. The
Personal Trainer will cost you around $60 for a 45 minute session.
Money well spent though… When you consider this you know one thing is
for sure, when you put $60 of your hard earned money on the table your
sure as hell going to get your money’s worth!
Many people join a gym for 12 months. Lay out $1000. But only use the
membership a handful of times.
At least if you’ve committed to spend the money, plus made an
appointment your going no matter what!
The Personal Trainer can be a great way to get you to the next stage…
The Maintenance Stage!
This is where you simply maintain the hard work you put in to get your
body to where it is today!
| Top 6 reasons - Why Home Exercise Equipment is perfect for you |
- If you have children you can workout and baby sit all at the same time! (Have a crèche set up in your workout room!)
- You want to train when it suits your time frame not when the gym is open
- You have a reasonable sized area that you can create into your space
- You want to save money for the long term (buying a gym membership only lasts for 1 yr and the money spent on Home Exercise Equipment will end up saving you loads of money!)
- If you don’t like the crowds and the general socialising of the ‘Health Club’ atmosphere
- If you don’t like cuing up for your machine. Workouts should be done in order as you will soon discover. At peak times the Health Club can be impossible and become very annoying when always waiting for equipment. You own your own Home Exercise Equipment, you train on whatever exercise you want to!
| Top 5 reasons why people like Health Clubs... |
- Good socialising scene as you can meet like minded health conscious people.
- Because there are many people training around you feel compelled to put in that extra effort.
- If you can train at the off-peak times
(10am-3pm) you will almost have a free run on the equipment. (Is the opposite for those
training during peak
times)
- You can choose a gym that keeps there equipment updated in great condition.
- If you do purchase, for example, a
Treadmill and decide not to use it. You won’t feel bad for it sitting
in the corner as a dust collector because you can’t see your gym
membership going to waste!
| In Summary... Health Club Vs Home Exercise Equipment |
To summarise whether you should buy Home Exercise Equipment or join a Health Club. I think you know the answer... I cannot be the one to tell you what is the best for your circumstance. This decision must come from you...
As promised if you are looking to purchase some Home exercise Equipment, click here to see the recommendations and reviews into which are the best value for the money machines.
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