The Benefits of Having a Dedicated Work-Out Room in Your Home

My husband and I have been exercising sporadically for several years. We used to walk outdoors when the weather was good, but since the weather is usually either too hot, too cold or too wet, we weren't getting much exercise. We also found that living where we do, on a narrow, winding road, traffic was a hazard as we were often forced off the narrow roadway to allow cars to pass.

We decided the safest way to maintain regular exercise was to join a gym. We found ourselves excited and motivated to go to the gym at first; but there were days when it became increasingly difficult to get cleaned up in order to drive to the facility. Also, since we had to drive to the gym, we felt like we needed to get "our money's worth" before driving back home afterward. That meant sore muscles and ligaments from doing too much too soon.

Finally, we decided to invest in a couple of pieces of exercise equipment. Our first purchase was a new elliptical from our local Walmart. It was not a lot of money, especially when compared to a gym membership and the extra gasoline for trips to work out. Shortly after that, we were able to find a great deal on a gently used treadmill. A few months ago, our son moved and left us his Marcy Home Gym which has all the weights and diagrams for doing a total body workout. So we now have a complete gym in what was once our "spare room" which is now the "work-out room".

The new home gym provides us with a dedicated place to do our daily exercises. It no longer matters if my hair is freshly styled or if I have bed head. We are free to wear whatever clothing is most comfortable, which sometimes means our PJs. All that is needed is a few minutes of time and a good pair of walking shoes.

Our work-out room has an overhead ceiling fan to help keep us cool while exercising and it also has a CD player so we can exercise to the beat of some of our favorite music.

Many people try to incorporate a piece of exercise equipment into a corner of their bedroom, only to find it used mostly as a clothes hanger. I suspect that people who have a dedicated space in their in own home are much more likely to stick with a good exercise program. You are free to go at your own pace as you build up muscle tone and stamina. You can set goals based on calories burned or minutes spent in exercise. There is no one, looking over your shoulder or waiting for their turn on the equipment. You are also free to play whatever type of work-out music you enjoy, as loudly as you like and you can even sing along. If you like to watch TV while exercising, you can also place a TV in your work out room. Anything to help pass the time as you walk or run.

All things considered, our home gym has proved to be a very good investment in our health. Walking indoors is much safer and more comfortable than walking on nearby roadways and dodging traffic. Our exercise time can be done at our convenience, based on our schedule for that day.

Source: Personal Experience