This post is all about workout room compromises. I’m sure you’ve heard the statistics about people who have a gym membership vs those that attend the gym. Most of us have probably been that person at one time or another. I’ve been every version of gym membership holder as there are and I’ve had a wide variety of memberships before.
This post is about breaking down the ways to compromise on a home gym for space or expense reasons and why you might not want to. If you missed my home gym transformation, you can check that out here.
TreadClimber vs Treadmill:
Let’s start with one of the most common pieces of equipment in home gyms, the treadmill. I swapped out the treadmill for a TreadClimber by Bowflex. I’d previously had an Elliptical from NordicTrack but my knees didn’t tolerate it well. This is likely a warm-up issue but it flared my MCAS right at the top of both knees and then I was shot. The TreadClimber was theoretically a way to increase the calories burned. Honestly, this wasn’t a very good reason but it can function as a treadmill too.
Treadmills run all sorts of prices and the distance and calorie measurements are pretty all over the place. I don’t find a lot of value in them as a measurable activity, nor do trackers work well with them. However, nothing beats walking for a workout. Nothing. It’s easy to work into your life and backward walking on a treadmill is a full-body experience that honestly has been great for my hips.
I’m a big proponent of walking outside and even for a weight-lifting warm-up I’d still prefer to walk outdoors. However, I already had the Treadclimber and there’s no point ditching it, but if you can afford a simple treadmill by space or cost, I’d highly recommend it. I should preface that I don’t think it’s a solution for weight loss. There is no magic here but human beings are migratory and we were made for walking. It’s great for your overall health.
The Tread climber adds stepping and a sort of walking-through-sand-type motion. I learned the hard way that stepping is the warm-up for this. Otherwise, you burn out your thighs too fast. I’ve rarely used it in its intended function. Generally, I use it as a treadmill. So I could have saved a ton of money in this aspect. It is a bit more compact but a ton heavier. It’s a shorter length and has no fun functions for a natural running variation like gym treadmills, but neither do the cheap models of treadmills.
I would recommend making walking outside your go-to and getting a very basic reasonably priced and not-too-heavy treadmill if you need to run after dark to be safe.
Spin bike vs Reclining bike:
I have a TBI and am rather sensitive to the extra noise of wind-resistance bikes so personally, even though they are cheap, I currently couldn’t go this way. I think the spin bike prices are coming down and much more compact than rowing machines or reclining bikes. I’ve been doing 10-20 minute exercises on the spin bike to build up to more. The neck position isn’t great but I do enjoy actual bike riding and the spin bike feels more authentic to me.
Check out FrugalFit Mom’s review of the off-brand spin bike that I purchased. I found several shorter workouts that are pretty good as well. My biggest issue is the leaned forward position so I’ve been building up to that. In the next post, I’ll cover how I go about adjusting to personal tolerances and injuries. If you have POTS, it’s still probably safer to go with a reclining bike. For those of us with exercise intolerance, I would HIGHLY recommend having your own or a very easily accessible personal gym. I’ll also cover that in next week’s post.
Exercise Mat vs Yoga Mat:
Unfortunately, the waters are a bit muddied in sales and they will sell an exercise mat as if it’s a yoga mat. Yoga mats should be thin. It actually makes yoga harder if you have too much padding that you are constantly fine-adjusting your muscle balance to counter the extra give.
In most cases, I’d advocate a yoga mat over an exercise mat. However, if you will be rolling over your hips or tailbone a lot it would be worth also getting an exercise mat. That extra padding is needed in those cases.
Pilates Equipment vs Reformer Pilates Machine:
Reformer Pilates machines are phenomenal. The studio versions with springs are wonderful. Reformer Pilates is much easier than floor Pilates, it doesn’t have to be but it can make it easier. It’s great for working around injuries or adapting to personal imbalances.
That being said, the at-home resistance band versions don’t function as well at low weights and require a ton of space. Not only is the machine large, but you need so much space to function around it and it’s used in so many ways.
