05 Jul Fitness free agency: What equipment do you want to sign on for?

What equipment do you want to sign on for?

The calendar has flipped to July 1st, but in many parts of the country they’re calling it LeBron 1st.
July 1 marked the first day of free-agency for arguably the best class of free agents in NBA history, with LeBron James leading the way. The list of All-Stars basketball players who are free to go wherever they wants continues with lots of other greats, such Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitski, Amare Stoudamire and Joe Johnson.
When it comes to personal fitness, we’re free agents at any point – free to pick and choose what methods and what equipment we want to sign on with to stay fit.
To help with the mental part of training, this is the second in a series on Fitness free agency: What training equipment do you want to sign on for?

Depending on your income and fitness goals, the list of equipment in your home gym will vary. However, here is a general list of how I’d stock the ideal home gym. You want to be able to get a varied workout, so don’t make the mistake of getting too much equipment that performs the same basic functions, such as all cardio machines and no strength training items.
Without further adieu, this the home gym free agency must-have lineup I’d sign:
* Treadmill – Shop around, but one of the most useful pieces in a gym is a treadmill. You can use it for many hours a week, get stretched out and really develop your cardio endurance by running and-or walking.
If you have the means and space, you may want to also consider adding an exercise bike or elliptical machine.
* Weights for strength training – Whether you choose free weights, kettle bells, a home gym machine or functional trainer, it’s important to be able to work out your muscles and build strength.
* Balance equipment – It’s a great tool to have equipment that will work on your balance while you perform other exercises, such as an exercise ball.
* Flexibility equipment – Get items that will help you stay as flexible as possible, such as stretching bands; foam rollers, a stretching mat and even slant boards to stretch the calf muscles and Achilles’ tendons.
There you go with a starter home gym list.
Just remember, though, the Most Valuable Player of any home gym is the piece of equipment you use the most. So make sure to select equipment you’ll use.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com