Pumping iron at home
Fitness begins at home. Aabhas Sharma tells you how to put together a gym for Rs 1 lakh
It’s that time of the year when you resolve to join a gym to get rid of the flab around your waist, build biceps and get six-pack abs. There is a good chance that you will join a gym, buy new clothes, huff and puff for a week and then forget about it. The drive to the gym in the morning will turn out to be too long, or the long queue of people at the treadmill will put you off. What if you had a gym at home, all to yourself, which you could use at your convenience? We tell you how under Rs 1 lakh you can put together a personal gym at home.
The first and foremost thing to consider is the space you want to allot to the equipment. Ideally, 10X15 ft space is good enough for a home gym. If you have the money, you can have laminated flooring. But it’s absolutely essential to exercise in a well-ventilated room. If not, get an exhaust fan fitted. For extreme weather conditions, it is advisable to install an air-conditioner. A good music system helps, though it’s not essential.
Choosing the right equipment is important. It has to fit in the space available. Treadmills, multi-purpose gyms, exer-cycles, yoga mats, weights and Swiss balls are some of the equipment which one should have at the home gym. A word of caution before you set out: It is best to go through a medical check-up to understand what exercise your body needs. It is also advisable to learn the basics from a trainer, especially when it comes to using the multi-purpose gym and doing weights. The wrong way can even lead to deformities.
Treadmills have already found their way into many Indian homes, even if people don’t want to set up a home gym, but are fitness conscious. Starting from the very basic to the technologically advanced, you can choose the treadmill to fit your space and pocket. Proline’s range of treadmills is ideal if you don’t want to spend more than a lakh on your gym. They are foldable, compact and will cost you about Rs 20,000. Other brands with similar features are also available at stores which sell sports and fitness equipment. If you are willing to spend more, then try Reebok’s treadmills. Starting from Rs 42,000, it has some state-of-the-art treadmills.
Apart from treadmills, the exer-cycle is a good machine for cardiovascular exercises. These are cheap, don’t take up too much space and help you keep fit. You can find a cycle for as low as Rs 3,000, though it won’t have too many features. Proline has some very good and affordable machines which come with LCD display that tells you the speed, distance covered, time and calories burnt. These bikes are priced above Rs 8,000. Thirty minutes on the exer-cycle after half an hour on the treadmill is a great workout.
A multi-purpose gym is something which looks bulky and will probably require the most area in your gym, but it’s worth the space and hassle. Weights are easy to adjust on this and you can do a plethora of exercises for your upper and lower body. Most systems will consist of a leg press bench for working the quadriceps and calf muscles. The multi-gym stations are priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000, and almost all the sports equipment shops will have them. In Delhi, you can try Lodhi Sports in Lodhi Colony and in Mumbai you can visit the Fitness Station chain of stores. Since this will be the centre of attraction in your gym, choose a machine which looks good and doesn’t take up more than the required space.
Bench press is good for your shoulders, chest and biceps. Make sure the bench seat is well-cushioned and the bar support doesn’t take too much space. Starting from Rs 5,000, several options are available in the market and the price can go up to Rs 15,000. You can buy them on the Internet as well. Several small forging units can also make one according to your specifications. Along with the multi-gym station, it’s the bench press which will take the maximum space in your gym. If you have a fragile back, it is advisable to buy an exercise belt. Wristbands will keep the sweat from your forearms from flowing into your palms. Ensure that a trainer takes you through the initial routines. Increase the weight on the bench gradually.
Weights are easily procured and their price depends on what you’re looking to use them for. In most shops, they sell for about Rs 75-80 per kg, and the rod will cost you another Rs 700 or so. So if you are looking at a set of 30-kg weights, then along with the rod, you will have to shell out about Rs 3,500. Dumbbells will cost another Rs 1,500 and are available at almost all sports and fitness equipment shops.
An abs bench is another must-have in your gym. A good abs bench, which can be folded easily, will cost you about Rs 6,000 and will help in reducing the paunch and build those washboard abs. A plain yoga mat will cost you around Rs 500 or so and won’t require too much space as well. A Reebok mat will cost you about Rs 1,200. You can buy gloves as well from Nike or Reebok which will cost another Rs 700 or so.
(Experts spoken to: Reebok fitness consultant Vinata Shetty, Latif Mohammed of Talwalkar’s and Nagesh Shirsath of Gold's Gym Mumbai)