Personally, Reformer Pilates is the MOST reliable strength training and toning exercise I’ve been able to do consistently and without injury (except for the one I’ll talk about next week). I would seriously consider throwing everything out and keeping only this in your workout room. Truly. A very basic one costs a bit more than $500 and still folds up. I love mine. The bonus items are not worth the space they take, in my opinion. However, if this is the only piece you have and you have a whole room then go all out. Raise it up and add the tower. I think this could be done safely enough for POTS patients as well (though not everything).
I would recommend taking many in-person classes before you do it exclusively at home. There are quite a few things that you need to learn about the equipment and get your own form proper before going it alone.
I won’t do floor Pilates. I honestly can’t right now. With several of my injuries, many of the basic moves are painful and it’s not an enjoyable experience. However, this is a very low cost to try out a form of exercise and great for core building. It’s worth a try but try definitely take an instructor class for awhile before doing it at home.
Travel Bands vs Resistance Band Sets vs Cable Machines
My favorite gym exercises are with cable machines. I’m clearly not alone because they are ALWAYS busy. My personal trainer, after years of me being in his reformer Pilates classes, helped me develop a weight lifting routine to specifically work to balance my right and left side muscles equally. They were a bit off prior to the car accident but far worse after and if my left side could do the job the right side would completely check out. Due to this, I need two cable-weight stacks. One for each side.
Cable machines and their weight stacks are not very convenient for home use, though possible to install or buy. The self-contained units require counterbalances and are larger. They are also quite expensive.
Another alternative is resistance bands that have connectors for handles and to secure with a door. These tend to run $30-$50 and do not require mounting or affixing anything to your house. Resistance bands are not a one-to-one trade or weight equivalent as the tension starts at zero and increases as it’s stretched so it’s not always possible to do full-range movements with anything close to consistent resistance. The price and impermanence make this a great option.
Another similar concept is resistance bands that do not have handles. They are even cheaper and you can tie loops to use as handles if needed. These are also much lighter for traveling and can also use knots or looped-around handles for workouts. I highly recommend having a set of these for travel workouts where you won’t have gym access but will be there for a while.
Weights:
There are so many different types of weights. There are weighted bars, kettlebells, hand weights, wrist and ankle weights, and more. My workout routine was written for a kettlebell of 15 lbs and all I had was two 3-pound hand weights and a Pilates weighted 3-segmented bar. It’s a total of 24 lbs, with 3 segments of 8 lbs each. So I opted to use two of these linked together for my current workout routine.
Personally, 3 lbs weights are too light for anything short of overhead activity. I have used the wrist and ankle weights and I don’t think there is much benefit in this type of weight. There are other ways to create resistance and drag if needed.
Most of these at-home options do require good form, so I like to make a plan with a pro and have them walk me through the plan where I take a lot of notes (after) and then I follow the plan out on my own. If you like using free weights, this is the easiest way to have an at-home gym. A small set of 5 weights doesn’t have to take a lot of room and if you’re willing to pay the big bucks, you can have them on one set.
I settled for the bar because It has grippy material in the middle and I can hold it comfortably with both hands in several positions.
Final words on workout room compromises:
Take advantage of used equipment such as free weights, rowing machines, spin bikes, etc. These pieces may have some significant use and considerable wear and tear so take that into consideration when purchasing. Treads, for instance, require regular lubrication that rarely gets done so motors on treadmills are much more at risk on used equipment. Pulley and wind resistance equipment can usually be easily inspected. Cables should be relatively easy to inspect as well.
Look at your workout as a whole, including what you prefer to do outside, and make sure the things you invest big money in are things you actually enjoy doing. Try out a gym first or a personal training session. It’s easy to buy into the idea that you will eventually need the full fancy Bowflex machine, but in reality, we are typically best served with standard equipment that can be used in different ways and take less space.
If you want a basic home gym with minimal investment, pick just one piece of cardio equipment such as a trampoline or a spin bike. Then limit the rest of your workout to resistance bands or free weights. You can do a lot with these things.
Next week I’ll cover some health considerations for why you would want a home gym.