Do you huff and puff excessively after climbing a flight of stairs? We believe it may be time to join the growing number of Canadians who exercise on a regular basis.

Increasingly, evidence shows that exercise pays off, even for those who start a routine late in their lives. "But," you say, "I just don’t have time, and health clubs are to expensive!"

Why not hurdle those obstacles by bringing the gym home? The home exercise facility offers what every Canadian seeks -- convenience and value. And it significantly cuts the number of viable excuses for not sweating off those extra pounds. More and more Canadians now find ways to build a gym at home.

Why Home?
You could save enough for a down payment on a house with the money you might spend in some health club dues over the next five years. But if you’re budget conscious and choose your exercise equipment carefully, you can get in shape at a reasonable price by setting up a home gym.

Budget-conscious folks can convert a spare bedroom into an exercise salon. Just clear the room out, buy the needed equipment and, voila, you have an exercise room.

With a home gym, you save the time you would spend traveling to a health club. Say it takes you 15 minutes one-way to the health club of your choice. That’s half an hour each day you go to the gym.  And if you go three times a week for a month, you waste six hours. That’s practically one night’s sleep! Living today’s hectic lifestyle, you could easily find better use for that six hours. And, with a home exercise room, you don’t have to pack up the sneakers and get ready to go someplace.

Even if you have a health club membership and like the facility, you probably can’t always make it there as often as you’d like. Again, the best solution is to set up an exercise room in your home.  Studies show that 56% of people with gym memberships also have home equipment.

Some people opt for the home gym because local health clubs are too crowded, instead of waiting in line half an hour to use a treadmill, they are bringing the treadmill home. Others don’t like to watch sweat from a stranger on a neighboring treadmill or are shy about perspiring profusely in front of others. The home exercise room solves all these problems.

Building Your Health Club
Some homeowners are transforming bedrooms, patios, garages and large closets into miniature health clubs. And those who can’t afford to spare whole rooms are putting exercise equipment almost anyplace it will fit. Just remember to put your equipment in a space large enough to accommodate it.  You need room to walk around your equipment and make adjustments or repairs. Ideally, you will have:

• 30 sq. ft. for a treadmill
• 10 sq. ft. for a stationary bike
• 10 - 20 sq. ft. for a stair climber
• 20 to 50 sq. ft. for free weights
• 35 sq. ft. for a single-station gym

The less budget-conscious homeowners build new exercise rooms onto their homes. Typically, such rooms are 15 x 18 ft. with eight-to nine-foot ceilings. But the room’s size should vary according to the amount of equipment a family will purchase. These custom-designed rooms often include a mirrored wall and nap carpet, wood or vinyl floors.

Many people building a brand-new home mark workout space at the top of their wish lists, right next to home offices and media centres. In a 1997 survey, "What Today’s Home Buyers Want," 37% of all respondents rated an exercise room as "desirable" or "essential." So many upscale houses now on the market include an exercise room. In some new homes, exercise areas fit between the master bedroom and bath area.

Equipping Your Exercise Room
Before you buy home exercise equipment, try it out! If you know what you’re getting when you buy it, you’ll be less likely to one day stuff the equipment into a dusty corner of the attic. Test all machines for at least 15 minutes to determine stability, smoothness and comfort.

What kind of equipment do you need? It depends on what you’re trying to do. If you want to lose fat, purchase cardiovascular equipment such as treadmills, stationary bikes and stair steppers. But to tone or build muscle, you need resistance training equipment such as dumbbells or barbells. In addition to discussing the equipment with experts in physical training techniques, you should also consult your personal doctor about how your current physical condition might be affected by a new exercise regimen.

Go to an exercise equipment specialty store. They carry the best products, have the most knowledgeable staff, and will provide services including delivery, assembly and repairs. Buy the best equipment you can afford because it will give you a better workout and won’t break down as easily. And, most importantly, it will be less likely to be relegated to the back corner of your garage. You will find yourself more motivated to exercise in a pleasant environment. Certain exercise room accessories are, therefore, worth the price.  

Your room could also include:

• TV and VCR. Time in the gym will pass more quickly when you can watch your favorite show. And you can play an exercise video on the VCR.
• Stereo. It’s more fun to work out with rhythm.
• Large wall clock. You should time your workout.
• Book rack on your stationary bike or treadmill. You can increase your knowledge while decreasing your waistline.
• Make sure the room is properly ventilated with an air conditioner or ceiling fan. It’s dangerous to overheat when you work out. 

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